eBay refresher kit for hatches, will it work on wagons too?

Stock

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Control- ... 240%3A1318

This is a complete kit to rebuild the entire front suspension and steering of a 1988-1991 Honda CIVIC. The following parts are included:

* 2 Upper Control Arms with Ball Joints and all the bushings.
* 2 Lower Ball Joints.
* 2 Outer Tie Rod Ends
* 2 Inner Tie Rod Ends
* 2 Sway Bar Link Kits (Stabilizer Link)
* All the cotter pins and retainer clips needed.

I was already planning on hitting up VatoZone for most of these, but I just found a ton of these kits on eBay, are they worth it and how many of the items included are wagon friendly?

noahrexion

All of it will work. Be weary though because it really is cheap. The lower ball joints are good quality but everything else falls apart; I know from experience.

Consider spending the extra $ for OEM IMO, this is something that I will not skimp on in my future work.

fettcols

I bought one of those kits months ago, I'll be installing it and more this weekend if everything goes right.

The same kit along with wheel bearings, struts, axels, brakes, and few other things.

Stock

So now I'm looking at OEM parts and there's two manufacturers listed as making the front wheels bearings... How do I know which ones to order?

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/aut ... BRAKE+DISK

fettcols

ouch... I picked up my bearings from napa for $35 each. I'll post back on Monday to let you know how it went.

Stock

Just Called my local Vato Zone and they want $117/side! :shock:

skinny

last time i checked it was 125 for the set, front or rear. but its best to do all at once. they calling around and finding a better price.

fettcols

Mine were $35 each but it will probably cost $20 each to have them pressed into the hubs.


well, I got the kit about half done. My buddy's press wasn't big enough to press in the wheel bearings and finding a shop on a Sunday afternoon didn't happen. That and i wasn't expecting to find a torn boot on the steering rack. So I have to find one of those in the morning and get back to work on it.

I'm using the whole ebay kit along with, struts, wheel bearings, strut bushings, radius arm bushings, rotors, and pads.

What I've discovered is a lot of the stuff I'm replacing isn't that bad. The balljoits were shot, the right inner and outer tierod was shot and my left strut was actually bent.

Stock

fettcols wrote:

Mine were $35 each but it will probably cost $20 each to have them pressed into the hubs.


well, I got the kit about half done. My buddy's press wasn't big enough to press in the wheel bearings and finding a shop on a Sunday afternoon didn't happen. That and i wasn't expecting to find a torn boot on the steering rack. So I have to find one of those in the morning and get back to work on it.

I'm using the whole ebay kit along with, struts, wheel bearings, strut bushings, radius arm bushings, rotors, and pads.

What I've discovered is a lot of the stuff I'm replacing isn't that bad. The balljoits were shot, the right inner and outer tierod was shot and my left strut was actually bent.

When do you think it'll be on the road? I'd like some sort of review...

fettcols

it will be another day, the shop didn't get the bearings in until quiting time. My buddy had to work tonight so we stopped early.

One thing I can tell you, the swaybar links are different than stock. It's a long bolt with a spacer not the dual threaded with nut in the middle. And they go from 12mm to 13mm.

Also the upper control arm nuts and the lower balljoint nuts require an 18mm socket unlike the factory 17. Some of the cotter pins go in a little tight too.

Other than that it all seems to be pretty good stuff. I think the real test will be about 15k miles from now.

fettcols

And another thing, the inner tierods look easier to change than the factory ones. Just easier to put a wrench on them.

fettcols

Okay, I got it all together but haven't taken it to the shop for an alignment yet.

New problem- My front wheels are rubbing the calipers. I've got some really oldschool early 80's prelude 13" wheels on it and the clearance was really tight before but the new pads have taken up that clearance.

So I'm sure I'm going to get flamed for this but I tossed a washer on each lug just to get it from my buddy's garage to my house. Looks like I have to throw down for some wheels and tires now.

On the way home everything felt nice and tight, the alignment was off of course. I had to take the car about seven miles and three were on the freeway. At freeway speed it really had the shakes.

Stock

I realized today that I have an ES master bushing kit from my hatch still in my garage, so I'll look to get as many of those as I can on the wagon maybe this weekend?

And fettcols, thanks for the PM, ordering the wheels bearings tomorrow so I can finally throw on my ARP studs and get rid the stripped one finally. I hate riding around without a lug.