Subtopic	Posts		Updated
	Wheels and Air conditioning...	1		06/11 04:03pm

By Nikolaj (213.197.5.204) on Monday, June 11, 2001 - 02:34 pm:

I've recently found out that old Mazda's from around 86 have the 120PCD. At least, a stationwagon 929 does... I took the wheel off one, the guy said it had an unusually large PCD, and it fit perfectly. With the 80 series tires, my little civic looked like a miniature monster truck slammed down...! I've called around, and one wrecker told me he has sporty wheels for this car..14 inch also. I'll have to see it to believe...!!! So check out those big boxy mazdas at the wreckers!

By jim_mac (198.142.54.142) on Wednesday, June 13, 2001 - 01:45 am:

Factory alloys from a Mazda RX5 fit the Civic - 120 PCD at 14inch. The only problem is that the RX5 is a rear wheel drive and whilst the rear rims look good the front protrude a little outside the body. They have a offset of approx. 80mm. I have 12inch alloys on my 74 since new and the offset is 42mm.

So I have these beautiful rims which I bought for $A300 sitting in my garage.

By Nikolaj (213.197.4.3) on Wednesday, June 13, 2001 - 03:06 pm:

You mean the wheels are sticking out more at the front than at the rear?? As long as it's not over 3 cm it's legal here. 80 - 42 = 38 mm, so that's pretty close to being legal. Is the difference due to a difference in front/rear wheel sizes.?
If the offset is the same on all, and the width as well, it should be pretty much the same on the front as on the rear. So I'm not understanding part of the problem. If all 4 wheels are the same I'd be very interested.

By Todd (63.52.16.100) on Wednesday, June 13, 2001 - 06:59 pm:

Hey Nikolaj,
could you e-mail me at your earlist convenience. I have a few questions for you.

Thanks,

retodd1200@springmail.com

By Nikolaj (213.197.4.22) on Saturday, June 16, 2001 - 05:04 pm:

I bought the wheels today. The design is pretty ugly, but their in good shape and 14 inch. I'll have to grind a piece off the brake-reaction-plate sticking out up front. The rear will not fit with the caps fitted on the drums. For the rest the fit seems to be good. I hope to have tires soon, I'll post pics..

By Nikolaj (213.197.4.72) on Wednesday, June 20, 2001 - 09:34 pm:

I'm getting Dunlops 185/60... I can't wait...
I do (off course) have one last lil' problem: WHEEL NUTS!! These old wheels take some kind of nut which sinks into the wheel about 15 mm. The length of the holes in the wheels is about 23 mm, which does not leave much lug. Also, the holes are 18 mm in diameter for the first 18 mm, after which it goes to 16 mm diameter for the last 4-5 mm. Does my description draw a picture for you?? Basic question is: Where can I order/get/buy wheelnuts that fit this description..??

By Charles (137.219.16.107) on Thursday, June 21, 2001 - 03:11 pm:

Go to a wheel shop nikolaj, those types of wheel nuts go right in between the stud and the wheel, you also need to grab the correct washers with them. The nuts are sort of shaped like a button mushroom and the stalk part actually goes into the hole (if you can understand that analogy).

Also before you get the tyres mounted have the wheels taken to a machine shop and bore out the inner ID so it will fit over your rear brake bearing covers, they only need to take out a bit and it should only cost about $20. You will find your standard Honda caps fit in then as well which is a nice touch.


Charles

By Nikolaj (213.197.4.109) on Thursday, June 21, 2001 - 06:22 pm:

Charles, thanks...
I did go to a wheelshop, some new one I never went. I decided to ask for wheels, 15", 120 PCD, first... Guess what?? Well, this man can deliver. It's from a belgian company, so for me it's close to home (for once..). Looking for wheels for years, and now I find different ones in one week.
For anyone interested, check out www.wheeltech.be, we're talking the "Zorr" type, which I think would look awesome! To get them here would be 1100 dutch guilders (500 euro's), and that's indirectly, via this shop. I mailed them today myself to see what price they fling at me.. Anyway, for now I'll stick with those old ones. I'm kind of starting to dig the style, and buying wheels for that kind of money, is kind of for the more priviledged!! I'd rather get some technical part, which improves the performance more. I think coming from 12/155 going to 14/185 is a big improvement, so...I should stop whining!
Btw, a friend of mine currently works in the States for a while, and he has ordered me a Koni wet kit from ClassicGarage. Don't remember who told about it, but thanks... Yeah, that idea about machining the wheel didn't even pop up..! So thanks for that also.

