Aspire sway bar into Festiva

[Festy46]

A question to the guys that have swapped in the Aspire sway bar. What did you do about the fact that the Aspire sway bar does not clear the front Festiva transmission mount? (The round part with the rubber center)

[skeeters_keeper]

Push and shove, thats what I did. It rests up against the mount, but that hasn't caused any problems. I've heard some people say that it fit in easily, I can tell you mine was very tight!, but I figured a lot of that was from my front end not being quite lined up due to a few accidents.

[Icedawg]

Made a new tranny mount out of the end of a lower control arm from a GM product, collected at PicNPull, by cutting the old circular mount of the bracket and welding the end of the control arm on instead.

[sasquatch]

mine fit good. dose anyone have the problem of the rad hose hitting it?

[skeeters_keeper]

mines hits the rad hose too... not enough that I think it would cause a problem, but there is contact. I'm considering re-locating my rad slightly anyway to aid in the future turbo install.

[Festy46]

My radiator hose hits too, but I cut a little over 1/2" off the end that goes on to the radiator and now the hose just barely touches the sway bar. I'm going to fabricate a mount to clear the sway bar.

[sasquatch]

ya i was going to cut a bit off the hose too, but ill wait to do the when i do my motor swap and the then go to a auto rad.

[renny10n]

Aspire swaybar mounting plate to frame

Howzit guys,

I'm getting ready to doing the Aspire brake/swaybar swap and was wondering which swaybar mounting plate to frame are you using(Aspire or Festiva)?

I did the search awhile back and thought I seen a thread saying that the Aspire mounting plate would have to be used and it was a bolt on affair. However, the three mounting holes on the '97 Aspire frame plates don't match up to the Festivas, the hole spacing is a bit wider. Could it be that mine are different because they are out of an auto xmsn Aspire, would that make a difference?

It would be nice if the Aspire mounting plates can be used, they are way beefier, about a 1/16" thicker.

Please let me know, any feed back is greatly appreciated(gotta get this thing going soon)

Thanks in advance! ....renny

[sasquatch]

use the festiva mounting plate, i think you need to use the aspire mounting "u" shaped things (i cant remember what they are called) and the aspire rubber bushings.

[renny10n]

use the festiva mounting plate, i think you need to use the aspire mounting "u" shaped things (i cant remember what they are called) and the aspire rubber bushings.

Thanks big time Sasquatch!


Got ya on the "u" clamps? Both the Aspire & Festiva ones are almost identical in size, I better take a better look to make sure. Anyway, plan to use those stock clamps along w/ the energy suspension bushings.



Thanks once again, take care! ....renny

[sasquatch]

glad i could help.