Festiva rear brake upgrade

[91green]

I fully realize that I can do any aspire swap and have a different bolt pattern, better ride and bolt pattern. But aspire and their parts are getting very scarce. I'm do know that I can use certain rio front knuckle/ hubs, but what about the rear suspension?. I have searched and come with no topics in the forum. Any alternatives? ty1

[Team Lightning]

As far as I know, it's the Aspire only for the rear unless you want to do a LOT of fabrication to install Independent rear suspension or another type rear suspension. Others should join in with their thoughts/comments.

[Bert]

Considering that these cars have no real value it is smarter/easier/cheaper to seek out Aspire fixins then it is to contemplate going custom. Few people looking to buy a $500 car could care if the brakes or handling is better than stock. Everything off an Aspire bolts in and on in fairly short order.
I happen to have an Aspire-swapped car for sale currently plus a complete Aspire swap ready to go. Best offers I'm getting at the moment are all from demolition derby groups. None of the three Festys I have will be worth peanuts or have any decent parts left if these guys get them; which really is a bit of a shame.

[scootersteve]

What about the Capri and Capri XR2 rear suspension? Same thing I thought?

[Gomez]

What about the Capri and Capri XR2 rear suspension? Same thing I thought?

wow!!! 4 year member and finally your first reply. LOL The Capri suspension will work. It has been done BUT it falls into the

LOT of fabrication to install Independent rear suspension or another type rear suspension... category

[Team Lightning]

Not sure about the Capri, but the XR2 has independent rear suspension. The XR2 rear suspension would require a lot of fab work from an install standpoint. It's totally different from a Festiva/ Aspire suspension. With enough money and talent, yes it could be installed in a Festiva.

[crazyrog17]

I just got under my capri today (bought a '92 Capri btw guys) and noticed it has IRS. Definitely not a turbocharged XR2, I triple checked. Definitely nothing like the Festiva's torsion beam set up. Lots of fabrication for sure!

[Advancedynamix]

The festiva has the perfect independent rear suspension, and plenty of rear brake power for just about anything besides pulling a large trailer. Trailing beam is independent, it follows the ground better than a multi link or a-arm and it's light, compact and simple. If you disconnect the rear shock on one side of the rear (car supported on jack stands) and move that side up and down with your hands, you will see that there is very little resistance. That's right, fully independent of the other side. Adapting a heavier and more complicated rear suspension would not be a performance upgrade, unless the car were being used to carry an extremely heavy load or tow a large trailer. Under those circumstances the lateral support of the Capri suspension would be beneficial. All FWD capris have the same basic chassis components. The biggest difference in the N/A and turbo Capri (aside from the turbo system and engine controls)is the transmission and clutch setup and the wing on the back. the xr2 has a boost gauge in the cluster as well. Upgrading to the front Capri Brakes will help much more than the rear, but I advise to use Aspire or possibly rio calipers because the Capri calipers are finicky and tend to stick. The Festiva has very little weight over the rear wheels, especially during braking, so it doesn't need much brake power in the rear. Drums actually work better than disks in circumstances where over heating isn't a problem and they are not submerged in muddy water. I spent 40K miles trying to overheat the rear brakes on my festiva and never succeeded, even at speeds in excess of 140 mph. Coming down a large hill with a trailer may do it though, so if your planning on towing you will want to upgrade. Hope that helps.

[needragr]

The festiva has the perfect independent rear suspension.

you need to look up the definition for "independent suspension"

[w4rkry]

you need to look up the definition for "independent suspension"

"Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others"

And that's exactly what the Festiva beam does, if you've ever actually measured it, instead of assuming it must be linked just because it's a beam.

[needragr]

"noun
an automotive suspension system in which each wheel is attached to the frame independently, so that a road bump affecting one wheel has no effect on the others."

Try again.
Spin it however you like, the Festy rear "BEAM" is not, nor ever will be INDEPENDENT. Independence in these term implies free from any input of any other sprung road wheel.
Which being connect by said beam, it can NEVER be.

[ricko1966]

I am about certain using vw rabbit/jetta/ golf mk1 or m2 rears disc or drum would be easy .I don't know about mk3 or newer and never even looked at trying rabbit golf but I started putting mk1/mk2 on back of my 88.

[ricko1966]

BTW I'd sell you my rio/ aspire brakes if u weren't so far away.Only way I'd do rio/aspire fronts is if you can also find an aspire manual steering rack with hardware.(good luck with that) My rio front brakes are the worst part of my car

[theastronaut]

Try again.
Spin it however you like, the Festy rear "BEAM" is not, nor ever will be INDEPENDENT. Independence in these term implies free from any input of any other sprung road wheel.
Which being connect by said beam, it can NEVER be.

It's more independent than any "true" independent rear suspension car that has a sway bar. You need to look into who posted the quote you disagree with...


This is a '91 Capri, with independent suspension. The sway bar transfers much more movement from one wheel to the other than the Festiva beam does.

[ricko1966]

Considering that these cars have no real value it is smarter/easier/cheaper to seek out Aspire fixins then it is to contemplate going custom. Few people looking to buy a $500 car could care if the brakes or handling is better than stock. Everything off an Aspire bolts in and on in fairly short order.
I happen to have an Aspire-swapped car for sale currently plus a complete Aspire swap ready to go. Best offers I'm getting at the moment are all from demolition derby groups. None of the three Festys I have will be worth peanuts or have any decent parts left if these guys get them; which really is a bit of a shame.

Do you have an aspire rack with hardware to sell?