I figure since the del sol has the same chassis as the eg civic, this should all be the same?
So you’re bored of dull old 4 stud setup huh? Its ok I can empathise, that’s why today we will be installing 98 UK ITR or JDM EK9 5 lug front and rear hubs and suspension!
Now you might ask yourself…. Will it fit? What about my drive shafts? Is it the end of humanity as we know it!!!
And the simple answers are:
Yes it will all fit, the teg was based on the EG chassis thus handily for us EG owners most (note I say most) teg stuff with fit straight on, and the rest just needs some gentle persuasion!
Drive shafts wont be an issue, ALL (yes I did just say all) EG’s have the same outside diameter spline on the drive shafts of 32mm, and handy for us so does the EK9 and 98-00 UK spec DC2. The only one to watch for is the 98-00 spec JDM tegs as they use bigger Diameter drive shafts – heap of problems so best to just find some UK teg or JDM EK9 stuff!
And as for the end of humanity?? Yes im afraid so
So we will start off with a good old parts and toolage list, its not impossible by any means even for beginners its all a questions of time, space and tools with a dose of luck. Once you have the right tools and know whats ahead, and as always be prepared for the unexpected since something always comes up no matter how prepared u are. Also some prep work I will recommend:
Prep:
A week or 2 before you attempt this, please read this document! Then get under your car and wire brush and then WD40 or better plus gas every bolt/nut/ part I mention in this write up, once done and left a week, try and “crack� open all the bolts, if your gonna have one seize up or shear its better when the car is still drivable. There’s nothing worse than being ½ way thro a job and something going wrong, then having to drive the car ½ lowered or 5stud up front and 4 stud on the rear to the nearest garage to get a bolt drilled out.
Parts:
1) UK 5 lug suspension (Front and Rear), Hubs (front and Rear), Front Upper Control arms, Front and Rear Brake Calipers with pads and disks of what ever make you fancy.
2) 5 stud alloys with tires – 15 or 16� ITR, 5th gen Prelude rims, S2000 (2 front sets) or EK9 alloys, or any other aftermarket brand of 5 x 114.3 alloys with a +45 offset!
3) Optional: Rear hand brake cables – essential if doing this upgrade to a 1.3Dx EG3 or 1.5 LSi EG4, or basically any civic with rear Drum brakes will need the hand brake cables from a civic with rear disk set up. Don’t worry, I wont forget you EG3/4 owners when the time comes!
4) Optional: Front and rear camber kits, what ever make, follow the manufactures instructions on how to fit them – I will NOT be covering how to fit them, the only reason I mention them is that it can be a good time to fit them, and please for the love of every other road user, get your car properly set up at a garage do not try and set it so it “looks alright�.
5) Optional: After market suspension, should fit the same as the ITR stuff, but im covering fitting “eye� type rear shocks – please make note.
6) Optional: S/S Brake lines and a full fluid change might as well while we are at it! As above I will NOT be covering how to change them, so please follow the manufactures guide/instructions, and if you don’t know how to change the fluid, get someone round who does – don’t drive your car without at least bleeding your brakes!
7) WD40 (or Plusgas as it rocks) copper slip, split pins.
Tools:
1) Socket Wrenches (32mm, 19mm, 17mm, 14mm, 12mm, 10mm)
2) Wrenches (same sizes as above, maybe not a 32mm one though!)
3) 2 L of Brake Fluid dot 3 at least, dot 4 or above I would recommend
4) Flathead and Philips Screwdrivers
5) Extensions and Swivel ext
6) Breaker bar
7) Magnetic Nut tray ( this will be a savoir, don’t finish with leftover nuts )
A section of cellophane and a rubber band (ill explain why in a bit)
Stage 1: The Fronts first.
If you have any power tools available, they will be useful.
Start off by securing the car, I usually put a few bricks behind the rear wheels (if working on the fronts) and vice versa.
Next pop the bonnet and find you’re Master Brake Cylinder, remove the top, now take your bit of cellophane fold it so that it covers the top with some over hang, now secure it in place with the rubber band. Ensure that no air can get in. This will create a vacuum, meaning that when you disconnect the brake lines from the calipers, no/very little brake fluid will pour out (another neat trick my dad taught me)
Now the real work can start, first by taking the front wheels off, loosen all the wheel nuts with the 19mm socket and don’t forget you’re locking wheel nut key if you have one. Now to jack the car up, you can do this either by jacking up the car with a normal 2 ton hydraulic jack and using approved jack stands, personally I would recommend jacking it up where the lower control arm meets the chassis, then putting the axel stand under the side jacking point – but do what you feel safe with.
Remove the wheel nuts fully and then take off the wheel.
Next using the 32mm socket and breaker bar undo the main Axle Nut; you will need to use a screw driver/hammer to leaver out the “notch� first. I find having someone sit inside and applying the brakes while I crack this nut undone helps a lot! Also note: crack both sides at the same time – as once you disconnect the brake line – you won’t be able to use the brakes again!
Using a 12mm spanner/socket to unbolt the brake line at all places where it attaches to the hub; do not disconnect it from the calliper yet! If your car is fitted with ABS you will also need to unbolt the wire, and sensor from the hub.
Then unbolt the main bolt for the shock fork by using a 17mm socket/spanner, also loosen the 14mm bolt from the top of the Fork part. This will then enable the fork part to be removed from the bottom of the shock altogether leaving the shock itself being held only by the top 2 nuts. Now unbolt the top two nuts and the entire shock will just fall down, so be ready with one hand, or get a mate to catch it.
Now the only things keeping the actual hub in place are the Track Rod End (at the end of the steering rack), the lower ball joint and the upper control arm. All of the ball joints should be secured with a split pin, use some pliers and screw driver to get them out, if they are real bad just break them off so that you can loosen the nuts the bottom ball joint is a 17mm and the TRE is a 14mm or 17mm. You wont need the split pins as we are gonna be replacing them with new, and you can always drill them out better once you can get the whole hub on the bench. Now using the ball joint splitter, do as its name suggests and split the lower ball joint and the TRE from the hub. The whole hub will now be held by the top 2 14mm nuts (inside the engine bay) and the bottom ball joint should rest in the LCA.
Just before you pull out the entire Hub and UCA from the car you need to disconnect the brake lines at the calliper - which is a 14mm bolt, be careful as it has 2 crush washers per side, don’t loose them or better, just replace with new. Now you get to see science in motion, remember the cellophane? We here’s the test of whether you fitted it well or not. At this point all that’s left is to undo those top two 14mm nuts in the engine bay and you can pull the hub (upwards and outwards from the car), if the drive shaft doesn’t slide out, spray some WD40 on it and try gently hammering it out (with a rubber or wooden hammer if available), careful not to flatten the top or you wont be able to get the axle nut back on!!
Repeat this for both sides!
Part 2 to follow...