I'm planning to replace the rear suspension on my 89' Rex Si with my brother's old 88 suspension. Is it a straight bolt in? If not, what provisions/modifications will I have to make? The reason I'm doing this swap is he's converting to rear discs, and he's pretty much giving me his old bits. I know that 88 Si's have more aggressive suspension in the back. What do you guys think?

 

passive rear steering

 

I think the LCA are different, but everything should bolt up.


[Modified by CR-X, 1:25 PM 4/25/2002]

 

yeh ummm ull need every last peice from the back end and hes not taking off everything to trade ur control arms and wut not thats back there is he???? if he will u need everything from the rear

 

i put the 88 rear lca's on my 89 hatch and they bolted right up. i needed them for my tein coilovers. however, the bitch is getting the stock lca bolts out of the lca. mine were stuck in the bushing. i had to hack the **** out of the bushing, and i broke the weld on two bolts. salt=bitch for suspension bolts

 

Yeah I think he's changing everything over... I'll check with him later. Shouldn't be a problem though!

 

the lower control arms arent the part that make it passive rear steering its the whole setup there is a "sloppy" bushing as someone put it before... witch causes the rear wheels to have a change in toe i guess when moving fast enough... there was a post before on the way it works

 

yeah im changing my rear LCA for 89s since it has a swaybar ( got them for free from my friend dumping his crx shell- parts galore!)

1. Will i have to use 89+ shocks after this?

2. the rear swaybar has 2 mounting brackets (closest to the rear) will the bolts thread onto the body?

 

if you currently have 88 shocks, then yes you will need 89-91 shocks.

 

The lower control arms look the same...... looks like the shocks may fit though....

 

the bolts dont thread into the holes, so i guess i may have to weld on the swaybar brackets

 

any suggestions?
i have an 88 DX trying to put on a rear swaybar from an Si and the bracket bolts do no thread into the holes... what is the best option?

Also the lower control arms need to be replaced to accept the swaybars (which i have) i will take a picture of them and ask you guys what kind of rear strut to use....

the end looks like a ball... instead of a fork.... (if that helps) maybe the owner before me swapped the arms.. who knows.. i just need some clarification

 

please take pics as i am not sure exactly what you are saying/asking.

also remember what i said above:
that is if you use 89-91 lower control arms.

 

The brackets that bolt onto the cars frame do not screw in.. should i weld or is thera a better option (willl it clear my muffler?)


[Modified by G2-Rex, 7:09 PM 2/5/2003]


[Modified by G2-Rex, 7:10 PM 2/5/2003]

 

will my 88 shocks fit in there?

 

when did 88 crx si trailing arms grow discs?

 

can anyone elaborate on this? where is this "sloppy" bushing located? i was told something else....

 

when you say "they do not screw in" do you mean the holes don't line up??? or the threads in the frame are messed up?

and yes, your 88 shocks will work with those LCAs.

 

sweet.... thanks breaka. the brackets line up but the threads are not present.

 

what can i do to put the swaybar brackets on?

 

You can buy a tap pretty cheap at an autoparts store.
I drilled and tapped an HF lca for my crx so that it would accept the swaybar. No big deal if you know how to use a drill. And if it already has the hole, thats easier still.

 

It's not a sloppy bushing that causes the toe change although when they get old they can get dry and sloppy. You will never get the "passive rear steer" (and it really is barely even that) by swapping 'any '88 parts to you '89 car unless your brother gives you his floorpan to weld into your car.

The difference is the location on the 88 body shell where the inboard pivot point of the toe link on the trailing arm mounts to the car. For 89 and later, Honda moved it slightly vertically to reduce the reat toe change as the car goes through its motion. This is a very small, hair splitting difference. You'd never see it unless you had an 88 and 89 shell and took some measurements from each. The only gain you will get is that you will have the sway bar holes drilled in the Si LCAs so that is the only part that would be worth changing. Even then, you gain the sway bar holes but will have to change to the less common shocks for the 88 only lower eye.

 

yeah the wholes are present. so any tap works? can u elaborate on this please?

 

 

well no, you would have to get a tap that makes the size threads for whatever bolt your using. They come in all sizes and thread pitches.