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Aspire brake swap? - advice for a dummy :)

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  • Aspire brake swap? - advice for a dummy :)

    Hi guys, I have a few dummy questions so please bare with me

    I'm a bit of a dummy when it comes to this stuff, I'll do the little jobs myself (oil change, spark plugs, leads, bulbs etc) but am not confident enough to do the larger jobs, preferring to have an expert take over...

    Exactly which parts do I need to remove and how much space will they occupy to leave and get someone more handy than I to install it all? Ie: would I need a trailer to carry it all away? Or could the lot fit in the back wrapped in a tarpaulin?

    Can a guy like myself pull all the required parts off or am I best to take someone a bit more experienced with such things?

    Then once all is installed is that it? Do you just run with the donor brakes, perhaps just replace the pads if they are worn etc? Or do a lot of you then upgrade the discs & rotors even further? I'm thinking just a factory aspire setup will be fine for me provided there is some life in the brakes of course.

    Any key points I should look out for (and avoid?) when looking for my aspire donor?

    Ultimately I do plan on jamming bigger wheels on the festie, perhaps even 16" (coz I can) but in the short - medium term I'll be happy with whatever comes off the aspire.
    200,000KM milestone!

  • #2
    Have you read this yet? http://www.clubprotege.com/wil/howto/aspirebrakes.htm
    '90 LX

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    • #3
      It's a easy swap, swap the front knuckles, change the tie rod ends to the correct ones, and swap out the rear beam, then bleed the brakes. I'd pull them off the least rusty, and lowest mileage aspire you can find. The autos have thicker front rotors, so they are heavier than manual ones. I'd also recommend swapping in a aspire front sway bar while you're at it, helps the car out alot.
      -93' L BP swap/e-series, coilovers, RIO front swap, redrilled festy drums, Miata 14" 7 spokes.
      -88' Mazda 323 SE, work in progress..
      -85' Nissan Sentra 5 spd.

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      • #4
        Bring the heavy duty wrenches and a can of PB Blaster when you go. Also a long pipe to use for leverage (some of the bolts will be tight).

        For the rear axle, you might want to bring a friend. You can do it yourself, but an extra set of hands makes it easier.
        Festiva: Because even my dog can build a Honda.
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        '90 L. B8ME/Kia Rio 5 speed. Rio/Aspire suspension swap. :-D
        '81 Mustang. Inline 6, Automatic.
        '95 Eagle Summit Wagon. 4G64 Powered.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by wybnrml View Post
          Oops no I never saw that, thanks that looks to be everything I need in 1 handy place.

          Originally posted by Festiva_Fred View Post
          It's a easy swap, swap the front knuckles, change the tie rod ends to the correct ones, and swap out the rear beam, then bleed the brakes. I'd pull them off the least rusty, and lowest mileage aspire you can find. The autos have thicker front rotors, so they are heavier than manual ones. I'd also recommend swapping in a aspire front sway bar while you're at it, helps the car out alot.
          Cool I wasn't sure if the aspire sway bay fitted our model. Bonus! Good thinking. Hmmm Festiva Fred eh? I have a friend in Sydney who's festiva is called Fred also

          Originally posted by FestivaFan View Post
          Bring the heavy duty wrenches and a can of PB Blaster when you go. Also a long pipe to use for leverage (some of the bolts will be tight).

          For the rear axle, you might want to bring a friend. You can do it yourself, but an extra set of hands makes it easier.
          Thanks for the advice, taken onboard! So now I'll do some hunting around. Think I'll still bring someone who's a bit more confident with all this in case I get stuck somewhere.
          200,000KM milestone!

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Festiva_Fred View Post
            The autos have thicker front rotors, so they are heavier than manual ones.
            Does this mean I'm best looking for rotors off an auto or are they too heavy / put things out of balance?
            200,000KM milestone!

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            • #7
              You can use either
              "Lane, I've been going to this high school for seven and a half years. I'm no dummy."

              Gone but never forgotten, "Hulkstiva"...http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ht=progression

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              • #8
                Here's a write up I did about installing the aspire sway bar. http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=25023
                -93' L BP swap/e-series, coilovers, RIO front swap, redrilled festy drums, Miata 14" 7 spokes.
                -88' Mazda 323 SE, work in progress..
                -85' Nissan Sentra 5 spd.

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                • #9
                  Rather than start separate threads I'll try to contain my related questions to here...

                  Tie Rods... I've been digging through the forums and I hear the Escort tie rods are better (cheaper) than Aspire. In Australia the Escort = Laser, could someone confirm if these are the ones I would need? Is that a fair price? Remember all car parts tend to cost more over here.
                  200,000KM milestone!

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                  • #10
                    ^^Those are the inner tie rods, so NOT the ones you want, you want the OUTER tie rods

                    1988 323 Station Wagon - KLG4 swapped
                    1988 323 GT - B6T Powered
                    2008 Ford Escape - Rollover Survivor

                    1990 Festiva - First Ever Completed KLZE swap (SOLD)

                    If no one from the future stops you from doing it, how bad of a decision can it really be?

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                    • #11
                      I prefer using the automatic aspire stuff. Its all larger than the manual. Thicker rotors = more heat capacity, less fade. Larger front swaybar = less roll. All good stuff. I suggest you check out the various threads on using the Aspire front swaybar so you are aware of the "issues". Nice thing about the Aspire upgrade is you can use "real" front pads. I'm using Axxis Ultimates, EBC Reds are also available and also good. I think they have EBC Yellows too for the hot track days.

                      Automatic Aspire front calipers and rotors



                      With wheel studs:

                      Last edited by Arnie; 02-22-2010, 09:07 PM.

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                      • #12
                        What size exactly are those studs? (width/length). I am going to do an aspire brake swap soon and having studs would be really nice!
                        Also nice struts, what are they off of?

                        -1989 festiva auto to standard conversion, bp g5mr white, aspire swap- October 2010 Festiva of the Month
                        -1993 festiva stock standard blue, kia rio front struts

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                        • #13
                          Struts are TEIN Basics off of the Demio platform, IIRC.

                          i can't recall the size off the top of my head of the bolts. but do a search here, there is a thread about bolt kits and all the specs and links are there.

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                          • #14
                            M12x1.50, any length you want. Most run 1.75 inch.
                            Jim DeAngelis

                            kittens give Morbo gas!!



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

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                            • #15
                              I have ebc green stuff pads
                              It's a good thing you don't read the stickies, you might of learned something.Poverty produces creativity

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