Front End How to for G1's

graveyardhippie

New Member
8)
Ok. lowered my front end last night. i shall attempt to give you step by step instructions on how to. write back with questions in case i forget a step. and i didnt have access to the camera last night, but later today i'll put up some after pix, and try to be descriptive enough for anyone to do this themselves. i've found a few people telling you how to do it, but no walk thru's so i'm gonna try to save everyone my headaches with this.
first, here are some tools you'll need.

1. ratchet
2. 12mm socket
3. 17mm deep well socket
4. snap ring pliers
5. small metal hammer
6. jack
7. 2 jack stands
8. crowbar (depending on your rust value)
9. long flat blade screw driver (unless you find an easier way)
10. PB Blaster
11. flat file

WARNING: the end of the torsion bar in the LCA likes to slide forward, and the snap ring on it is a major pain to get back inside the LCA. DO NOT let it come out during this procedure, it can waste a lot of your time

and here's the easiest procedure i've found.

Removal

1. jack it up, and put the stands on both of the front sides under the door and remove the wheels.

2. remove the dust cap on the lower control arms (LCA)


3. under the doors and bolted to the sub-frame you'll find the back end of the torsion bar inside the torque tube.
unbolt the 12mm bolts and i used a screw driver in various ways to manipulate the glorified dust cap off. maybe you can find an easier way.

4. using your trusty snap ring pliers, take off the back snap ring.

5. spray the end of the torsion bar with PB Blaster. unless your fortunate enough to still have grease on the end....... i wasnt.

6. using your deep well 17mm, remove the adjusting nut. dont worry about pressure, the torque tube arm extends all the way down with a couple threads left on the bolt.

7. shimmy the torque tube off the back end of the torsion bar. it's only as long as from the back cap to the cross member, that flared out piece is part of the LCA. but on my passenger side, this is where i had to use a crowbar between the cross member and arm of the torque tube to pry it off the torsion bar.

8. you will notice what is called a key on the torque tube. it's just a wider spline than the rest. you can either file it completely off, or i just filed a groove str8 down the middle of them and made it the same size as the other splines. oddly enough, that was quicker and easier for me than trying to file it all the way down. i just used the angle of the file and it took about 5 mins or so.

9. take a break, the next part sux.

Install

Helpful Hints: putting it back where the key was keeps it stock height.
putting it one spline up lowers it.
putting it two splines up lowers it a lot.
(note that this is with the adjustment all the way up...meaning it can go lower)
putting it three splines up is impossible as the height adjustment nut cant move enough to get the arm from the torque tube past it, and even if it could, it would probably lay frame.

while putting the torque tube on, you may have to tap the front of the torsion bar every so often to keep the snap ring from coming out.


1. put a jack under the brake rotor of the sid your working on and jack it up until the strut is fully compressed. it makes finding the height you want easier.

2. slide the torque tube mostly over the torsion bar, but be careful not to pust the torsion bar forward. (see warning)

3. you pretty much have to feel your way thru this part and do trial and error. you have to get the splines to match up without making the car too low, or higher than you started. once matched how you want it, slide the torque tube all the way on and keep moving the height adjustment nut around so that you dont pinch it while installing the torque tube.

4. let the brake rotor down enough to start the height adjustment nut.

5. let down the brake rotor and tighted the height adjustment nut up all the way. i used a hydraulic jack under my rotor and turn the screw to drop it out just a little so it would go down about the same speed i was tightening the nut so that the bolt didnt have too much free room to make putting the nut on aggrevating

6. put your dust cap back on the LCA

7. put the glorified dust cap back on the back of the torque tube. (mine required a lot of hammering)

8. put your 12mm bolts back on the glorified dust cap.

9. take the jackstands out, put the wheels on, and drop it.
 
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firstgentnr

New Member
yeah, i didnt go through all that. ill have to find a day to try it. i just went the lazy way and adjusted the nuts.
 

graveyardhippie

New Member
i tried other things in the process of doing this, and spent about 5 hours on it before i was done. just did the rear last night. coil overs from all integra's work with slight mods, but i have about 2 fingers between tire and wheel well with them all the way down. so i'll probably just use the springs and hang on to the sleeves if i want to raise it back up one day.
oh, it should only take like hour and half, 2 hours if you just follow my guide.
 

specialTEG

New Member
good luck driving that around and feeling good.....all you hear is BANG BANG BANG all day unless where your live the roads are smooth like racetracks... u need custom shorten stroke struts and bigger torsion bars up front
 


graveyardhippie

New Member
the torsion bar, i like stock, it gives it a smoother ride. but your right. i'm gonna do a write up later how to extend the factory struts so that they actually function and don't bottom out the whole time. but if you only go one spline down, and not 2 like i did, it shouldnt bottom out.
 

graveyardhippie

New Member
195/55/15 i prefer a 50 series, but they have good thread, so i'll get them later. for the back end to get what you want, i believe you can accomplish it by getting coil-overs from 90-01 integra, and just dont use the spindle, just put the spring in there. i'll get pix for you this evening of mine with the spindle still in and when i move back to carolina i'm pullin the spindle off mine to get it that low in the back. oh, and i'm going to do some customizing of my struts when i get back to, having it tucking means the strut is bottomed out.
 

mayhem251

New Member
post sum more pics man i just got myself an 88 yesterday & i want this thing slammed to the ground!
 

graveyardhippie

New Member
would if i could, i sold it a couple weeks ago to a good home in the mountains. but a little bit of crowbar with a touch of hammer works well getting the torsion bars out, and just eyeball the other notches to make yours fit any of the splines. the first side will take you a while, but the second should be easy. if ur anywhere near me i'd do it for cheap for you. and coilovers for any of the civics and integras will work on the back. (88-00 civics, 90-01 integras) i ran mine without the spindle and just used the spring from the coilover. to get the front to ride worth a crap you have to buy aftermarket struts and shave the ear off so you can LIGHTLY dent the backside for the bolt to pass and drop the strut down as close as you can to the CV axle. PM me for any problems you may have.
 
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rsxer63

Member
the torsion bar, i like stock, it gives it a smoother ride. but your right. i'm gonna do a write up later how to extend the factory struts so that they actually function and don't bottom out the whole time. but if you only go one spline down, and not 2 like i did, it shouldnt bottom out.
I would like to see this as mine make loud bangs. :(
 

*DA3*

New Member
Is there only supposed to be 3 pics?? I cant really tell I thought theere would be more.



I already got one of the bars out, I just need to sand down the key spline and put it back right? I dont understand the part of going up a spline or two, does it mean clockwise or counter clock wise?
 
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