Rear-only Aspire swap questions.

[Spike]

Okay. I know there are a LOT of topics on this, but I've searched several hours over the past few days, and can't find any solid info on REAR-ONLY Aspire swap. I don't have the funds for a complete swap.

I've been burning through rear bearings within 4-7k from new. A friend (gauge_half_inch) helped me replace the last bearing fail (along with teaching me how to replace them ), and looked over my spindles. He said it'd be best to replace them, and you can't buy them new. Today I looked at the parts car ones, and they look pretty bad.. All I've found for used are $40-50+ each. Minimum of $50 (both) at Pull/Pick-a-Part.

So brings my questions:

If I buy the whole brake assembly from as Aspire (I found a full rear beam + brakes for $125 removed locally, is this price decent?), will it be too strong for my front brakes/cause spinning in snow? I already have some 14 inch Tracer wheels with 4x100 pattern (will need new tires), while my fronts will stay 13 inch (155/80/13's most likely, unless there is a suggestion on better fronts with this set-up) for the time-being.

I know the rear tire stance will be wider, and wondering if that'll affect anything.

Along with this, I will be putting front Festiva springs (parts car) onto the rear, with the Aspire beam, as I bottom out pretty easy back there without passengers.

By searching Aspire swap threads, it seems like something I could do with the tools I have, though I'll likely need a breaker bar (I have no torches or experience with one! :eeeeeek.

Sorry to start another Aspire thread, but I'm hoping someone who's done this can chime in.

Thank you all!

~Joe

EDIT: I hope this is the right forum. If not, I kindly request that you would please move it to the correct area.

[yelo festiva]

rear beam only

I ran aspire rear beam only on my 90 lx for about a year with no problems. The hardest part about it was the lower strut bolts. They were very hard to get out due to rust/corrosion.

I think the width is the same as festiva.

I have now completed the fronts as well and noticed about a 30% increase in braking ability. I used the festiva master cylinder as well.

Hope this helps ya, good luck with the swap.

[Spike]

Yeah, I saw some stuff on that.. figuring I PB Blaster it for a week straight, maybe it'd be decently easy to get out?

Also, do the brake lines need to be swapped, or are they direct-fit? I think I read they are different..

Thanks, by the way!

[Bert]

I don't see any reason why it won't work but think about how many spare tires you're going to have to carry around, unless of course you use a multi-fit aftermarket alloy rim for a spare. As yelo festiva says try to get the lower shock bolts loose before you commit outright.
As to whether front springs fit on the back I'm not so sure. Fronts are 4 1/8" diameter and rears are 3 7/8". Not sure just how much room there is in the tower pocket to start up-sizing.
$125 is quite acceptable for an already-removed rear beam providing there is nothing serious missing. Do you get the Aspire e-brake with this? They are not making any more Aspire beams and if the wheel cylinders, drums, shoes and bearings are in good shape that doesn't hurt either. Kia Rios are going to become the future source of Festy front suspension and brake swaps so you don't have to sweat that part.

[georgeb]

I'd find out why you are toasting rear bearings so fast. How are you setting the preload?

[Spike]

It's the full beam (they said it's in good shape - I haven't yet seen it), and I figure it's without e-brake cable, though I'll ask. I actually have no e-brake HANDLE OR CABLE at all on my car LOL (have handle but no cable on parts car). The previous owner took it out (...after I put a down-payment on it, before he lowered the price to $300 and was about to scrap it). I literally have one bracket left, sitting on my computer desk.

So maybe I can get them to throw it in, or atleast remove it for a small charge.. we'll see.

I'll see/spray the strut bolt tomorrow after work, and see what comes of it.

[Bert]

I used the Festy soft brake lines on my first swap and that involved considerable fussing around with adapting to the Aspire beam. Next one I do will use the Aspire soft brake lines. Now if this rear beam of yours doesn't have the Aspire brake cable the Festy cable can be made to work without too much problem. That's what I did on mine.

[Spike]

I'd find out why you are toasting rear bearings so fast. How are you setting the preload?

...I have no idea. I'm really learning as I go, and this is my first car. But all but one of the bearings (fronts included) were done by gauge_half_inch, so I'm 100.1% sure they were done correctly.

When I got this car, even the wheels were about to fall off (hand-drilled wheels of a different bolt pattern, I didn't even know how lucky I was to drive around on them for 3-5k miles).

EDIT: Before he worked on it, I went through 2-3 sets of rear bearings in about 6-7k miles. With a terrible mechanic, but I've had lots of trouble with them, nonetheless.

[Bert]

I'd find out why you are toasting rear bearings so fast. How are you setting the preload?

