Can a 4.5" bolt circle be added to the Aspire front end swap?

[andrewp]

I know this question is loaded with "why would you want that?" . . . but I will ask it nonetheless.

The Aspire front knuckle swap (complete with larger/forward access rotors) changes the bolt circle to 4 x 100 mm. Can the Aspire hub (and, thus, the rotor) be re-drilled to support a 4 x 4.5" bolt circle? Or is there just too little metal and too great a risk to even try this?

I have ideal 14" rims with a 4 x 4.5" bolt circle (from a Mazda 323), but think that the outdated tiny Festiva rotors (and their inboard mounting) are just too problematic to keep. Other than ditch the rims and go with 4 x 100 mm Aspire hubs . . . does anyone have any experience trying this?

[Team Lightning]

You can use Capri XR2 steering knuckles and retain the 4x114.3 pattern. Those use the Aspire LCA's instead of the Festiva LCA's

[andrewp]

Canada never got the XR2, so finding parts might be a significant challenge. Still wondering about the possibility of drilling/tapping the Aspire hub.

[ricko1966]

I do not know but I would sure be tempted to grab some parts and hold some stuff up and see what I thought. That being redrill the aspire rotor festy lug pattern. Leave the festy rotor off the festy hub run aspire rotors on festy hubs and make a caliper bracket.

[TominMO]

Or just get some aftermarket wheels that use both bolt patterns, so you can run the 4x100mm on front and 4x4.5" on the rear.

[ryanprins13]

If the festiva front brakes are properly maintained they work well, many people just dont bother. But with new pads, hardware, well greased sliders and new slider boots they work very well. The rotors are a pain but once i stopped over torquing my lug nuts they stopped warping.
Personally i think waiting to find some multi bolt pattern rims is best and safer and less work, but maybe thats just because thats what i did. I got these for free and they fit the aspire front and the festiva rear.

If your really set on keeping your rims i would just get the front (and rear) brakes properly working with new parts and possibly upgrade the master cylinder and booster? Not sure if anyones done that with stock brakes but i would think it would be nice.

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[bhazard]

Canada didn't get the Capri but they did get other BF chassis cars like the 323. They are all upgrades over Festiva brakes that are 4x114.3 but they still have the stupid captured rotor.

[FestYboy]

And going beyond that: Mitsubishi Galant swap...

[fitsbain]

I'm headed toward a capri swap, and then Galant rotors,

[Bratboy]

Oh yeeeahhh eh dats a good idea. That's so smrt eh ya gotta do it eh good tinkin

[getnpsi]

Tell me the weight both rotational and on the workbench of the capri calipers + Galant rotors vs. The Aspire rotors and its calipers and I'll tell you how I don't care even more about 4 x 100.

The only reason to keep that bolt circle is for awesome old school Datsun Wheels heh

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[theastronaut]

The stock brakes are all you need with a B3. I just got back from the track and could run a 20 minute session on a 2.3 mile track and never overheated the stock brakes. I didn't even change the pads before going, they're whatever was in it when I bought it. They'll lock up sticky hot track tires at speed so they're plenty for daily driving on street tires. You can add a NB Miata booster/master cylinder for less pedal effort, but stock brakes are great if in good condition. The BF 323 is an upgrade with vented rotors and 4x114.3 but still has captured rotors.