What can you do to improve highway (70+ mph) handling?

[mintFestiva]

Hi Everyone,

Starting in January next year, I will be commuting about an hour a day, three times per week to college. This requires me to drive on the highway where the speed limit is 70mph.
Since I might have up to 3 people including myself, plus backpacks, equivalent in weight to 4 people, I figured I should test out how the Festiva would do with this much weight and speed.

So, today I took it for a spin with me and three other adults. It took 70 up a hill just fine. I could have gone even faster However, it isn't the most comfortable way to travel....car steering vibrates quite a bit. Engine RPMs are high. The car is perfectly comfortable at 55mph so I don't believe anything is seriously wrong.

I was wondering if any of you guys had done any fairly easy modifications to your suspension to make speeds like this more comfortable.
Here's a list of things I have done already:
1. Had front tires professionally balanced
2. replaced sway-bar-to-control arm and swaybar-to-frame bushings

I was thinking about possibly installing bigger wheels which would lower the RPMs somewhat, but could possibly reduce my power.

This is an '89 carburated 4-speed with 12-inch rims.

What do you guys think?

[Damkid]

Not sure how much work your wanting to do but maybe consider a 5 speed tranny, itd be a direct swap for your 4 speed

[mintFestiva]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have condsidered this. just how much would this change the RPMs?

[jhli]

At 75 mph I'm only at 3000 rpms.

[jhli]

Forgot to say in 5th gear.

[Damkid]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have condsidered this. just how much would this change the RPMs?

1st-4th would feel the same, you'd just be adding another gear, it's been a long time since I had a stock 5 speed setup but if memory serves me right, 5th gear @ 50mph = roughly 2500rpm

[FestYboy]

find some front springs and put them in the back for more load capacity and better handling. also may want to replace/upgrade the rear struts while you're at it.

[bhazard]

5th is more like 2300 at 55.

[bravekozak]

Do the Aspire swap. You can't go wrong with bigger brakes, wheels and tires plus a full load.

[scitzz]

find some front springs and put them in the back for more load capacity and better handling. also may want to replace/upgrade the rear struts while you're at it.

I did that not too long ago. As you said, it does jack up the car in the rear. I am waiting to do the aspire swap before cutting, but I plan on cutting the springs a little to lower it again.

It REALLY improved handling, but also revealed the flaws in my weak suspension up front I tend to drift a little at highway speeds if I am not careful.

[FestYboy]

1.5 coils should do the trick Paul.

[scitzz]

1.5 coils should do the trick Paul.

That much you think?

I figured I would get the aspire fronts on, get the tires on, and trim to the right length. I would have guessed, purely off the top of my head, to cut about 3/4 and install, go from there. I might take that up some if you think so.

Not that I mean to jack this thread, I kind of meant to add my support to your idea

[FestYboy]

i'm figuring the rear is already raked from factory, and then adding the front springs to the mix, you'll want to level things out a bit. but you're right, start small and work at it till its where you want it.