Project Shark Bait Rescue!

[Safety Guy]

I'm interested in the "chain rattling" noise. I get that too sometimes on Aqua. It seems to be part of the engine or exhaust, but I did look once and nothing on the exhaust seemed to be loose.

Does a "chain rattling" noice come from a bad WP sometimes? (My WP is nearly new though.)

That silver Festiva is sure nice looking!

Karl

[Nerd Racing]

Got the rear brakes apart and freed up the rear adjusters and replaced the rear bearings.

Pictars!





the rear end looks pretty clean too.

I attempted to adjust the E-brake cable, I pulled it up and heard something let go... so now I have to look into that... Going to do that this afternoon...

[Nerd Racing]

Well I had two set backs today...

1) The thing that let go... that was the passenger side E-brake cable breaking... Can't find a new one anywhere so I'm going to cobble up one so I can pass safety inspection.
2) While cutting a coil out of my RIO springs my angle grinder bit the dust... so... I called it a day.

I'll get pics up tomorrow of how I'm replacing the E-brake cable that apparently can not be bought anywhere.

[FestYboy]

Arron, all you need is to bypass the original cable with some 1/8" SS from your local hardware store. Scrappy's been like that for 6 years.

[Nerd Racing]

yeah that's the plan. a couple eye bolts and a few clamps. (I want the return spring in there too.

Its AA-ron man, aka Aaron.

[FestYboy]

^ my bad LOL, using the return spring will be interesting... not much room there, i just use the main return spring behind the drum and it works very well.

[Nerd Racing]

the one inside the drum? if that works then that will save me some time lol

[FestYboy]

yeah, the one in the drum. if everything else is in good working order, that spring is plenty strong enough to do the job.

[Nerd Racing]

well as free as they are it might not spring back lol... I worked the one for half an hour and its still not as free as I'd like but it should work...

[Nerd Racing]

well... bought a new grinder today and some good old thin cutting disks. cut the springs like butter! I was able to get the coils out and seated without pulling apart the spring/strut combo.

Installed:



I had to zip tie the brake line because the opening in the RIO strut wasn't big enough for the fitting to slip through. I'll try and ream it out eventually...

Got the new lower control arm to sway bar bushings installed:



Old ones looked pretty bad!



Also I found what was causing the rattling noise at low speeds! There is a clamp around the down pipe that maybe holds the heat shielding on? Well its gone now!



After further inspection, the front brakes did need to be changed. So I did those today... no pics though...

And the rear E-brake cable... How I attached it to the factory pivot point at the adjuster:



And How I routed it underneath:



I'm going to get a couple more clamps and double clamp it just in case. Cost me a whopping $10. would have been just over 5 but I opted for stainless cable. I don't know why... I won't be using the factory stuff too long...

Some afterthoughts... RIO top hats are not offset to one side like the festiva ones. I had almost positive camber until the springs settled... Might be dead nuts neutral now, if not just a smidge positive. it is fine with me as I will just be driving the car here and there to work (5 mins) and to the fall Ohiostiva gathering. Then its going away for the winter. I don't want the NY salt to sink it's teeth into this one!

One positive, steering is almost effortless from a roll, with the ball bearing top hats! It almost felt like I had power steering... Then I drove my protege that has the rack lines looped... night and day!

[zoom zoom]

if it were me i'd roll eyes in the stainless wire and call it a day, but I do that with 1/2"-1" wires all the time at work! definately double up the clamps on the wire tho, it's pretty much a manditory, especially for something important like that I would think.

What lca/sway bar bushings did you end up getting? ..wondering if the sway bar is the same as the aspires..? your old bushings look almost as good as mine did!

commin along pretty nice tho, keep it up!

[Nerd Racing]

I added two additional clamps, one on either end. its nice and secure now. The E-brake works great now! I have an inspection appointment tomorrow around noon. The only thing that might be questionable is the driver's outer tie rod end, it had a little side play... no up and down, just side. I had to order two new ends so I'm waiting on them to arrive or else I would have changed them. Oh and I also had to change the passenger side windshield wiper... the rubber wiper strip fell off must be... I have to change that during half time of the football game tonight. Go PACKERS!

[Nerd Racing]

IT PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rescue complete!

[Damkid]

Congrats!!! :wav:

[Nerd Racing]

Pulled the escort consul out of my protege to see how it fit:



seemed like it was missing something... oh look part of the 5 piece consul from my 4wd protege...







I'm thinking a little bit of creative cutting, a black dye job, and some simple brackets and it will do just fine!