Aspire brake swap? - advice for a dummy :)

[1988redfordfestiva]

I use the duralast gold pads.
Lifetime warrenty.

[Click_It]

Got the rear swap done. Had a few simple little problems chewed up most of the time. The aspire's rear bearings were shagged, had to get new ones. A frustrating problem pulling the e-brake cable out, it got stuck at the bracket where it goes inside the car. Had to rip out the boot trim, rear seats & pull back the carpet to feed it through from inside Then I used the brake lines from the aspire (better condition) but for some reason they wouldn't fit through the "festiva holes" on the aspire axle. Had to race out and buy a metal file to make it fit. Rest was pretty straight forward. Even figured out how to adjust the e-brake (never knew festys were so simple) and lastly, bled the brakes. First impression, the new feel in the brakes pedal is phenomenal! I think the old fluid had absorbed a bit of water over the years giving it a spongey feel.

Road test:

Before: The e-brake was pathetic before and after inspection of festy drums I understand why. 90% gone! 1 shoe had crumbled completely. Would roll even on slight slope. Overall brake performance was ordinary but not dangerous as is still life in the festy rotors & pads.

After: Took it to the steepest street in the area, it's unlikely i would ever encounter a steeper hill anywhere. e-brake held its own. Then I added 3 passengers, still held strong, wouldn't budge! Braking power now very good but not fantastic yet, I'm expecting it to blow me away when I do the aspire front swap. Got brand new rotors & heavy duty pads.

Had a helping hand, I installed the aspire rear struts. My mate said I needed to install the aspire springs to match the struts. Is that right? I wasn't going to argue so I put the springs on too, unfortunately it looks like a jacked up dune buggy at the back now So next on the cards besides wheels will be lowered performance springs & struts all round.

Pics to come later.

I've gotta say, I didn't notice as much change as I expected in handling with the rear axle on. Maybe it's more the front end that makes the difference or a combo of everything fully installed. It definitely is stiffer, just expected more. But the braking power is very evident so once the front it done it will be nothing short of amazing!

[qroger]

I just finished also, and learned the same things, hehehe! Front Aspire calipers need aspire brakeline banjo fittings. Aspire rear brakelines fit in the routing clips, Festiva, not so much. E-brake cable is held by bracket under the carpet in the back seat, and 1 new thing: The rear suspension is held to the car with a bracket that attaches to the car with three bolts. This bracket attaches to the trailing arm with one bolt through a rubber bushing. When you take the rear axle off the Aspire, take it loose by removing the three bolt brackets. I did it the other way, and when I attempted to remove bracket from Festiva, the rubber bushing had become welded to the steel bracket. I think when they made the Aspire they put a steel bushing inside the rubber bushing so it will come apart. Not so the Festiva. Biiiiig struggle.

[qroger]

Oh yeah, one more thing. Harbor Freight sells a $4.00 one man brake bleading tool that consists of a little bottle, some plastic hoses and fittings. Looks very cheesey and useless. Works Great! Don't for get to get the family -size 32 oz bottle of brake fluid and pump till it turns clear. I cleaned out my reservoir, bled the master cylinder and now I can't tell if my reservoir has any fluid or not because it's CLEAR! I feel full of virtue everytime I look at it.

[ENEMY_]

Is the aspire swap for the front brakes or all around?

[wybnrml]

Is the aspire swap for the front brakes or all around?

All around.

[ENEMY_]

What year should I look into when getting the aspire stuff?

[wybnrml]

What year should I look into when getting the aspire stuff?

Any year Aspire. But Automatic transmission Aspire's are going to have thicker front rotors. But either Auto or Manual Aspire brakes are going to be an upgrade over the stock Festiva brakes. But when you switch to the Aspire brakes it changes the wheel lug pattern to 4x100.