Power steering system drain and fill - Honda Power Steering Fluid
http://tasauto.com/Product/Bro...5&p=1
Part #2808206

Full bushing kit - Energy Suspension
http://tasauto.com/Product/Bro...sz=10
Part #432014

Polyurethane bushing grease - Energy Suspension
http://www.energysuspensionpar...11104
Part #9.11104

Rear sway bar - Progress
http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/prod/62-101
Part #62.1011

Front camber kit - Ingall's (push out control arm style)
http://www.tasauto.com/Product...sz=10
Part #725720

Rear camber kit - Ingall's
http://www.tasauto.com/Product...sz=10
Part #723880
Part #723881

Front strut tower bar - Cusco Type OS
http://www.evasivemotorsports....0540A
Part #34054A

Coilovers - Ground Control
http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/prod/gc4510-02
Part #GC4510-02

Struts - Koni Yellows
http://www.performancecloseout...d=134
Part #koni-9097accord

5 lug and brake upgrade - various parts
http://www.accordinglydone.com...=1292

Well, to start out on my suspension/steering upgrades I was going to drain and fill my power steering system with Honda Power Steering Fluid. Obviously this is a no-brainer, and will be purchasing it from my local dealership most likely.

Nextly, I was going to do the full Energy Suspension polyurethane bushing setup. I will be changing all of the stock rubber bushings over to the polyurethane style. I will be making sure to install them with Energy Suspension Formula 5 Prelude bushing grease so I don't get all the squeeks and groans that people complain about. Energy Suspension doesn't seem to sell a full bushing kit as one piece, whereas the TAS Auto kit I listed replaces every rubber suspension part on the car, including front and rear. The bushing kit will be purchased from TAS Auto and the bushing grease will be purchased from Energy Suspension Parts.

For a rear sway bar I was originally going to go with the Suspension Techniques, but then went in favor of the Progress bar. The Progress bar is thicker and has a better geometric stiffness than the ST bar. The bar will be purchased from No Limit Motorsport.

For camber kits I'm going to go with Ingall's brand. For the front I'm going with the Ingall's push-out control arm style instead of the sliding ball joint style. I've heard of lots of problems with the sliding ball joint style like them breaking or coming loose. I chose to go with the style that allows 2 or more inches of drop because I will more than likely be running at least 2 inches of drop. For the rear I went with the Ingall's brand and also used the style that allows 2 or more inches of drop. I do see that TAS Auto has finally made adjustable front control arms, but sadly they are the sliding ball joint style.

After doing some searching I found the only bar Cusco makes for the 94-97 Accord and that's the Cusco Type OS. It is a 2 point bar with an oval shaft design. Pretty much everyone sells it for 150 bucks and you can get it about anywhere. I don't see anyone that makes a 3 point style bar, so it looks like the Cusco Type OS is the one I'll be going with.

This is where things get a little more difficult. First of all, I know for sure I will be going with a Ground Control/Koni Yellow setup. I know to make sure you specify you are using them with a Koni strut when ordering. The only problem is I'm not sure about spring rates. I thought I read that they make a OTS (off the shelf) spring rate but that they can also be ordered with custom spring rates. I was told the OTS spring rates are very forgiving compared to other springs out there, but also found this:

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/2028746

Here it states that a street use only spring rate should be 290/350 lbs. What are you thoughts on this one? Are there different types of Ground Control coilovers? What are the Ground Control Top Hats?

I'll be going with the Koni Yellow struts, but also have a few questions about them too. Apparently they also make a OTS setup and a custom setup too from what I'm reading. Also, it seems like they make different types of Koni Yellows also. Can anyone help me clear up the confusion on this?

Just go get a few things straight on the 5 lug setup - Instead of using the Legend GS dual piston front calipers I will be using the NSX calipers since they are heavier duty than the Legend ones. Also, instead of using the 25mm ITR rotors I will be using the Legend GS coupe 28mm rotors which are the same size as the NSX rotors but have the same offset as the Accord. I'll be going a little more in depth into this setup after I have a few things figured out.

Also, if you guys know of anywhere I can get these parts cheaper or have any suggestions please let me know.

 

Out of curiosity, how many posts are you going to make listing the same stuff you have in every other post before it before ordering?

1) You can order custom rates on GC's get whatever you want, do research on it. But you probably won't need anything stiffer than off the shelf based on the questions you're asking

2) There isn't a different type of GC

3) You didn't do research on the top hats as they do not exist for accords

4) I highly doubt you're going to need shortened staff or revalved koni's just order off the shelf

5) etc

 

Everyone here and on AD is telling you the same thing. Between here and AD, all of your questions have been answered at least 3 times each. Do NOT make another thread about this!

 

The only reason I asked about the Ground Controls is because I saw they made custom spring rates for them and wasn't sure if the OTS spring rates were going to suit my needs. Now that you guys have clearly stated the OTS rates will work for my setup that's what I will go with. The same goes with the Koni Yellows. I saw they made re-valved and shortened ones and also Neuspeed ones. I understand also that the OTS Konis will be the ones I want to go with.

But honestly, nobody here found it interesting that TAS Auto is making adjustable front upper control arms?

