Question about Aspire Brake swap

[bondo]

what is everything you need for the aspire brake swap? I was thinking of purchasing individual parts off ebay, good or bad? thanks

[georgeb]

Heavy stuff. Not good idea. The Aspire swap makes a big diff but is only worth $2-300 IMO.

[bondo]

soo should i stick with the stock brakes but rebuild them? I want to have performance calipers and put ebc brake pads on the front tho and performance drum brakes, if they make thos

[georgeb]

soo should i stick with the stock brakes but rebuild them? I want to have performance calipers and put ebc brake pads on the front tho and performance drum brakes, if they make thos

Don't know about performance brakes. Any junkyards in Hawaii?

[Bert]

Most of the parts you need are available via a wrecking yard but typically it is far easier and cheaper to get hold of an entire car. That way you can take your time and any nut, bolt, hose or bracket that may have been overlooked will still be on the car. Plus a 2 door will get you free wheels, engine and gas tank.
I've only ever tangled with OBDII Aspires (96-97?) and much of their electrical and sensor systems are not compatible with Festys. Aspire ABS brakes are not an obstacle unless you have a crazy desire to retain them. Auto Aspires have slightly thicker rotors and consequently the Calipers are further apart.
An Aspire swap gets you brakes that are much bigger and better and easier to service (vented and floating front rotors) than anything you can hope to accomplish with Festy parts. Plus you get a more universal 100mm bolt pattern.
Looks-wise the wheelbase will become wider without having to use spacers or fancy rims. Photo is of a stock Festy and an Aspire swap with Kia Rio rims.

[Festy46]

Go for the whole Aspire car. Festiva gas tanks leak a lot of times and the 2-door Aspire tank will be newer than any used Festiva tank you would find. Remember, 2-door only. The 4-door tank is totally different.

[Bert]

On paper the Aspire swap sounds fast and simple, until you discover stubborn or seized nuts and bolts (rear shock absorber to trailing arm mounts for one). Torches and air tools and other non-backyard mechanic goodies do help immeasurably.. The trailing arm bracket to the body (for instance) is difficult to get the Festy bolt out of (gas tank is in the way) whereas the Aspire bracket sits a bit lower and does allow that bolt to be driven out. You don't especially need those parts but it does raise the car up a little bit and it is sturdier built.

You're also going to want to get the front sway bar off the Aspire. There are performance-minded folks on here that claim the bar is a waste of time but I sure won't give mine up. The car used to corner on it's doors but is now steady as a rock. The Sway bar mounting brackets on the rad support are incompatible with Festy but re-using the Aspire cover plates is OK. Took me forever to get the bracket bolts out of an Aspire only to discover I couldn't use them. Brake hose connections at the back are not dead simple either and some adaptation is required. Same with the E-brake. Threading in an Aspire E-brake is not a 5 minute operation especially if you're not keen on cutting the carpet.

Also figure on swapping in the Aspire springs and shocks. The spring perch is slightly higher (3/8") to accommodate taller tires (a 12" tire is smaller than any other tire) and the springs are stiffer. You'll likely be wanting to cut the springs (one or two coils?) to lower the ride (I went the Festiva Motor Sport (FMS) sport springs route but they're too low and too stiff for me).

And finally; get yourself a pair of 00-02 Kia Rio front shock absorber 'top hats' while you're at it, along with a set of Kia Rio 14 inch rims.

[Bert]

Currently there is a posting on this site for sale Aspire swap parts in British Columbia. The rear beam/brakes/springs and the front sway bar are the more difficult pieces to get hold of. With regard to front brakes and suspension early Kia Rios are quite adaptable and there should be lots of donors of those where you are. Perhaps the Aspire stuff can be shipped (literally) across the Pacific to you for a reasonable price provided you're patient.

Aspires tend to be cheap when you can find them but good luck finding one. Up this way they flatten them as soon they enter a salvage yard. Took me a year to find an complete and running car. There were never any in the boneyards!