Festiva suspension swap

[ratorrey]

If I aquire an Aspire rear beam complete with springs and stuts along with the front springs/struts/knuckles/rotors/calipers and sway bar is this all that is needed for the Festiva suspension swap?

[Safety Guy]

You don't need the Aspire stabilizer bar, but you can use it.

You'll need new tie rod ends for an Aspire or a '92 to '96 Escort. The Escort ends are usually cheaper.

Unless your rotors are really nice, I'd go with new ones.

You should also get Aspire brake hoses for front and rear. They will fit your Aspire strut brackets in front, and axle brackets in back, while the Festiva hoses won't fit well and would need ziptied. New hoses would be best, while you're at it.

If the Aspire e-brake cable is in better shape than your Festiva one, grab it. It fits better anyway.

IMO, and a lot of others' opinions, the early Kia Rio front strut upgrade ('01 to '02) is much better. You'll probably have to cut the springs two coils, but the struts should be newer and the strut mounts have real bearings in them, rather than just plastic washers. Makes steeriing a lot easier. Rio parts will just be newer, unless you luck onto newish Aspire parts.

Finally check all your brake parts to see if new ones are needed. Why not begin with "fresher ingredients" to make this experience even better? Good time to replace rear wheel cylinders, brake shoes, springs, etc., as well as nice new rotors and rebuilt calipers...

Karl

[ratorrey]

You don't need the Aspire stabilizer bar, but you can use it.

You'll need new tie rod ends for an Aspire or a '92 to '96 Escort. The Escort ends are usually cheaper.

Unless your rotors are really nice, I'd go with new ones.

You should also get Aspire brake hoses for front and rear. They will fit your Aspire strut brackets in front, and axle brackets in back, while the Festiva hoses won't fit well and would need ziptied. New hoses would be best, while you're at it.

If the Aspire e-brake cable is in better shape than your Festiva one, grab it. It fits better anyway.

IMO, and a lot of others' opinions, the early Kia Rio front strut upgrade ('01 to '02) is much better. You'll probably have to cut the springs two coils, but the struts should be newer and the strut mounts have real bearings in them, rather than just plastic washers. Makes steeriing a lot easier. Rio parts will just be newer, unless you luck onto newish Aspire parts.

Finally check all your brake parts to see if new ones are needed. Why not begin with "fresher ingredients" to make this experience even better? Good time to replace rear wheel cylinders, brake shoes, springs, etc., as well as nice new rotors and rebuilt calipers...

Karl

Karl,

I noticed that the Aspire lower Control Arm/Ball joint is a different part number than the Festiva. Do I need to replace that also? And If I went with the Kia stuts do I use the Aspire knuckle and brake parts or do i need to find Kia parts?

[fastivaca]

Use the Festiva lower control arms.

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2

[Skrapbob]

I have all of the "Aspire" stuff I need to convert, I really want to upgrade the steering to "Rio" tophats though. Can the "Rio" Tophats be easily added to "Aspire" front struts?

[Bert]

I have all of the "Aspire" stuff I need to convert, I really want to upgrade the steering to "Rio" tophats though. Can the "Rio" Tophats be easily added to "Aspire" front struts?

Guaranteed you will not regret installing Rio hats. Rio top hats (ones with 2 hole mounts) are a ready fit on Aspire or Festy shocks. The nut will have to be spun on with an air wrench . You'll have to make a collar around or over the shock (7/16" dia) to snug fit in the 1/2" Rio top hat and you'll also have to mount a 1/8" thick washer between the shock and top hat so that you ride on the bearing race and not on the entire inside of the hat.

Aspire tie rods along with Festy lower control arms are a must; I already learned that the hard way. Castor/camber will be way off otherwise and there won't be many threads left on the steering rack for adjustment.

[Skrapbob]

Wow! Thx Bert for the great info! I will be ordering some top hatsbefore I do my suspension swap. I will be upgrading to larger wheels and tires, and will like to have some steering assistance.

[Bert]

Wow! Thx Bert for the great info! I will be ordering some top hatsbefore I do my suspension swap. I will be upgrading to larger wheels and tires, and will like to have some steering assistance.

By the way the posters before me also gave excellent advice so don't just thank me. I can't see top hats wearing out at a great rate so maybe JY jobs will suffice. Way cheaper and you'll get Rio springs and front hubs and brakes out of it if you haggle enough.