Aspire swaybar on Festiva woes

[Click_It]

I know there are numerous threads around but not are all clear just how they got them fitted. Everything is done bar wheels and brake lines, I just can't get my head around how to fit the aspire bar. Upside down / right way up put aside, the crossmember is the problem. I don't have a welder so the notch/cut is out and trust me, nobody around here will mess with anything structural so I couldn't pay someone to do it if I wanted to. Did most of you notch the crossmember and fit it that way? Without a welder I don't like the sound of it.

So that leaves dropping the front of the crossmember a few inches and lifting it over (right way/wrong way, both should work) but that leaves 2 problems - radiator hose and probably need to wrap the section of the bar over the crossmember with some kind of rubber sleeve to prevent damage to tranny in times of stress.

So I've kind of given up and feel pretty deflated after being built up with excitement for so long about completing this job. Tomorrow I'm likely to put the original festy bar on, at least I have new poly bushings for the control arms which should stiffen things up a bit right?

Does anyone have any input?

[TominMO]

It's actually pretty easy to fit the Aspire swaybar. Yes, you drop the crossmember and install the swaybar over it, right side up. No notching is required.

The vertical part of the lower radiator hose needs to be shortened a couple of inches, so it won't rub the swaybar. Recommend you do it in stages, with trial fittings, so you won't cut off too much.

Also, you may want to loosen the trans mount bolts, to let it move a little, so it doesn't rub the swaybar. On mine it does not seem to be a problem.

[nitrofarm]

I know there are numerous threads around but not are all clear just how they got them fitted. Everything is done bar wheels and brake lines, I just can't get my head around how to fit the aspire bar. Upside down / right way up put aside, the crossmember is the problem. I don't have a welder so the notch/cut is out and trust me, nobody around here will mess with anything structural so I couldn't pay someone to do it if I wanted to. Did most of you notch the crossmember and fit it that way? Without a welder I don't like the sound of it.

So that leaves dropping the front of the crossmember a few inches and lifting it over (right way/wrong way, both should work) but that leaves 2 problems - radiator hose and probably need to wrap the section of the bar over the crossmember with some kind of rubber sleeve to prevent damage to tranny in times of stress.

So I've kind of given up and feel pretty deflated after being built up with excitement for so long about completing this job. Tomorrow I'm likely to put the original festy bar on, at least I have new poly bushings for the control arms which should stiffen things up a bit right?

Does anyone have any input?

Yes my input is this. Get out your wrench & do it. THEN you'll understand. I'm the same way you are.The more I read the more I question.The more I question,the more I postpone. Just go do it. You can do it! And then you can sit back & smile. And enjoy the fruits of your labor. Peace from the good ol USA.

[kartracer46]

or just flip it over. It will work that way.

[neanderpaul]

or just flip it over. It will work that way.

X2 mine is on upside down.

[ckiesman]

I was wondering if that would work, lol.

mine hits on the front tranny mount pretty badly

[Damkid]

I don't think i'll ever run an aspire sway bar, it won't clear my tranny mount garenteed and then to flip it upside down and have the "hump" section hang down, well i can't stand anything hanging down, so for that reason, i'll stick with the stock sway-bar :lol:

[bhazard]

When I had mine upside down it gave me alignment issues..I'm modifying my front trans mount so I can run it correctly.

[91mcnasty]

Maybe neanderpaul can chime in and tell us what adjustments he had to make for his to work properly?
Maybe yours was a little out of adjustment bhazard

[Pu241]

I've seen TominMO's setup, as I recall the Aspire sway bar install went a lot easier than the Capri hub install.
It helps to have a second set of hands when fitting the sway bar, not necessary but helpful.
May or may not need some sort of cushioning between the trans-mount and sway bar (rubber or polyurethane), but definitely pay attention to shorting the lower radiator hose.

Does anyone know if using a different (B8, BP, or even Aspire) water return housing would solve the hose clearance issue?

[ELUSIVE]

Wouldn't a larger front sway bar increase under steer?
(note: there are no stupid questions only stupid people)

[Click_It]

Yes my input is this. Get out your wrench & do it. THEN you'll understand. I'm the same way you are.The more I read the more I question.The more I question,the more I postpone. Just go do it. You can do it! And then you can sit back & smile. And enjoy the fruits of your labor. Peace from the good ol USA.

You read me like a book, it's the procrastinating and over-researching things makes you second guess everything. I had an emergency come up last weekend so I didn't get a chance to hook in until today... Everything in and done! Wasn't that hard. I got new radiator hoses, car only done 114kmiles but I thought why not change them anyway. I'm not sure if new hose was shorter than old hose (never compared) but the swaybar (which I ended up installing upside down!) has massive clearance from the hose, a full inch! Not sure what that's about, expected it to be rubbing. So no cutting hose required.

There are 2 minor problems to still resolve but nothing serious. I bled the brakes, far side then near side. Got what appeared to be all the air, pedal extremely solid. Took it for a drive and first time I used it got a scare when the pedal went almost straight to the floor! Soft like an old sponge! Turn the car off, pump 3 times and its solid again like no air is present at all. *scratching head* I'll check her out tomorrow, there must be air in there somewhere still. Whilst pedal was extremely spongey the brakes are rock solid still, front calipers are definitely doing their job.

Other issue is theres some clicking noises driving slowly around corners. New driveshaft, possibly come loose? Will have a closer look tomorrow. I figure its related to drive shaft or aspire struts maybe.

All in all it's going good. As for the understeer question, to me personally the new sway bars feels like it's all but eliminated it. I plan to take it for a longer drive tomorrow. New swaybar certainly gives the car a firmer feel and has taken the sloppiness out of it. Even with spongey brake pedal this thing has some serious anchorage now! (brand new drums,shoes,rotors & pads) - From start to end I've overshot my budget on extras I never factored in originally but I'm not disappointed!

Pics & more details tomorrow...

[Click_It]

Fixed the brakes, 1 pocket of air came out of the drivers side.
The clicking noise is also gone, maybe with the new driveshaft and noise outer tie rod ends they needed a bit of driving to loosen up? Either way both problems are gone.

Pics if anyone's interested.



New poly bushings in (these things make a difference!)




Closer look at sway bar clearance.

Looking from under the car out.

[Oren09]

Which is best?
Sway bar from automatic Festiva (I heard they're bigger than MTX) or sway bar from Aspire?

[bhazard]

Aspire auto bar is the bigger one. All festy bars are 22mm