There is no preload on back bearings. Turn the nut too tight and then back it off until the wheel spins freely again. I burned lots of rear bearings over the years due to scratches, burrs and peens during the 'backyard' installation process. Now I use large sockets or old bearing races for tapping stuff in place.You can't rush this.
If in doubt bring the drums to a shop and let them properly press the outer races in.

[Spike]

There is no preload on back bearings. Turn the nut too tight and then back it off until the wheel spins freely again. I burned lots of rear bearings over the years due to scratches, burrs and peens during the 'backyard' installation process. Now I use large sockets or old bearing races for tapping stuff in place.You can't rush this.
If in doubt bring the drums to a shop and let them properly press the outer races in.

^^That's the way he showed me how to do it.

With no skills whatsoever, this takes about 4 hours for the complete rear swap, right? This is the only (safely) moving vehicle, so I want to be sure if I start it, I can finish it within a day.

[Bert]

^^That's the way he showed me how to do it.

With no skills whatsoever, this takes about 4 hours for the complete rear swap, right? This is the only (safely) moving vehicle, so I want to be sure if I start it, I can finish it within a day.

Murphy's Law applies to this scenario; If all is going according to plan you've overlooked something.
It took me an easy weekend to swap the rear beam and I was very happy to have a buddy with much automotive experience, many more tools, a hoist and a set of torches nearby. The rear shock bolts had to be blown off and out with a cutting torch and even then there was lots of supplemental work to get new bolts on. I put in new springs and shocks at the same time. The Aspire beam mounted about 1/8 inch off centre line of the car which caused wheel rubbing on one side until I spent another day on re-drilling/grinding and re-fitting of the mounting brackets on the car body. 1/8 is acceptable tolerance for tiny tires in oversize wheel wells but 175-widths really exaggerated the need for precision.

[JPT]

Bad spindles is probably the reason you're eating wheel bearing so fast. Mine used to eat bearings every 5,000 miles. At first I thought it was because my rear beam seemed to be slightly bent, but since I changed both spindles, my bearings have lasted far longer than with the old ones (10k + so far).

I no longer run the Festy beam, so I may be selling my spindles.

[Spike]

Murphy's Law applies to this scenario; If all is going according to plan you've overlooked something.
It took me an easy weekend to swap the rear beam and I was very happy to have a buddy with much automotive experience, many more tools, a hoist and a set of torches nearby. The rear shock bolts had to be blown off and out with a cutting torch and even then there was lots of supplemental work to get new bolts on. I put in new springs and shocks at the same time. The Aspire beam mounted about 1/8 inch off centre line of the car which caused wheel rubbing on one side until I spent another day on re-drilling/grinding and re-fitting of the mounting brackets on the car body. 1/8 is acceptable tolerance for tiny tires in oversize wheel wells but 175-widths really exaggerated the need for precision.

Hmm.. might be best to find a 3-day weekend or sumtin. :p Good to hear this, though, as I've seen elsewhere that it shouldn't take more than 4 hours. Helps me see what may/most likely will lay ahead for me (like when I changed the gas tank, it was only held on by 2 bolts, and one of those was completely stripped LOL).

JPT: Thanks for the input. I'm kind of at the point where if I don't do something drastic (like Aspire swap), I might just sell this off for a less-costly alternative, and I really don't want to. I love this specific car, and know its faults (very, very, very (wait for it), verrrry many, as I've learned), which is why I'd like to give it a little improvement. Also, thank you very much for the offer.

[scitzz]

I don't see any reason why it won't work but think about how many spare tires you're going to have to carry around, unless of course you use a multi-fit aftermarket alloy rim for a spare. As yelo festiva says try to get the lower shock bolts loose before you commit outright.
As to whether front springs fit on the back I'm not so sure. Fronts are 4 1/8" diameter and rears are 3 7/8". Not sure just how much room there is in the tower pocket to start up-sizing.
$125 is quite acceptable for an already-removed rear beam providing there is nothing serious missing. Do you get the Aspire e-brake with this? They are not making any more Aspire beams and if the wheel cylinders, drums, shoes and bearings are in good shape that doesn't hurt either. Kia Rios are going to become the future source of Festy front suspension and brake swaps so you don't have to sweat that part.

I have Festy front springs on my rear. Handling is GREAT! I plan on doing aspire swap, keeping festy front springs in rear, and aspire fronts up front.

I kept burning through bearings when my suspension was in bad shape. Got it right, and stopped burning bearings.

[Bert]

I strongly suspect that 4 hour swap times apply to experienced folks with bountiful tools, pristine parts, and everything needed on hand. That being said that might still apply to you! Desperate folks can accomplish miracles when they have to drive the same car to work later that afternoon.