Ok guys, I put EX front brakes on my beater yesterday, and took lots of pictures to show how to do it and what not.

Step one: Break loose lug nuts and axel nuts then jack up car. Your inadequate brakes should look like below, well mabey your rotors aren't that shot. Make sure you put jackstands under your car also, I didn't but I'm a moron.



Step two: Remove the wheels and then remove nuts on the upper and lower ball joints, and remove the tie rod nut. Next break the balljoints loose, I use a pry bar and smack the side of the spindle or control arm depending on which joint it is with a BFH, while applying pressure to the joint with the pry bar. Also remove the brakeline.



Step three: Prep the new brakes. You need to grind both the caliper and the caliper bracket. Pics show how much to grind below. I used a bench grinder and die grinder in combination to achive a good fit. After the grinding is done install the new rotors and pads, if you don't know hot to do this, then you shouldn't be doing a brake upgrade, and then test fit the wheel.

Before:


After:


Test fit before mounting to car:


Step four: Install the new spindle and brakes, in the reverse order of removal. Bleed the brakes and enjoy your new stopping power. I had to zip tie the brakelines to the spindle because the line isn't long enough, I will be installing new goodridge lines for the EX soon.



Option: you may want to upgrade your 7/8" Master cylinder to a 15/16" unit from an 89 Prelude Si, or from a 90-93 teg but if using the teg unit you will have to upgrade the boster also. The pedal feel is kinda spongey with the 7/8" unit. I'm gonna upgrade mine once I put rear disc on.

Hope this helps you guys out.

 

Nice writeup dude...how much grinding did you have to do and did you use the 90-91 ex knuckles or the DA knuckles? Any camber issues?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by crexer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nice writeup dude...how much grinding did you have to do and did you use the 90-91 ex knuckles or the DA knuckles? Any camber issues?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I used the EX knuckles, DA knucks will work but it will throw the camber off, If you don't have a camber kit, and lower your car substantually it will fix your neg. camber. Since I used EX knuckes no camber issues were there. I ground down about 1/4" now it fits like stock.

 

Good stuff, I did the same thing to get the 10.3 EX's under my 88 Si wheels. Didn't have to grind quite that much though. And FWIW, the 90-91 EX master cylinder is 15/16" and a direct bolt on fit. No line bendo.
chris

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NCchris &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">And FWIW, the 90-91 EX master cylinder is 15/16" and a direct bolt on fit. No line bendo.
chris</TD></TR></TABLE>

I forgot about that 90-91 EX MC=89 Prelude Si MC

 

I have so called EX knucklesthat I was at several points going to sell, put on my car, etc. Father picked them up from a junk yard.

Went to test fit them not to long ago and they would not fit under my HX's. The bolt patterns did not match. Biggest waste of money.

Those look good though.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ijjz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have so called EX knucklesthat I was at several points going to sell, put on my car, etc. Father picked them up from a junk yard.

Went to test fit them not to long ago and they would not fit under my HX's. The bolt patterns did not match. Biggest waste of money.

Those look good though. </TD></TR></TABLE>

what?!?!

he probably got accord EX...

 

instead of grinding you could also go to the parts store and pick up a pack of wheel washers for $1.99 worked perfect on my EX brake upgrade

also i believe the EX 15/16 master will not bolt to stock booster the bolt pattern is reverse

however I am using the prelude si 15/16 and just had to bend the front line up a lil and it bolts directly to my stock crx booster

 

Do you have to swap the whole caliper assembly as well, or just the knuckles and rotors??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chronicsinners &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you have to swap the whole caliper assembly as well, or just the knuckles and rotors??</TD></TR></TABLE>


Yes everything is different, the calipers are bigger, hence the need for more fluid displacement.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NCchris &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">And FWIW, the 90-91 EX master cylinder is 15/16" and a direct bolt on fit. No line bendo.
chris</TD></TR></TABLE>
prelude is cheaper though.

and bending the line isn't difficult or drastic. but, true, the 90-91 civic ex is a direct bolt in

 

Awsome write-up man...

Bookmark'd

 

arent rex si rotors 10.3"

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RACINTWEEK &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">arent rex si rotors 10.3"</TD></TR></TABLE>

nope 9.5".

 

Prelude MC also = 88-89 Accord lxi

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DpSyChO &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Prelude MC also = 88-89 Accord lxi</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks for the update nOOb.

 

which master cylinder is the 13/16th from? thats what i have on my 90 civic si. is that the correct one because my pedal is spongy and i bled the brakes about 75 times, and everything in my braking system is replaced except for the prop valve, is there a write up on which MC, boosters, prop valves, and brake setups came on which cars?

 

89 prelude si bolts on like stock and is 15/16"

 

are you trying to cramp my style Bart?



Just kidding....nice writeup. And get that 15/16" MC. Makes the brakes feel great.

 

Go put your hubcaps back on. I didn't know you had 10.3s, guess I should have known.


Modified by CRXBart at 8:41 AM 12/26/2004