Kia Rio and what we know.

[Movin]

How much do you need to slot the hole(s)? Did you only slot one? Do you somehow fill the hole to prevent bolt plain in the hole? youDid you measure your camber properly?...

Want some negative camber on my shortened aspire springs...

With the ear at the bottom and on the right side of the strut, I
turned the upper holes, both, into a slot aimed down at 4:00.

I measured my camber and marked where the new hole would have to
be and it was close enough a slot makes sense, like many other cars
use to adjust camber. The strut will bend before this will slide. Even
loose it can't go because the original bolt holes are to far apart. 8mm.

I want to turn my coil overs up a bit so now I will make changes to
the transmission mounts and lower control arms. There will be heim
joints and threaded sleeves between my lower control arms for camber adjustment.
You might be able to work off that idea for camber. My new inner lower
control arm mount will be dropped just below the original hole and will
use the original hole to bolt the mod to. A track rod, heim and threaded
sleeve will provide lateral stability. For my purposes it should be more
robust than stock because working angles are returned to stock, and the
two new rods tie both sides together.

[JPT]

2006 shows a 4.05 ratio, 2001 has 4.17, are there any ring and pinion
ratios with a higher number like 4.56 ??
call me bigfoot I guess

Early Ford Escape 5 speed transmissions are supposed to be based on the Mazda G series. They came with a 4.59:1 final drive.

[Safety Guy]

Shadetree wrote:

"Looks like it will ,but column shaft size is way smaller . I already tried this ... no go .
And the crossmember won't fit but the g series mounts on a Rio are way simple to adapt to the festiva xmember."

Thanks Shade. Good to know.

Karl

[blake4591]

Early Rio front hubs may be a different story. I believe Jim has found that they appeared to be the same but had slightly different tie rod mounting measurements. This may not be a problem if we can find tie rods and tie rod ends to use for adjusting to Festiva/Aspire spec.

Karl

Does anyone know the exact difference between the tie rod mounts or has ever tied to use Rio knuckles?

I can't seem to find Aspire knuckles anywhere but Rios are everywhere so this is starting to seem very tempting.

[getnpsi]

blake: just go find some automatic aspire knuckles. I know the rotation mass is going to be ever slightly bigger when you add the automatic rotors and calipers but at least they are out there, and then the kia pads and everything will be easier to find in the future for maintenance. I sold my manual brake system and couldnt locate another one when i got my festiva. I know the pain, and I live where these cars are in the junkyard weekly.

[Safety Guy]

Auto and manual transaxle Aspire knuckles are the same. It's the caliper brackets and rotors that are different. Everything else is the same, including the calipers themselves. It's just that we usually don't separate the caliper mounting brackets from the calipers, and when you buy rebuilt calipers they are sold with the brackets on them.

Karl

[blake4591]

blake: just go find some automatic aspire knuckles. I know the rotation mass is going to be ever slightly bigger when you add the automatic rotors and calipers but at least they are out there, and then the kia pads and everything will be easier to find in the future for maintenance. I sold my manual brake system and couldnt locate another one when i got my festiva. I know the pain, and I live where these cars are in the junkyard weekly.

No offense but I'm asking to try to reduce the pain for myself and everyone to come after me.

I checked and the Aspire and Rio tie rod ends are the same part number.

On a side note I looked in to the rear drums and the Aspire has a 5 mm wider brake shoe so that's the better way to go. The Rio also uses a bigger outer bearing too so not much interchange ability here.

Also looked at the ball joints which appear to be the same but I haven't managed to turn up any dimensions on them yet.

[Safety Guy]

Blade wrote:

"I checked and the Aspire and Rio tie rod ends are the same part number."

Yep.

"On a side note I looked in to the rear drums and the Aspire has a 5 mm wider brake shoe so that's the better way to go."

I wish! However, from looking at the backing plate (and spindle) bolt pattern, they are very different. I suppose you might be able to fab one onto an Aspire axle assembly, but I'm pretty sure that's what it would take. (For all I know it wouldn't be that difficult.)

Perhaps there is a way to put the Rio rear drum onto an Aspire spindle and backing plate and have it fit? They may be the same diameter.

Well, I checked Rockauto for a comparison (both Centric parts):

***************Aspire***********************Rio

Outer diameter------245-------------------------------230
Height-------------67.30-----------------------------67.56
Nominal diameter---200-------------------------------200.20
Max. diameter------201.5-----------------------------201.5
Friction surface----42.70-----------------------------32.22
Weight-----------11.5#-----------------------------10#
Inner bearing-------BR4-------------------------------BR4
Outer bearing-------BR2-------------------------------BR1

Looks like the Aspire drum is a bit larger. If "friction surface" means "swept area" or is comparable, then the Aspire drum seems to have the edge here. It even weighs more. Bearings show you'd need to use the correct spindle for each application.

Maybe someone else can interpret these numbers better than I can.

Karl

[getnpsi]

this is true. i personally like to take the wheel off a non picked car when i can to not guess. aa fully intact auto aspire is a one stop shop if you have a credit card.

[bhearts]

Any updates on this thread. The Rio g series bolts to our engines fine?

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[JPT]

Any updates on this thread. The Rio g series bolts to our engines fine?

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Rio 5 speeds bolt to Mazda B series engines like they were designed to.

I'm running one behind a B8 right now.

Sent from my SPH-M930

[bhearts]

That's cool! Did anyone ever figure out which year had the lowest ie 4:1 or smaller first number final drive

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[JPT]

There are sites on the web saying that there was a 3.90:1 ratio available (in 2002), but it seems that they were offered with a 4.10:1 only.

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[Larry Hampton]

So what Rio tranny do I need to go behind my BP in Blackie? An '02? or does it matter? and get the front struts and halfshafts as well?

[JPT]

So what Rio tranny do I need to go behind my BP in Blackie? An '02? or does it matter? and get the front struts and halfshafts as well?

In '03, the transmissions supposedly have taller 4th and 5th gears (.91 and .73). If you're looking for gas mileage, go '03-'04. Acceleration? '01-'02.

Rio front suspension pieces bolt on to a festy except the sway bar (use Festy/Aspire) and '03 and up strut mounts (use '01).

Rio axles work fine.
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