What did you do to your Festiva this week?

[Pu241]

Drove back from Michigan after meeting FoxProGT and pickup new wheels and a unexpected gift which I will gift in return!
BTW FoxProGT is a great guy, hope to see him at the next meet with or without a festiva!
Festiva less at the moment but he is looking so if you got a lead, post it!
Put new rebuilt hubs on, replaced a driverside axle, changed the tranny fluid (pretty much had no choice when changing axles), changed oil and filter!
Tonight intend to replace control arms!

BTW FB71, the new hubs reduced the camber enough that I don't squeal tires at speeds over 5 MPH any more!

[FB71]

^^^ Hazzah!!!

[sasquatch]

crome door handles and window crank rings. with the ones i too off im going to try and make one fit the inside of the hatch so i can open it from it inside.

[gorgonheimer]

skinned my hood to clear the "custom" core support
hood pins
Replaced master cylinder.
advanced timing on bp(installed last week)
as for tomorrow? who knows

[Silv3rBull3t]

Took the engine/trans out. Spent an entire day pulling a Capri XR2 trans. Put on my new Energy Suspension bushings. Ordered an ACT 6 puck clutch, Pacesetter header for my BP, New Axles, Timing belt, Waterpump, Plugs, Wires, Cap + Rotor, Rear Main seal, Valve Cover Gasket, Head Gasket, New Festiva engine mounts.

Can't wait to get this thing started!! -Kyle

P.S. I also got the Nitrous bottle filled. :-)

[Pu241]

OK, just installed new control arms and anti-sway bar bushings.
Old ones must have been OEM as they literally crumbled when I removed them!
She should handle like 84K miles ago!

[rbrown]

Wondered why I keep looking at it and planning the mods instead of driving it for the mileage (the reason I bought it).

Darn you fordfestiva.com!

[NovaSS]

Started adjusting valves , you have to compress each spring with one tool and use another to hold it down .A third tool is used to pull out the shim and replace with the proper sized shim. Repeate 24 times !

I still have to order 7 shims ( sizes I didnt have ) at $5.00 a peice.

[FestivaWilliam08]

Put new wheel bearings on rear, PB BLASTED everything I took off the car :-)
Still working with the idle....still dies every once in a while but idleing real low

[bhazard]

Removed two week old napa china rear wheel bearings, in about 50 pieces each. Replaced with napa mexico bearings. Much much much much better.

[Pu241]

Removed two week old napa china rear wheel bearings, in about 50 pieces each. Replaced with napa mexico bearings. Much much much much better.

Next time use timkin.
Never had an issue with them!

[bhazard]

Except Im pretty sure these days Timken is made in china too!

[imateo44]

well would have to say that this week was a productive week....

got the rims mounted and balanced and put on the red rocket,
put some hood pins in the fiberglass hood in preparation for the B6T swap,
also putting some new shocks in the rocket tomorrow.

[gotrootdude]

I'm still running on the OEM bearings. I did purchase some new ones from FMS for when it needs them. Most of my stuff is OEM. I just replaced the OEM radio. Anyone want it? Works fine but LCD is shot from heat and would need replacement (soldering). Also, the protective plastic is still on it but oxidized to the point that you'd have to scrub it with something to remove it.


I happened upon a universal headlight reminder for $8, and found a new cool way to make a hatch light!

I noticed that the heart monograms on the dash cover and seat covers kinda lit up under the LED universal dome light. So,.... I replaced some of the LEDs in the light with UV LEDS! They really stand out now! Don't think I can capture the effect with a camera. These are fastened under the rim of the seats: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5240 gives a water like effect on the floorboards.

For the hatch light I bought a normally open magnetic alarm switch ($2), epoxy, a couple of 5ohm 1w resisters and a flexible cuttable 12v flexible LED strip (part of strip leftover from past project). Wire the switch to the ACC, Strip bordering the hatch. I'm using a black plastic SMD type strip so it's so tiny it's un-noticeable when not on. I'll try to get pics but I can't promise they'll turn out right, I'll try with my wife's DSLR..
^ This is a incredibly easy mod and looks great, you can place the strip/s anywhere you want with tape to try different effects, try different color strips, and attach when finished. It's also dang cheap.

[Pu241]

Except Im pretty sure these days Timken is made in china too!

Got this from the Pirate4x4.com website:
RedRooster06-29-2004, 11:39 AM
I used to sell bearings for a large industrial supplier. Timken stamps each bearing with the country of origin. Some are Mexico, US, Poland, Italy and other locations. They claim that all are held to the same standards. I don't know what brand you got in the Napa box (Napa repackages seals and bearings in their own boxes), but if it's a Bower or BCA they aren't worth having. Like previously stated, SKF and Timken are the only tapered roller bearings to use.
As for ball bearings, the better ones are Torrington (Fafnir), SKF, and NSK. NSK's are the least expensive of the three, but my personal favorite.
For needle bearings use INA or Torrington.
These are all just my personal preferences, but many will agree that they are among the best manufacturers in the business.
On a side note, I still have my old seal and bearing interchange and dimension books if anyone has something they want to cross reference or size. PM me.


steelman06-29-2004, 12:58 PMwell i guess i should speak up, i work at Timken here in Canton Ohio. i'm a Millwright in the steel mill. Timken bought Torrington about a year ago so know we make ball bearings as well as Tapered bearings.
and yes most bearings that Timken's make are now made over sea's. Timken has just let the union know that they are closeing the Canton bearing (a 100 year old company) plants. this is wear it all started. the first bearing started here. but no longer.

keep trying your bearing. if you are talking the larger inner bearing that is behind the seal, it is a vary close fit and if you don't keep the cone (bearing) seated in the cup (race) it will cock and not slide over the spindel. if it is made by Timken and the part # is right then it will go.

steelman