Hello all,

I just picked up a 2000 CRV (FWD unfortunately) that I just want to use as a little daily, but I want to make it fun. I am currently perusing 1AAUTO to essentially replace the entire underside, brakes suspension steering etc. I want to lift it a little bit and put some taller tires on it, and then drive it until the b20 blows up so I can potentially swap a 2.4 AWD drive train under it for funsies.

Does anybody have any recommendations, experience, and advice on the lift? Currently looking at the HRG 4" kit: https://www.hrgoffroad.com/4-inch-10...01-honda-cr-v/
if anybody has experience with this kit and maybe a review?

I would also like to put a brush guard/bull bar on it, and the best thing I've found so far is this Black horse brand on Summit: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bho-pg24001ma
unless someone knows a better option for that?

I would also like some plain jane steelies with some bigger tires, does anybody know a good tire size for the 4" lift? would 30s fit? I dont have to go gigantic like 33+, I just want to trick it out like its an off roader and potentially go some off road with it, but nothing crazy. My cousin does the crazy stuff and hes just turning me onto it a little so this will be my starter lol.

Any other good advice about these cars would be greatly appreciated! I was a technician with honda for some years so I can do all the mechanical repairs and such, but I have never messed with them in this manner so I don't know anything lol.

Thanks in advance! hope everyone has a great holiday!

 

I don't mean to crap on your dreams here, just to maybe weigh in on a different approach to your finances. These CR-V's make excellent daily drivers for sure. I daily drove my '01 AWD manual for about 110k miles with little to no issues outside of the lower engine and trans mounts failing, but one thing they really don't stand up to very well is offroad use. You can absolutely make them do things that are towards the edges of their limits (and I definitely did), but with no low range, very little engine torque, no real upgrade path for the axles, and little aftermarket support in the way of skid plates and underbody protection, I wouldn't advise wheeling one of these things.

With the work you're looking to do, you'll be a couple thousand dollars into a 4" lifted CR-V with wheels so heavy that it'll be a chore to drive on the road. The b20 will struggle to spin those wheels, especially near highway speeds. The massive unsprung weight will beat the hell out of your shocks. The lift kit page states "for off-road use only" which I'm sure is a CYA for them to sell the thing and not worry about roadway laws in all 50 states, but another consideration is whether your stock sway bar links will fit after all these modifications. There aren't any provisions in the kit for longer sway bar links, and that would either be because all the spacers included allow the stock ones to be used, or that you'd remove them since the kit is intended FOR OFFROAD USE ONLY.

If I may play devil's advocate for a moment, let's say you fix this thing up to be a nice and reliable daily drive that takes little of your future time and money, and instead look for a vehicle that will suit off road use. I have a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I wheel. It's a pretty mild build at ~ 3 1/4" of lift, 32" tires, but the lift I did included font long arms, and I have all the remaining parts I need to go up to 6" of lift with rear long arms as well, and 33" tires. If you think you'll be wading into the off road hobby and have the knowledge and means to do the work yourself, I guarantee you will not long be satisfied with a 4" lifted CR-V as your rig. This hobby is wildly addictive, and I encourage you to find a platform that can grow with your interests. The money spent on a 4" lift kit and wheels that are large for a CR-V (and small for wheeling) would be far better spent on a vehicle that can wheel OK near stock, with plenty of room to grow. You can still pursue your interests of swapping a 2.4 AWD setup into the CR-V, but maybe lower it instead to make it more compelling on the road. CR-V's do "sporty" better than they do "rugged".

 

This is very good advice, and I completely understand what youre saying. I do not intend to have a 100% off road vehicle and would more than likely just daily this, i have ordered the entire underside essentially from 1AAuto so I'm just going to fix it up first, then worry about the other things later. The 4" lift makes these looks like beasts from the pictures and videos I've seen, but if I have to sacrifice my sway bars I don't think it's right for me.
thank you for your input! I can probably find a beat up xj to make an off roader.

 

I agree that butched-up CR-V's are really appealing looking. I constantly toyed with the idea of lifting mine about 2" when I had it, but the fact that I was piling about 20k miles a year onto it and component reliability/longevity was paramount in my ownership, I just never pulled the trigger. In the end I'm glad I didn't. It served its purpose, and the fact that it was stock when I was ready to get rid of it made that task much easier.

It would be worth contacting that lift company to see if their lift allows for the stock sway bar links to be used, or if they get pitched into the circular bin. If that point is a hard no for you, then you've got your answer. A beat-up XJ is a spectacular platform to build from. You could throw on some skid plates and bounce it bone-stock down any trail you want with a big stupid grin on your face, or you can get serious and join the scene with your cousin. Nothing to say that you can't do both (and I'd argue that the earlier may lead to the latter ).