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Start by putting your car on stands, make sure it is safe
These are the front struts I know, I know they are used but I will get new ones when the swap is done. Anyhow left strut is festiva right strut is Aspire they appear to be the same.
Oh ya measured ride height 23" before lift.
This is how I took off the axle nuts
It was fairly easy, dont forget to spray all nuts and brake lines with Nut Buster or some kind of penetrating fluid.
Remove knuckle and strut, also remove outer tie rod end count the turns when removing and install the new Aspire or Escort tie rods with the same amount of turns the old one came off with.
Here is the diffrence from Festiva to Aspire or Escort.
Left one is Aspire and has larger taper than right Festiva.
This is a good time to replace your sway bar because your lower ball joints will hang loose and make it easier to install sway bar.
Place jack under front cross member undo 2 front bolts and lower front of cross member. Drain radiator and cut 1-1.5 inches off the rad where the lower rad hose fits and cut the same amount off the lower rad hose.
This will allow more clearence for the sway bar it may touch your front trans mount but won't hurt nothing.
This is a pic of both sway bars the topone is from an Aspire it is 1" thick the Festiva one is 3/4" thick and are both the same width.
Now is the time to install your knuckle and strut make sure you check or change your bearings.
Now install your calipers and new brakes with hardware
If you put in studs lock tite them in
I dont think anyone mentioned anything about this but when you get your brake swap from your Aspire or Escort dont forget to keep the caliper bolts when I did mine someone took the axles and the calipers were hanging well Aspire calipers have a longer caliper bolt on the top than the Festiva so I had to order caliper bolts not too bad for me cause I work at a dealership and pay cost plus 10%.
There you have it now do the other side. [B]Don't forget to recheck all your bolts and install cotter pins,[B] this may save you alot of grief in the end.
Front ride height after swap 24 1/2".
Will do write up on rear swap when complete hope this helps someone.
These are the front struts I know, I know they are used but I will get new ones when the swap is done. Anyhow left strut is festiva right strut is Aspire they appear to be the same.
Oh ya measured ride height 23" before lift.
This is how I took off the axle nuts
It was fairly easy, dont forget to spray all nuts and brake lines with Nut Buster or some kind of penetrating fluid.
Remove knuckle and strut, also remove outer tie rod end count the turns when removing and install the new Aspire or Escort tie rods with the same amount of turns the old one came off with.
Here is the diffrence from Festiva to Aspire or Escort.
Left one is Aspire and has larger taper than right Festiva.
This is a good time to replace your sway bar because your lower ball joints will hang loose and make it easier to install sway bar.
Place jack under front cross member undo 2 front bolts and lower front of cross member. Drain radiator and cut 1-1.5 inches off the rad where the lower rad hose fits and cut the same amount off the lower rad hose.
This will allow more clearence for the sway bar it may touch your front trans mount but won't hurt nothing.
This is a pic of both sway bars the topone is from an Aspire it is 1" thick the Festiva one is 3/4" thick and are both the same width.
Now is the time to install your knuckle and strut make sure you check or change your bearings.
Now install your calipers and new brakes with hardware
If you put in studs lock tite them in
I dont think anyone mentioned anything about this but when you get your brake swap from your Aspire or Escort dont forget to keep the caliper bolts when I did mine someone took the axles and the calipers were hanging well Aspire calipers have a longer caliper bolt on the top than the Festiva so I had to order caliper bolts not too bad for me cause I work at a dealership and pay cost plus 10%.
There you have it now do the other side. [B]Don't forget to recheck all your bolts and install cotter pins,[B] this may save you alot of grief in the end.
Front ride height after swap 24 1/2".
Will do write up on rear swap when complete hope this helps someone.
Where'd you get the studs?
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