Parts list for rear disc conversion

[jonathan_ed3]

I would post this in the Suspension/brakes forum, but I noticed there's several threads in there that are incomplete and I figured mine may end up the same way.

It seems that Justin has changed the way he does the rear discs.

This is what I gather so far from the updated info:

*1st gen Civic stub axle

*'92 Civic floating hub with a machined outer area. What exactly is the floating hub? I believe most of my confusion comes from the differences in terms between the US and CA. This basically just means I need a hub from a '92 Civic, right? "floating" is just a descriptive term for it. Justin goes on to call the '92+ Civic rear discs 'floating' style; what other style is there offered on the 92+ Civics? They are all the same! I just don't understand....

* 1st gen Civic outer bearing pressed onto the '92 Civic hub

* '84 to '87 Prelude caliper bracket?! Is this still needed? Or do you now use the 92+ Civic bracket?

I'm just really looking for some clarification here. The updated information doesn't address, in particular, which caliper bracket to use with the '92 Civic hub.

Thanks in advance guys! I'm looking to do this ASAP. Reason being, the 84-87 Preludes are very hard to find here in TX in the junkyards, and I want to know *exactly* what all I need to yank from one without buying anything more than I need.

-Jonathan

[Justin]

Alright.. you stay with your original stub axle (cvcc/1200 are the same)
you get yourself a caliper bracket from a '84-'87 prelude Si (#5/6 in the 1st pic)

You then also need the caliper bracket from the prelude(due to close mounting holes) (the bracket that the bolt #35 goes into.. 2nd pic)

You can use the later calipers but must have the prelude caliper brackets (pic above) (the caliper spacing is all the same on the two mounting studs (#22/38.. 3rd pic)

You can use any rear hub from a civic '88 and newer(#1.. 4th pic) the only difference is that rear disc hubs have the threaded locations to bolt the disc in place

You must machine the outer lip to accept the 1st gen outer bearing, and then place washer's between the new outer bearing and the original inside bearing( this is required so the bearings are not crushed when tightened)
You also need to double up the factory collar, in order to center the rotor in the caliper(#1.. 5th pic)

I usually run the caliper on the backside of the rotor, the e-brake mounting bracket is not used, you can use your original brake line hole as ebrake cable mount, the brake cables can be used from any honda with rear disc
You also need the e-brake handle and cable ( 6th pic)

anymore questions

[Justin]

No bias control is needed.. the braking is perfectly matched.. the stock master works fine, but for even better braking power, upgrade the master to a '86-'89 acura legend booster/master, it's either a 7/8 or 15/16 bore. it's a bolt on, the only thing required is re-bending the brake lines to the opposite side of the master, and enlarging the holes in the firewall one size bigger and voila :D

[John S.]

Like to add something here...I am afraid virtually all of these parts will need to be sourced in salvage yards, "cause at this point it seems Honda has decided to bail out on the 1st and 2nd Gen parts.
Has anyone else been given a recent nada on part orders from the main warehouse(USA)?
I guess we really can't complain too much as 25+ years is a long time in this programmed obsolescent world that has been created for us. It is going to make keeping these cars on the road really tough from now on.
We will have to modify or fab nearly everything from here on out
Need I say none of us should be throwing anything away at this point? Unless it IS TOTALLY junk.

[Yellowcivic]

Hi,
I'm in the process of converting one of my first gens civics to rear disk using the original drum hub to suppot the 81 Accord front disc. (the accord has the recesses in the disk to allow for the drum lugnut studs room without interferance) I turned off the outer drum portion and turned the hub to fit the center of the accord rotor. It looks good so far. I had to drill the original disc mounting bolt holes and drill the hub and tap them to use set screws to hold it all together. I've got the one together but I need to check and see if I have any runout. I will turn the rotor on the hub so it will not have any runout. Anyway I think it will work. :? I will use mitshubishi rear calipers from an eclips since I can get them free. :D I will need to make my own bracket to suport the caliper.
David

[jonathan_ed3]

Does anybody know if it's possible to buy the caliper bracket from Honda? and if so, an approximate price?

I'm having an impossible time finding a set here in my local junkyards.

[Yellowcivic]

Does anybody know if it's possible to buy the caliper bracket from Honda? and if so, an approximate price?

I'm having an impossible time finding a set here in my local junkyards.

Why not make your own. :D It would be an easy task to make your own. Look at the picture. The only thing that needs special attention is that it is in line with the rotor. just my 2 cents.
David

[John S.]

