Just an everyday question, nothing exotic!

[Lannis]

It's fascinating reading all the stuff that people due to make their Festivas go faster, or look more like the owner wants (I didn't say "better" because that's very subjective!!! :p ), or just customize it to be different.

But my Festiva is "just" a driver; with its 44-MPG month-in/month-out fuel economy, and $150 for a full set of new tires, I can't resist driving it everywhere. My part of conserving resources for the future! It was an insurance salvage after a deer strike (hood, fender, windshield, dash) but it's not rusty anywhere and drives great with 240,000 + miles on it.

Right now I've got a couple maintenance items to handle (it's a '93 5-speed)

1) The left headlight reflector/lens assembly is cracked and blackened; the bulb just burned out, and there's no sense putting a new bulb in the old headlight. Where do you buy a replacement? Is it a dealer item? Accessory house? Junkyard?

2) The front end is moaning and howling when I roll. Clearly from the front end, and gets louder with road speed, even if coasting and the engine off or idling. It's gotten so loud I'm afraid to drive it any more till I fix it. Is this a well-known thing? Is it wheel bearings? U-joints (or CV joints?)

I'd like to keep it on the road. What does the panel think?

Lannis

[eurotiva]

1) post a [WTB] on the forum here. or contact TONYCASH.

2) Front wheel bearings. And while you've got them off might as well do ball joints. If they fail it hurts....

3) put your location in your profile, so people close by can help source parts

[Festiva_tunner]

Lannis -

I have a set of headlights I pulled off of my parts car - PM me if you want them -

Euro Nailed it with the Wheel Bearings - I recomend you take these to a shop that works on alot of ford or mazda products - DONOT that it to a fly by night oil change shop - There have been too many bad reports on front hubs from them

Basically there are 21 different preload spacers to chose from which are dependent on the paticular set of bearings installed (the same set of bearings in a differnt hub may require a different spacer) there is a Bearing Spacer selection tool that is required to choose the correct spacer. installing the incorrect spacer can cause premature bearing failure. if you have access to a press and are fairly handy you can do it yourself - let me know and I can scan the ford manual section on front hubs to you.

Your location is a big help - someone my be close by that can give you a hand or if your close enough you may meet someone for parts instead of shipping them

[TominMO]

Might also be time for the Aspire brake upgrade. If you do front alone, it's pretty easy and cheap to just buy the knuckle you need (with attached brake parts) from a JY. Get three tires on Aspire rims too; two for the front and one as a spare for the front, since the bolt pattern is different than the Festy's. One of the Festiva wheels from the front can be your rear-wheel spare instead of the space-saver. The two knuckles w/brakes + three wheels = about $100 at my fave JY.

[muscle_Car1]

1) The left headlight reflector/lens assembly is cracked and blackened; the bulb just burned out, and there's no sense putting a new bulb in the old headlight. Where do you buy a replacement? Is it a dealer item? Accessory house? Junkyard?

2) The front end is moaning and howling when I roll. Clearly from the front end, and gets louder with road speed, even if coasting and the engine off or idling. It's gotten so loud I'm afraid to drive it any more till I fix it. Is this a well-known thing? Is it wheel bearings? U-joints (or CV joints?)

I'd like to keep it on the road. What does the panel think?

Lannis

1 ebay or on here as said before upload your location to your profile & some of us that are local should be able to help. Like if you are near me I can give you a set
2 Wheel bearing as eurotiva said. Do both at the same time, same headache & down time later..

[gorgonheimer]

Do the aspire swap. 12 in tires are almost impossible to find. And way better brakes.

[Lannis]

Thanks guys! I've included my location per suggestion, central Virginia, just a few miles from Nate actually.

I'll be getting in touch about the headlights. And the wheel bearing thing doesn't sound like an easy swap for someone who's not heavy into it ... although one suggestion was to seek out a shop that did Mazda or Ford work? I thought this was a Kia? Or maybe the front end is Mazda?

I've had no trouble finding 12" tires - my local shop had 'em for $37.95 each. But if I need to go to 13", I've got the conversion chart handy, and a big import junkyard just a mile up the road!

Lannis

[TominMO]

They're basically a Mazda design, assembled by Kia. For cheap wheels go with the later Metro wheels, which are 13".

[Lannis]

Ouch ouch ouch!

Well, took the Festiva in for front wheel bearings - $253 to do the bearings, AND the shop said that the bearings had been running dry for a while, and the axles are gone too. ANOTHER $312!

That's almost more than I've got in the car. I guess I'd better get in there and check the rear bearings too.

Or start doing the work myself. Problem is, with Christmas and a son got married last week and my wife down with a bad back, I've got no time, and I need the car and have to farm out the work. Maybe next time!

Lannis

[Pu241]

Pulled the hubs myself and took into machine shop, $120 for the pair.
Axles usually, $60 each.
Just to show you what the labor costs are.
Good luck.
Perhaps if you ask Skeeter nice, and he has some time, you might get the axles done with his assistance and some financial incentive.
Remember, he is soon to be poor grad student.
But, one with skills I can vouch for!

[Mike McKown]

I don't understand how the front bearings running dry for some time can kill the axles?

I took one hub to a shop to clean/install bearings and I think the labor was $20 plust the cost of the bearings. Seems like it was $45-$50 total.

Don't drive the car if it is making all that noise. It could get much more expensive.

[Lannis]

I don't understand how the front bearings running dry for some time can kill the axles?

I took one hub to a shop to clean/install bearings and I think the labor was $20 plust the cost of the bearings. Seems like it was $45-$50 total.

Don't drive the car if it is making all that noise. It could get much more expensive.

Well, to be honest, this car was a deer strike total, then the guy's grandkids drove it around the farm on three wheels and two tires for a bit, then it was scrapped, then rescued from the junkyard, and I've put 12,000 free miles on it this year, so there's probably some history.

And it started making bad noise when I was 100 miles from home, and I really didn't want to stop and have it towed ...

I'm calling Skeeter's partner next time I have something I can't do, and see what HIS labor rates are ....

Lannis

[Festiva_tunner]

I'm calling Skeeter's partner next time I have something I can't do, and see what HIS labor rates are ....

Lannis

Thats the wonderful thing about this forum - you'll find people close to you that can come help.

[skeeters_keeper]

Hey Lannis! Sorry I didn't catch up with this thread earlier.

I'd suggest getting Timkin (not the super cheap brand) front bearings, inner and outer seals as well. Then take the hubs off and have a shop press them in. I have a local shop do it and they change around $30 a hub, plus I think the parts were about $20 from autoz/nappa/etc.

If the axles aren't clicking, I usually just put new boots on and re-pack them. I've never bought new (reman) ones, but they arn't too expensive. Installing them isn't too bad... if all goes well, but I wouldn't trust the shops call on them. If their not clicking and the boots are intact I'd leave them be for sure!

Let me know if you want a hand with any of that stuff, I'd be more than happy to lend a hand!

[Zanzer]

I'd suggest getting Timkin (not the super cheap brand) front bearings, inner and outer seals as well.

+1

Timken bearings are the only ones I use. They're only a couple of dollars more and well worth the extra expense.