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Aspire VS Fetiva swaybars -- with pics!

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  • Aspire VS Fetiva swaybars -- with pics!

    There has been discussion about whether or not the aspire front swaybar (stabilizer bar, whatever you want to call it) will fit on the festiva. Some say yes, some say its wider, some say you need to use the aspire LCA's (though most agree if you use the aspire LCA you will pop your axles out of your trany).

    So since no one else has posted any solid evidence, i decided to spend a little $ and find out for myself whether or not it will work. While i was at a friends house buying a pile of aspire stuff I picked up an aspire swaybar. First, here are the pics:

    Festiva (this is the bar that is currently on my car):



    Aspire:



    Aspire bar under the car:


    Festiva VS Aspire LCA:


    Both the festiva and aspire bar's measure 47.25" from the inside to inside of the threads that go thru the LCA. The aspire LCA's are longer, I presume that this is because the mounting points for the aspire LCA's are closer together than on the festiva.

    The aspire bar is shaped differently than the festiva bar, but it looks like it will fit w/o any clearance issues, as long as you use the aspire mounting plates that i pointed out in the pics!!! These plates will bolt to the same 3 bolts that the festiva's plates bolt to.

    The aspire bar is 1" OD, the festiva bar is 7/8" OD.

    Unfortunately since i just installed the energy susp swaybar bushings on my festiva bar i didn't want to install the aspire bar, so i HAVE NOT ACTUALLY INSTALLED the bar, but everything lines up and measure up.


    I hope this bit of info helps someone!
    ~Nate

    the keeper of a wonderful lil car, Skeeter.

    Current cars:
    91L "Skeeter" 170k, Aspire brakes, G15, BP, Advancedynamics coil overs, etc. My first love.
    1990 Kawasaki Ninja 250 - my gas saver, 60+mpg - 40k
    2004 MotoGuzzi Breva - my "longer range" bike - 17k

    FOTY 2008 winner!

  • #2
    Nice work Nate! This looks like a smart upgrade that could be done as part of the Aspire brake swap and maybe balance out the anti-sway characteristics of the back and front better than just swapping the rear torsion beam.
    I'm going to come at you like a spider monkey!
    White 1993 L plus, 5 speed - 47k miles
    * Aspire brake swap, 14" Miata wheels & Tein coliover suspension

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    • #3
      good work, what part number was the energy suspension swaybar bushings? I heard before that the energy suspension brackets wouldn't work on our cars but you have proof that they do, did you have to do anything to make it fit or was it a bolt on affair?

      Comment


      • #4
        bolt on, part # 9.5158

        obviously if you use an aspire bar you will need a different part number!
        ~Nate

        the keeper of a wonderful lil car, Skeeter.

        Current cars:
        91L "Skeeter" 170k, Aspire brakes, G15, BP, Advancedynamics coil overs, etc. My first love.
        1990 Kawasaki Ninja 250 - my gas saver, 60+mpg - 40k
        2004 MotoGuzzi Breva - my "longer range" bike - 17k

        FOTY 2008 winner!

        Comment


        • #5
          The only issue I see is a possible interference between the trans crossmember and the hump on the driver's side of the Aspire bar.
          Jim DeAngelis

          kittens give Morbo gas!!



          Bright Blue 93 GL (1.6 8v, 5spd) (Hula-Baloo)
          Performance Red 94 Aspire SE (Stimpson)

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by FB71
            The only issue I see is a possible interference between the trans crossmember and the hump on the driver's side of the Aspire bar.
            Flip it upside down?

            Comment


            • #7
              yes that is the only area i thought it might have a problem, but it looks like it will fit the way it is. Why the aspire bar goes up like that i don't know?

              but if it does cause issues it could easily be flipped like Dave suggested.
              ~Nate

              the keeper of a wonderful lil car, Skeeter.

              Current cars:
              91L "Skeeter" 170k, Aspire brakes, G15, BP, Advancedynamics coil overs, etc. My first love.
              1990 Kawasaki Ninja 250 - my gas saver, 60+mpg - 40k
              2004 MotoGuzzi Breva - my "longer range" bike - 17k

              FOTY 2008 winner!

              Comment


              • #8
                sweet now i got a for sure answer i would like to use the thicker aspire sway bar it will help with the traction

                Comment


                • #9
                  SWEET!! I will be doing this once I swap over!!!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    He did note that it looks like it will fit but hasn't done so yet.
                    It's a good thing you don't read the stickies, you might of learned something.Poverty produces creativity

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                    • #11
                      Maybe a stupid question but how much will swapping over to the aspire sway bar effect my alignment if at all?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by DuritzCrows17
                        Maybe a stupid question but how much will swapping over to the aspire sway bar effect my alignment if at all?
                        won't affect it at all.
                        ~Nate

                        the keeper of a wonderful lil car, Skeeter.

                        Current cars:
                        91L "Skeeter" 170k, Aspire brakes, G15, BP, Advancedynamics coil overs, etc. My first love.
                        1990 Kawasaki Ninja 250 - my gas saver, 60+mpg - 40k
                        2004 MotoGuzzi Breva - my "longer range" bike - 17k

                        FOTY 2008 winner!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by skeeters_keeper
                          Originally posted by DuritzCrows17
                          Maybe a stupid question but how much will swapping over to the aspire sway bar effect my alignment if at all?
                          won't affect it at all.
                          awesome, I am deffinatley on the look out for one now.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            not true, it MAY affect caster, and therefore bumpsteer. double check the arm length first.
                            Trees aren't kind to me...

                            currently: 2 88Ls (Scrappy and Jersey), 88LX, 90L(Pepe), 91L, 91GL (Skippy) 93 GL Sport (the Mighty Favakk), 94 (Bruce) & 95 Aspire SEs, 97 Aspire (The Joker),
                            94 Justy 4WD, 87 Fiero GT, plus 2 parts cars. That's my fleet.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by FestYboy
                              not true, it MAY affect caster, and therefore bumpsteer. double check the arm length first.
                              I was just thinking the same thing. What is the distance from the mounting brackets to the end of the bar? An easy way to measure this would be to stand the bars up so that both ends are on the ground and measure straight up to the mounting points.

                              Just my 2 cents worth.... which brings to mind a question. Why is it we offer "a penny for your thoughts" and then get back "2 cents worth"?
                              Ian
                              Calgary AB, Canada
                              93 L B6T: June 2016 FOTM
                              59 Austin Healey "Bugeye" Sprite

                              "It's infinitely better to fail with courage than to sit idle with fear...." Chip Gaines (pg 167 of Capital Gaines, Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff)

                              Link to the "Road Trip Starting Points" page of my Econobox Café blog

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