 

Again, another thread I'm sorry to bump, but I've got a couple questions for the guys who ordered the Koni Yellows. Did they come with new strut mounting hardware for the front and rear? I completely forgot about getting the mounting kit and wasn't sure if they came with all the **** you needed. Obviously I don't want to re-use the stock ****.

Next, I was doing some thinking on the PS fluid exchange. Obviously you guys know that you don't want to run the PS pump dry because it burns it up from lack of lubrication. At work the way we do a fluid exchange is we drain the flush using a suction machine, fill the reservoir, start the car and turn the wheel back and forth a few times lock to lock, shut car off, drain fill, and re-fill, then repeat this process approximately 8 times or so. We don't use any sort of cleaner stuff, just use ATF or PS fluid. Is there any other ways to do it without running the pump dry?

Any other suggestions you guys have for installing my suspension besides the usual stuff like using anti-sieze, greasing the bushings properly, tightening the stuff to the proper spec, and using new cotter pins and hardware?

 

You have to reuse the "stock ****" for the Konis along with practically every other aftermarket strut.

As to power steering I'm sure there's a machine that does it, do you really need to change that fluid? Probably just drain and refill for that a few times would be sufficient. You won't really gain much from that.

Have pneumatic tools ready for suspension.

 

Here is a way it was suggested to do the power steering fluid exchange:

Pull the return hose off of the fluid reservoir and stick it in a washer fluid jug(any kind of jug you want really) start the car, let it spit all the fluid out into the jug, then shut it off, fill the reservoir up, start the car again, let it pump all the fluid out into the jug, etc. 3 bottles total, then replace the pump, and fill the fluid to where it should be.

That's also a good idea and makes sense too. Doing it that way ensures that all the old shitty fluid is coming out and that none of it stays in the system. I think I may end up doing it that way when I go to change the fluid. As far as I know there is no machine made to do a fluid exchange on a power steering system and it is important to change the fluid becaues after it gets burnt up and contaminated it can cause corosion in the system. I've seen fluid get so burnt up that it actually caused the steering gear to seize. :banghead:

From the looks of it most of the aftermarket struts don't come with the upper mounts. The nice thing is though that if I get the Energy Suspension polyurethane bushing set it says it comes with shock bushings, which I take it as the upper mount bushings. The only problem is it doesn't come with the hardware pieces. I'll probably do a little looking around to see if there's any aftermarket pieces made or I'll just end up buying some cheap mount kits, throwing away the bushings, and using the Energy Suspension bushings.

Thanks for the tip Muffin, I'll keep that in mind.

 

Alright, so I did a little more research about the bushings and hardware kits. I've decided to go with a few poster's opinions on the bushings and not do them. I had no idea that there were so many problems with the polyurethane bushings.

I read that they tend to squeek if you don't maintain them regularly and to keep them easy to maintain, you have to drill holes and add grease zerks to them. Also, during cold weather they tend to squeek even more, and with me living in Iowa would be a problem. Also, they don't last as long as the rubber bushings do and when they do fail, they tend to tear out of their mounting location. And probably the worst of all, they limit the suspension's ability to flex they way it's supposed to and in a lot of instances they limit the axis of inclination on parts, making it so the part cannot properly perform its job. They cause binding in parts because the bushing is actually too stiff.

I guess this would be the reason that Mugen's aftermarket bushings kits are just a harder rubber than the OEM bushings instead of a polyurethane material. The original problem was when many Civic owners were using the poly bushings in their trailing arms and the bushings were causing binding in the trailing arm because the bushings way too stiff. The bushings are supposed to be good for track use, but for anything driven on the street they're way too stiff and squeeky.

As far as I've found nobody makes an aftermarket rubber bushing kit for the Accords, so I'm guessing I'll just have to buy new OEM bushings. Does anyone know where I could get the rubber bushings cheaper than buying them from Majestic Honda?

And yea, I was talking about the hardware pieces, but now that I'm not running the ES bushings, I'll probably see if I can purchase some Moog kits and use those. I was very happy with my Moog tie-rod ends and I believe that Moog suspension parts are equal to or even better than the OEM pieces.

 

I did some looking around and couldn't find a rubber bushing kit for the Accord, so it looks like I'll just have to purchase the bushings one by one. I know I can get the OEM ones from Majestic Honda or from TAS Auto. Also, O'Reilly Auto Parts carries the Moog replacements too, which as stated before I am a fan of their products. The only thing now is do I want to go with the OEM ones or the Moog ones? I'm sure the Moog ones will probably be cheaper because I can get my dealership discount on them, but usually OEM stuff is better quality. What would you guys go with and what did you guys use to lubricate your bushings when installing them?

Next, I've decided that since I'm going 5 lug I'm just going to remove the control arms and replace the ball joints. I know there's no reason to replace the control arms unless they are bent, so I'll be keeping those. If I remember reading though, you have to replace the front control arms to replace the ball joints. Is this true?

Anything else that I should be replacing besides the stuff involved in the 5 lug conversion and what I've listed above?


Modified by The_Honda_Guy at 4:32 PM 5/5/2008

 

Do you even have money to buy said items?

Just curious.

 

Yes, I do, and please, if you aren't going to post anything helpful, keep out of my thread. I'm actually serious about posting on here.