Oh yeah,
I know all of that. Most, or as many useable parts as possible, I have searched for at salvage yards first before going to Honda. But some stuff you must have new...and I could make a LONG list of those parts. And we are not talking about generic or easily sourced aftermarket parts either. I'm referring to the specialized pieces that made Hondas the tight, effecient and durable cars they have been all these years.
I'm now thinking that one of the biggest reasons you see older cars, (the ones still in good shape) with so many custom parts is because the sources for stock stuff disappeared and it was either upgrade or take the car off of the road.
BTW as an example using tire availability, try to find a GOOD set of hi-performance tires in 13" now. From what I've been hearing the selection of 14" Hi-Po tires are dwindling as well. Of course this may all change if gas stays at 3.00+ per gallon and more people start crying for a greater selection of sub-compacts again. Let us not forget...Honda doesn't even sell a car like the 1st and 2nd Gen Civics anymore...I don't even know if they build such a car currently for their own market. Hell the current Civics are larger and more complicated than the origonal Accords were...and heavier as well. There is not enough...Profit...in it to suite them.
I'm thinking there may have to be a Korean car in my not too distant future. I'm already seeing them hit the U-Wrench-It Pick-A-Pulls. The Accent is closer in spirit to a Civic than the current Honda Civic is. In my area 1st Gens are GONE and 2nd Gens are scarce as "Hens teeth" and when you do find one it's nigh well used up to boot.
Here's another example, look at the new "Mini". That thing is about as much a Mini as a new Civic is a Civic. And look at the arse end on them. I'd be willing to bet that an old Civic could sustrain a harder hit with by far less damage than one of those BMW minis can. There is NO air space i.e. crush zone. Those cars are going to terrible rear end totals...wait and see.
Of course that IS alright with the manufacterers and the dealers, but I bet Insurance on them will climb once the insurance companies get wind of it.
Well I'm off track so I will shut up now...
John S.

[nathan]

i've thought about this part issue alot. Especially restoring an early 75 that has mostly 73-74 parts. We need to be more serious about being a club. Take a look at american metal, they make parts because they know people will buy them. Nobody thinks about old civic/accord cars. We need a presence.

Take a look at VW, they have ton's of aftermarket parts, maybe because people have created standards, then made kits. I'm sure a lot of people would buy a bolt on Prelude Disc conversion kit for there 1stgencivic. All it takes is one person to create some standards and take the time to get the parts. Then just sell them. I find it pretty hard to get a straight piece of advice on anything with these cars, 99.9% of the time I just gotta get in there and do it myself. When you ask about even parts, it starts with...you need this one item...oh & this...and this.....then oh, thats strange, it should fit?

There has to be enough knowledge here I'm sure of it. Randy's done the best job I've seen of compiling the info. I really think we just need to pull together at car show's, we need to get some "kits" together, write letters to Honda & other after market shops and maybe someone will jump on it.

I'm ranting, but it's true....you know it.....there's enough of us here to make an impact, Honda has brought back a lot of support for civic's, with hybrids & the race in Montreal, or how about the 73 civicin France's museum (can't remember details). Maybe if we get our sh&% together and pester them enough they will really get into it & recognise the needs for parts.

Way off topic rant sorry, it's been a hard couple weekends getting my fuc$'d up modified, fabricated, converted, custom car together....so needless to say I would kill for Disc Brake Kit or Engine Mount Kit or 5 speed transmission swap kit.....you get the idea....

[John S.]

Okay, We have had several excellant and although not totally alike, they were overlapping and intertwining opinions voiced on this thread thus far about this problem. I love it! It seems that many of us are concerned about the same things, and I mean truely concerned, because we love our old Hondas whether they be totally stock, or rodded out to the max.
We need to be talking about this because the writing IS on the wall.
Justin has stated that we need to start rounding up the unrestored cars that still exist. He cannot be any closer to the truth. Every time some car gets crushed there are parts going away never to be returned. If I had a couple of acres of land away from the city code monsters, I would have been doing this ten or fifteen years ago when you could sometimes pick up a solid car for 50 to 75 dollars, parts cars could often be had for a token 25.00 or for free just to haul it away. Now they are all gone.
The guy who just bought the Civic off on line auctions while many of us were commenting on the "custom crapmanship"(all true, well, and good), hopefully got the last laugh on us all because he may have a good 5-SP transmission, plus a lot of other stuff no longer available. He even has the potential of adding a sunroof , which would be fairly easy to do, and a good solution to a beat to hell roof on your car.
I'm talking about this, and I've only "saved" a couple of cars from the crusher. I didn't have the room. I have been collecting parts(mostly used) I believed would become scarce and or expensive later down the road , but no matter how much you've got sooner or later you find out you missed something, just as I have recently :shock: , and I am now stopped in my tracks...at least for a time... until my current problem is solved.
I will put out this request...challenge if you choose to see it that way, but I prefer to say suggestion...whereupon all of us with the secure space and reasonably organized minds, (because if you can't find something you've got, you might as well not have it), in the next year, search out and acquire, and then strip for anything resonably useable, at least one Honda 1st or 2nd Gen car . If we do this we should let everone know about anything we don't want before we throw anything away. Several people are doing this right now between this and the remaining 2ndGen portion of Richards old site...(I still miss it)
If you find a car that you can't use, let the board know of it's whereabouts...these things have been happening all along, but they are becoming increasingly more important and will continue to do so.
Who knows maybe we can convince Honda that there are enough of us "out there" not to abandon us totally to our own devices...but we should not count on it. We must watch out for ourselves and each other. The Datsun 510,and 240Z guys do it, the British Leyland guys do it, the Fiat guys,Alfa guys,Lotus guys, etc do it. We must do it too.