aspire brake swap

[jeffdjeffd]

Aspire rear

The spring perch is significantly higher, so the rear raises quite a lot. Look at Simon's pics in the photos section with the Aspire suspension - hilarious.

Sorry, Kindred - wasn't trying to be an ass. I was just trying to eplain as simply as possible that thre are different suspension possibilities that are not dependent on the brake setup. The brake setup will effect, to a certain extent, tire choice, since you are changing bolt patter, thus changing wheels and possibly tire size.

Here's my car in between summer mode (lowered) and winter mode (raised with Aspire susp. to avoid snow chunkies!):

[Kindred]

All right, for those of you guys who have used both: is there a significant performance difference besides ride height between the festiva and aspire struts?

[Gro Harlem]

higher car = higher center of gravity = shittier handling = negative performance enhancement.

But the aspires might be valved firmer since they are for a heavier car, but that wouldnt' help you out if the car sits higher than it did before.

Unless you cut your springs in half :lol:

[jeffdjeffd]

for the best handling, lowering springs and the KYB GR-2 struts on my summer setup are awesome. The struts are VERY firm, though, as in jawjarring firm. DJ said on the other board that the supers were better in that respect.

As far as my personal comparison of worn out festiva struts/springs vs. worn out aspire struts/springs - pretty much the same. The aspire stuff just give a little more clearance so I don't rub as much. i.e. neither handle particularly well.
jeff

[ridenred27]

brake info

i just thought that i would clarify a few things on this swap. (since i did this swap in 95 and have 70k miles on this setup)
i used the front struts springs hubs calipers rotors brake hoses and the outer tie rod ends from 94 aspire. in the rear i used the complete rear aspire suspension.
next you need to cut two full wraps off all 4 corners this will bring the festiva about 1 inch lower than stock. but your car will handle and stop 200% better than they ever did new.
my car isn't one of those phantom cars either for the people living in central Ohio you probably have seen it a time or 2 she is hard to miss low to the ground black hood red hatch wing dark blue body and vw gti snowflake 14" wheels.
if any one is interested i will get some pics of her posted here

[fastivaca]

How about using Aspire springs in Festiva struts? Would cutting them down the two coils have the same effect of lowering the Festiva an inch or so?

Ian
92 GL Sport
Calgary

[mattswabb]

I know this thread has shifted more toward the aspire/festiva struts/springs but I was just in the garage taking some pics. If anyone is interested here is the size differences between the festiva and aspire rotors:


By the way those aspire rotors are as they came out of the junk yard. I think the car I got them from must have just had a brake job. I already put the festiva rear away or I would have taken a picture of the 2 rears together.

matt

[ridenred27]

it is very possible but the valving in the aspire is better matched. and im not sure if the spring plates (on the struts )would be the same

[ridenred27]

you should compare the aspire calipers to the wimpy festiva caliper and the solid to vented rotors.

[mechanicaldj]

two things: on the swap- what about the master cylinder? it is a bigger bore size and it fits on to the festys brake booster with a little bending of one of the brake lines due to a 90 degree shift in one of the ports( makes a difference in braking! ). AND WHY DO YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE? the old one fits fine!

[mattswabb]

I used the park brake cable from the aspire since it was on the rear beam and my interior was out. I did notice that they looked identical.

[mechanicaldj]

and the master cylinder? without going as far as to change the brake booster( which is just plain silly). THERE IS A VERY NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN BRAKING POWER WITH THE NEW MASTER!

[Gforcefd]

body roll

I know this is alittle off subject, but with the lowering springs and the GR2(the jawjamming ones) what is the body roll like? I don't think there is a sway bar upgrade for us is there?

88- I think it was you, with the cheap ebay coilovers, how does it handle(not the ride, but the swirving) aspect.

Logan

[Safety Guy]

My experience with the parking brake cable was that the Festiva cable is maybe an inch or so too short for the side to side reach to the mechanical drum brake actuator arms of the Aspire rear axle. I had to run mine straight across in order to hook it up--without running it through the axle grommets. Otherwise, it would not have reached at all. (My rear shoes were a bit old and worn too.)

Later on I did do a brake job and the new shoes fit on okay though. My bet is still that the Aspire brake cable has a bit more reach across the axle width.

Karl

[mechanicaldj]

all i am saying: is that you don't need to buy the cable if you don't need to and to install it after the brake swap is to install it in the the axle first then at the drums then the inside parking brake handle and adjustment nut