McGruber

I picked up my 91 crx dx a little over a year ago for 700 buck. Let's just say I paid way too much lol. It's been a slow process but things are starting to take shape. I started by de-ricing the hanous hand-painted custom interior to stock si black, followed by a complete engine rebuild. I posted a build thread on that stuff last year, you can view it here https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-crx-ef-civic-1988-1991-3/91-crx-rebuild-2641933/ . On to the good stuff! So now that my car runs like a champ I felt like it only be fair if it steers, brakes, and handles like one. The transmission that I bought it with grinded like a **** so I'm upgrading that as well. Hers's what I'll be installing: Energy Suspension master bushing kit, trailing arm bushings, inner and outer tie rods, ball joints, steering rack bushing/lube, slotted and cross-drilled rotors, brake pads, ss brake lines, rebuild calipers, rear disk conversion, si transmission, and stock struts and springs. Here's the goodies.

McGruber

I started by putting in the front suspension bushings. I did the upper control arms first. Hers's the camber bolts and bushing, I had some unknown adjustable camber kit the previous owner had installed because he had slammed the car on tokico blues (ugh!) at least he had the sense to use a camber kit.

96Formula6spd

Looks like all the stuff I get to do in one day along with put the head back on the engine. Its not a lot of fun. Hopefully it will fix my wheel wobble that feels like the rim is going to fall off.

McGruber

Energy bushing

McGruber

I pressed it in using a 12 ton harbor freight shop press. It makes most bushing installs super easy. Make sure you lube up

McGruber

Once you have the bushing in it's time to repeat the process with the metal sleeve and you're good to go!

McGruber

Well I'm heading to bed, I'll upload the rest of what I have tomorrow. Stay tuned

CRXiMUS

in on suspension set up

McGruber

So next I did the ball joint boot. A lot of people don't like to use the ES boots because they don't have a groove on it for the retaining clip. I agree, it kinda sucks getting it on but I found a way to old it on. Use the retaining clip that usually holds on the balljoint itself and it will lock it in the groove. You might have to use two, one to hold on the boot and one to hold the ball joint in. I haven't tried putting two on yet I just have the one holding the boot on.

McGruber

I've been trying to figure out how to insert text in between pics on the same post and for the life of me can't. Someone enlighten me lol.

Nooch

but have the "[img]"http:blah blah blah stuff together.... not on the next line, and end the picture link with the "[/img]" (without quotes) I only did that so it wouldn't actually show the picture and it'd show the coding to use. :]

So in other words, don't use the "manage attachments/jpeg" ****. Just upload the image on www.photobucket.com or www.imageshack.us.

McGruber

Thanks Nooch! Here it goes.

The next thing I did was the lower control arms. I got the bushings out using my press again with a 30mm socket for the big hole and a 24mm for the small I believe.



Closer view, I cleaned out the rust and debris using a die grinder with metal brush attachment.



Both bushings pressed in.

Nooch you are the MAN! Thanks dude

partsme

Lookin Good, keep it up,

McGruber

Thanks man, it's definitely a process lol.

radex7

You are whipping out some quality threads, dude. Im subscribing to this one.

McGruber

Thanks bro, finally someone subscribed

McGruber

So now onto the steering rack rebuild! I didn't take a ton of pics for this one but there are a few. I took a video of how my rex sounded steering and driving prior to the upgrades but I'm having troubles uploading it from my phone. It's hilarious, sounds like an old wooden door with rusty hinges everytime I turn the wheel lol. Any way I started by removing the rack and disassembling everything, it's quite easy just follow the how to in the faq. I didn't run into and problems. The lock washers were super easy to get off, just use a cresent wrench and turn it. It will break the tabs so you'll need new ones. Next I replaced the rack end bushing followed by the inner tie rods. I also re-lubed all the internal components with grease and adjusted the steering gear.

Here's the rack out



Look how nasty that is!



Worn out outer tie rods



This is how you remove the steering rack from the subframe. Compress the driver side tie rod all the way in and you'll be able to snake it through.



Nice and clean :0



New inner tie rod plus lubey lube.



Other side





Put on the boots and you are donezo

McGruber

Next I removed the old lower ball joints and installed the new ones. The write up in the faq is really good but there is a much easier way to remove and install them. You don't need a press or shims or anything like that, in fact trying to use a press is a big pain. All you need is a hammer of your choice (I used a soft dead blow), 17mm deep socket, and retaining clip pliers. The easiest way possible to remove it is if you have air use an air hammer and this will take seconds.

First remove the knuckle from the car. Then remove the old boot, mine was missing lol. Then remove the retaining clip. After that go to the backside and remove the bearing guard ring thing, it overlaps the ball joint. Just use a flat head or pry bar, it pops right out.

The dark ring is the thing I'm talking about.



Here's it removed.



Here's the ball joint (this is already after I removed it so that's why it's sticking out)



Put a 17mm deep socket on the stud and whack away!



Blamo! You have now removed a ball joint

McGruber

Here's the new balljoint.



Start by removing the boot so it fits and you don't tear it on the install. Remove the key chain ring thing lol. I found the easiest way was to use a flat head and pry one side up and snake it up off the boot.



Boot off.



Slide the BJ into place, I used a little grease to help.



Use a soft hammer and whack it in. It's a funny angle so you might wanna use a punch or something.



Now install the retaining clip, now would also be the time to grease the BJ.



Install the boot and snap ring and you're done!

RAPTR

Looking real good brother. This is my favorite quote by far-

McGruber

Lol, thanks bro. I didn't even notice the hilarity of that sentance

McGruber

So now I'm on to the rear trailing arm bushing. I picked up a rear disk conversion from a 91 si for super cheap at a junk yard. The only bad thing was that the rotor screws were super stripped out. I tried using my impact screwdriver but managed to strip them even more and break one of my bits! I have a new trick now though that works every time. Use a punch and get it into one of the groves and hit it with a hammer losening up the screw. It's way easier than an impact screwdriver. After I got the old rotors off I started to cut out the bushing because with ES bushings you have to reuse the metal sleeves. I used the torch/knife trick heating the blade red hot and melting through the bushing. This works pretty well but leaves a lot of residue that needs to be cleaned. Also here is where I will insert my safety announcement. USE CAUTION AND WEAR GLOVES! Or this will happen.



The black stuff is melted skin/rubber bushing lol.



The weird thing is that it didn't hurt at all and didn't bleed for the first 40 minutes. The blade was red hot so it cauterized my nerves and tissue. I only needed 4 stiches. Sorry if this is grossing anyone out.

McGruber

Onto the tech! Here's all the tools I used. Tourch, die grinder with sanding pads, knife, and dollar store steak knives, which suck.



Here's the knife that got me. Bastard! lol



Rear trailing arm



Look how cracked that bushing is!



Part of the bushing cut out.



The left over rubber



The best way I got this off was to burn the rubber with the tourch and scrape and cut it off.



Next to get the metal extemely clean for the new bushing I used a die grinder with sanding/scotch brite disks.



Here's the left over debitage.

McGruber

Now here's my question. Does anyone know which way you are supposed to put the ES bushing in, part number in or out?

RAPTR

Nice pics of the carnage, lol. Is the bushing symmetrical? As long as it is, I don't think it matters which side the part number is on.