The archives seem to be more confusing.

Let all put this to rest please.

Will a DA front/Rear Brake swap (knuckles, hubs etc) cause alignment/handling problems??

I am interested because I have DA knuckles for my STD HATCH.

 

I used 91 teg rear brake swap and I'm in the process of putting an ingalls rear camber kit too...I went through a set of tires just like that without em. So in conclusion, using DA rear brake swap will definitely alter alignment. Not necessarily handling problems and nothing that cant be corrected.

 

here is what I hear(read) about doing the front...

[Quoted fron Hybrids forum]
(using DA knuckles in the front will cause) Positive camber, and negative castor when steering straight ahead. You can adjust the toe out so it will work, but both the castor and the camber are pretty fucked.

Dynamic camber with the different geometry due to the taller DA knuckles is a joke. When the local wrecker is charging $35 a pop for 90-91 EX knuckles I don't see why you'd bother with attempting to patch the DA knuckle's problems... not that you can. Trust me, I'd love to be running them, I'm only covered up (to my ears) with them and my EX ones keep getting damaged.

 

Looks like Ill just use the calipers and rotors.

I know of Si knuckles at the same yard I may grab tomorrow, and put the DA brakes on there.

 

..I just did the rear conversion on mine and kept the front stock, just replaced the rotors. They work fine but I'll soon find out next autocross season if I need to upgrade or not. I'm currently working on my suspension, rear swaybars next...

 

my experience with DA front Knuckles...Positive camber

 

Honda OEM is always the proper option, and the only place that size brakes were available for an EF is either the JDM SiR, US EX sedan, or EDM 1.6VT models. These parts bolt on (but only the knuckles/brakes, not the upper or lower control arms). I have had experience with almost every possible combination on my daily driver hatch, and my conclusion after measuring a number of different parts and installing them, you can only use the knuckle/hub assembly from the appropriate models to retain the proper suspension geometry. That's not to say that other combonations won't work, just not properly. And even with a camber kit installed, you are only compensating for poor geometry somewhere if you are using the DA parts.
As for the rears, on honda's, it is usually best to retain your factory trailing arm and just add the brake to the stock arms. Here again many combo's will work, just nothing properly. DA's arms will give you more positive off set in the rear, and the lower control arms will give you negative camber.
Many people have opinions, because as I stated, many combo's will "work". Just do the math and measure some parts and the picture will instantly become clear that only certain parts will retain factory geometry.

 

i've laid an ex knuckle on the ground along side a 93 ls knuckle, and measured them, the only diff I see is the axle is 1/4 inch further back on the da knuckle, other than that they both measured identical everywhere. all you'd have to do is move your strut bar 1/4 forward and you'd have more caster(=better handling). as soon as I get my adjustable strut bars made I'm going to run them.
just my thoughts, anyone else?

 

The Si/DX/LX are all the same knuckle and brake setup. The only different one is the Sedan EX knuckle. The EX uses the DA caliper and rotor... claiper and rotor will not work on the Si/DX/LX..

 

You most likely wont. I autocrossed my ED6 with stock front size/aem pads and rear drums and I had more brakes than i knew what to do with. Autocross doesnt really require mad braking power y0, a properly maintained stock system will get you by with flying colors.

Ill see u out there next season!

-Todd

 

Thanks. I guess Ill worry about brake upgrades later.. just need to get my B16 in. I found some DX knuckles laying around.

 

i found that with the DA knuckles and trailing arms on my 89 CRX SI, that i had -1.8 degrees of camber on the rear, and the front is at about -.8 degrees. what was f*cked was my castor was negative a bit, fixed by toe adjustments. my car handles well, next up is bushings and sway bars, and weld in the roll cage.

 

oh yeah. it is also nice to put the passenger's forehead on the dash. bbbBBBBRAAAKKKEESSSS!!

 

Here are my specs after an alignment job.

left front
camber -2.56¼
caster 1.77¼
toe 0.01¼

right front
camber -2.19¼
caster 1.13¼
toe 0

that is with supposedly 92-93 GSR system.
now i cannot vouch for the truth of it, the knuckles and calipers are bigger than stock, but they could be anything, as a mechanic did the work (the first and the last mechanic job BTW) i came to realization this mechanic tells halftruth in general after the job.
drives fine, aside for the steering rack problems (very small)
after a camber kit (and yes i like -2.5 camber!) to match the camber cross side, and swapping the UCA to get more caster. (along with OPM adjustable solid radius rod bushings)
see my sig for setup
stan