making my wagon, the wagon i love.
thatguyisjames
Band Wagon
this is what i started off with.
leaky exhaust, bad CV joint, body damage, bald tires, bad rack end bushing, no horn.
got a loan for 1k and picked up my new wagon.
pulled the SI swirlys off my parked CRX, little tread but less bald.
went to get it inspected, didnt pass, exhaust and dash light for high beam was out.
got the exhaust welded. swapped my high beam bulb with my seat belt light (the least important one on my dash).
passed inspection, with still bad CV joints.
got plates on the car.
wink 5 mirror
next chance i got, replaced CV joints, from my sitting CRX.
about that same week, i wrecked my driving CRX
had kyb struts and eibach 2 inch drop. with 16in rota slip streams. i hit a curb bent 2 rims, and bent the front cross member so its sitting till i get the frame pulled out.well i missed my dropped stiffer springs, so i swapped them onto the wagon.
mind you this whole time its been about 2 months and i'm so used to driving a little crx, this huge wagon has way more body roll then i'm used to. looked into a sway bar. just happened to have one from a LS (i think) integra.
surprising it was a bolt on ordeal. well excluding the LCA bolts >:/
i got a set of old VW/audi wheels, 13s, got new tires on the front the backs have enough tread for me.
the battery is a lot weaker then my yellow top i'm used to, so i went ahead and put that in today. strapped it down behind the passengers seat (thank you for the help with the SRS beeper http://hondacivicwagon.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5663 )
replaced the rack end bushing.
took out the bitch pin and used a bolt.
i lowered the steering column to match what i'm used to in the CRX.
i have pics of most of these things. and i've considered making write ups on most of what i've done, so i have pix.
if anyone would like to see a how to, on any of the things i did, or pix of what i've done, let me know.
i still have a couple things i want to change before winter.
Comments
cut the dead coil out of the rear spring ( to get the car to sit flat)
extended top hats.
stiffer sway bars. (i want it on rails)
figure out my code 1 CEL (i've replaced the O2 sensor, and reset the ecu, after 2 weeks it threw the same code)
i washered the rear chamber, i'm thinking skunk2 uppers for chamber adjustment in the front.
make rear speaker pod and attach to my sub box
stiffen the shifter ( i have to drill the pin out and use a bolt to clamp a little harder )
stitch up the seat ballast
figure out why the car is pulling to the right. (do the tape measure trick to align the toe. i have a writeup on www.eastcoastefcivics.com)
general body work. (the chuck norris dent in the back)
get my rack and pinion back to normal. (i didn't get the spring nut tight enough)
fix passenger window/door, same way i did drivers side (regrease gear and space speaker from glass, that previous owner didn't install it correctly)
*thinks*
i would love to go D16z6 but .... i can only dream.
for reals tho, if anyone wants pics, or has questions of how i did any of this. i would love to share what has taken me years to learn.
Another thing to add to the list.
While I was under there I managed to get the bit...*chough* C clip off the shift linkage, replaced it with a bolt and nylon lock nut
I am looking at. Front camber kits, I like the skunk2 but its steap, anyone have ideas around not having to drop 200 bux for a chamber kit for a rusted wagon.
Thank you for the support
a rear chamber kit is nothing but a adjustable upper control arm.
the idea is to make it longer, if you need to fix your negative chamber.
i found out the hard way, its easier to do one at a time.
loosen both bolts, take one out, space it with washers, then put it back in but just enough to hold it in place, then do the other side. if you take both out at the same time, whoa buddy its hard to push back into place.
the way i checked my chamber was somewhat inefficient, but worked. i used a small level that fit on the flat spot of my rims.
i got the bubble as close to wanting to be in the center as possible. of course level ground is required for that.
you could also use a plum bob or other ancient engineering tricks.
your not going to get 0 chamber this way, this is a at home remedy to the 200 chamber kits.
now im going to stress something... IF you adjust one thing, something else will change. you have to think of the rear trailing arm as a triangle, the 3 corners are the upper control arm, lower control arm, and then the rear trailing arm bushing. if you move one of these points, it will effect one of the others, since your LCA is non-adjustable (they make them, but stock isn't) if you push the UCA out, the movement will cause you to have a toe in. a issue with toe is worse then chamber. it will eat tires faster and it will make the car squrily ...
so let me stress this, only do this mod, if your getting a alignment soon. because they will need to readjust the toe of your car. also this really only apply if your lowering your wagon (80% of us have or are going to)
i love my optima way to much to let it sit. so i went ahead and found somewhere to put the darn thing in the car.
i used some low profile cabinet handles, popped 4 holes in the floor board *cringes* and used a tie strap.
i already had a 4G wire running to the back for my amp, so it only took a couple seconds to re route the wiring.
got done, had everything ready to go, started the car... BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP...
wtf.
i know its the auto seat belt thing but i couldnt figure out why it was beeping like crazy. i reset the ecu i tried a couple things, nothing, still beeping.
well i found a nifty trick while i was at it. if you pull the hazard fuse, you can drive without it beeping (this is illegal and i dont suggest it) BUT if your in a emergency and dont want to hear the beeping its a fix.
thank you to lovinthe4wdwagon for posting this. http://hondacivicwagon.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5663
THAT is the correct fix, i didnt realize thats what that fed, i thought it was to my aftermarket cruz control power. nope, thats for seat belts.
after that was fixed, i was good to go, redid all my settings on my head unit and my car is ready for winter,
i picked up a couple snippets of chain from work.
used 2 pieces with 2 links each.
used my strut bolt to hold it too. works great.
then a cheap ratcheting tie down
lower steering column
im usta my crx, where i can drive with my nees, so i went ahead and made my wagon where i can too.
note: this is janky, so do this at your own discretion. personally i do not know all the outcomes of changing this angle, it seems perfectly fine and safe to me, but i dont know if it is causing binding lower in the U Joint.
there are 4 bolts under the dash that hold the steering shaft in place.
i used big nuts to space this, you could use washers, but once you see how tight of a space it is, trust me 4 big nuts will do the trick well.
the way i did this,
removed the fuse box cover
unbolt the metal support (4x 10mm bolts)
take out the 2 bolts and 2 nuts that hold the shaft
move the seat all the way back
drop the shaft off the bolts
get the 4 spacers in there, and re assemble
the side effect to having a lower steering column was my fuse cover now will not fit
that is what makes it look so janky
but it is so much nicer to drive with your nees
the lower control arm and sway bar is off of a integra LS
i was able to bolt everything together but i would suggest a change, that i haven't had time to do.
when i get a chance im going to shim the rear bracket so everything lines up better.
the only real mod i had to do was open up the holes on the bracket a little using a drill, also, the brackets are switched, drivers is on passengers and passengers is on drivers. this was to get the holes to line up with the pre drilled holes for the tow hooks.
as you can see there is plenty of clearance.
if your going to do this, i suggest using new bolts for your LCA. i used regular hardware store bolts. but i plan on ordering some from my buddy at hardware909.com when i get a chance.
http://www.hardware909.com/Suspension-bolt-kits.html
i payed $3.50 a bolt x 6 = $21 + tax = $22.50
his lca bolt kit is $20 + s&h
his bolts are stainless steel and have a baler look being hex head.
just putting in a good word for hardware, but yea, rear sway bar went in without a hitch.
Good documentation!
my head unit was my moms $200-300 unit i got for $100
the box was $40 from a place closing down in town
rear speakers ( i already blew them pushing to much sound) i think were $10 from a yard sale
the wiring was a total of prolly $50-60 mostly in ends and such, i like to do things "right"
sway bar was a junkyard DA i pulled the rear disk off, and paid $50 for rusted trailing arm, brakes, ebrake cables, sway bar.
i usta deliver pizza for nearly 5 years, a lot of texting/calling while driving :O i know i know, but thats why i drive with my nees.
ive got 13s too, im trying to pick up a pair of bottle caps, a guy down here has a old m3 or w/e he parted out,
the reason for the battery is ive got so usta having the crx, i never really use my back seats, i dont have people to ride with me, and i dont have kids
figured i should embrace that fact.
also, going to start a small wiring project, ill share later, i need to pull my dash out to do it, and its not going to happen this week, i work all week.
but here is a sneak peek
in with the new
these were the energy sway bar bushings from oriely's, they are quite a bit bigger (not really ment for hondas),
i went and picked up a longer bolt, and 2 nuts to lock on the end, it all worked out fine,
i have noticed a HUGE difference after replacing these, first turn i was happy with the bushings.
there is a long sweeping turn to get on the freeway where i live, in my crx i can take the turn at 45mph and if i heal toe it, the rear end will kick out.
well before the upgrade the wagon would just roll super hard, felt like it would nearly flip, and this is at 30 or 35
today i heel toed at 40 and the wagon did body roll, but nothing like it usted to, and the rear end started to kick.
overall the performance boost is worth the $15 i spent on them.
i would like to say thank you to SiWagon. i did try and search, but sway bar only brought up post of people saying they liked their sway bar, or how they were going to replace their sway bar links. ( what made me try these )
after reading this http://www.hondacivicwagon.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4390 (what he posted to my question)
and http://www.hondacivicwagon.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2803
i've realized i need to space my rear sway bar off from my frame, and get everything square.
also im going to be looking for some acura integra DA springs, i think im going to try out
http://www.amazon.com/Godspeed-1994-2001-Acura-Coilover/dp/B005GSEXX6
from what i know these should work, if i like how they ride i will keep them, if not ill try a different brand.
no matter what, when i have everything tore apart im going to extend my top hats, so i dont blow my KYBs up
from what i know with coil overs you have to use a cut off wheel/ginder and cut the perch off, but leave the weld, the threaded tube will sit down on the weld, then if i want i can weld it on, but i dont think a lot of people do. ( am i wrong? )
they are going to be going on KYB 2 gas struts off of a 89 CRX.
i want to get about a half inch lower in the front and a inch to a inch and a half lower in the rear.
again thank you for the support, im still learning.
the deer ran into my drivers fender at 70, head hit the A piller and all i saw in the rear view was little bambi doing flips.
the only damage to the car (since my fender already looked chewed on) was my side mirror.
so im in the market for a side mirror, and while im at it, i think ill look for a passenger mirror too.
its been sitting for nearly 5 years now. the last 2 times i've went and played with my parts car i've poured oil into the cylinder, just to keep everything from seizing (i know sounds bad, but its a cheap approach to having the rings seize.
i currently have teg LS drive shafts, crx B series mounts, the original ecu, intake, exhaust mani, dizzy
known parts im missing
YS1, master rebuild kit, obd0 to obd1 jumper
is this a doable swap for around $600
i would be able to rebuild the motor with my dads help, we dont have a hotdip tank or anything, but we have a engine stand, air tools and all the space to let it sit.
my little D15b2 just isn't giving me the power i want.
im looking at $600 is about what i want to set aside, i know ill go toward 1k with the little extras here and there.
am i dreaming for thinking i can do this for around 600
if you guys know of any deals or parts hit me up, my email is on my profile.
do you guys think its worth the time/money to rebuild the motor? im looking for a quick DD not a death trap or a race car.