By Charles (137.219.16.107) on Thursday, June 21, 2001 - 09:35 pm:

The Zorr wheels are very nice and would be a good looking choice. Similar to the late porsche type rims, they look very good with the curvy civic body.

By Nikolaj (213.197.5.21) on Saturday, June 23, 2001 - 02:00 am:

That's what I thought, Charles. Those wheels would just look great..
Anyway, I've spent yesterday going through buckets of wheel-nuts at different junkyards. Most don't even collect the nuts, which makes it very hard for the people they sell wheels to. I took home like 20 nuts that looked good, only 3 ended up being good. Well, at least I have an example now. I tried that wheelshop also, but no luck. Seems a lot of cars take bolts... I have a feeling it's exactly the same nut as needed for the American Racing/Wolfrace wheels. Anyone know where to get these??
Any help appreciated, as I'm about to go nuts!

By Nikolaj (213.197.5.21) on Saturday, June 23, 2001 - 02:03 am:

BTW: Todd, I've posted your question to those yard-people, but they give me the standard dumb-look they give which means they've never had/seen the part you were looking for. I'll try to get you an adress for the UK, or if I get lucky in another way, I'll let you know!

By Travis (24.4.254.156) on Saturday, June 23, 2001 - 12:45 pm:

I bet if Wolfrace is going to sell wheels that require that type of but, then they probably will also have some lug nuts available too... Perferable locking lugs.

Travis

By jim_mac (198.142.55.1) on Tuesday, June 26, 2001 - 02:19 am:

To Nikolaj -

When I purchased my Mazuda RX5's they fitted ok. I don't know why you would be modifying anything? As I said previously the front stick out illeglly in Aussie with 185/65/14 tyres. The rear of the Civic is ok as there is more space between guard and rim.

When fitting mine I had to get new nuts made.

By Nikolaj (213.197.6.122) on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 12:15 am:

Are you sure the front fitted OK? Mine basically don't because of my braking-reaction plate up front. The thing that pulls the outside pad to the disc... They made it so it sticks out more than the hub does...
On the nuts, where can you get nuts made?? I still have only 3, and they are so damn rusty I want new ones.

Also recently I've gotten a CRX87 1.6-16v, for FREE. I'm getting her towed home today. The guy said the only thing needed is a new box. There's a new box in the boot, along with a very nice looking exhaust system. Also the exhaust manifold is missing, the guy chunked it away when wanting a sporty one, he did so before getting it, though!!! It is also epuipped with 15" wheels, KONI's adjustables up front, it is not rusty, and not damaged, all of which are very uncommon for these first gen CRX's! Now what's the catch?? I'm still wondering the same... Here's the story: 6 guys rent a garage box, and some guy with a CRX leaves it in longer than expected and doesn't finish his job. The other guys get sick of it and so decide to quit the whole thing, which gives this guy a big problem, as his car is in the before mentioned state, and he has no money and is not willing or able to do it himself....so he gives up on the thing!! He should've made it drivable and street-legal, instead he chose to but all sorts of aftermarket parts for big bucks, which leaves him with a big problem. So this leaves my civic on a standstill for at least this week.. But is this some kind of wet dream, or what? Also I checked the guage and it said 83000 km. That's got to be a joke! Well, I'll find out more soon. I now have a first, second, and third generation. Driving by the house is starting to look like an automotive history lesson!

Maybe boring to some, and sorry it aint the old civic, but I just had to get it off my chest....! Anyone know what specific problems to look after with these cars? What I know of them is pretty much this: The engine is strong as hell, and very durable, it's mostly accidents that kill these cars. Problems are mostly the computer and the electronic fuel pump in the back. I luckily have a friend with an exhaust manifold along with a 1.6 engine, the computer and everything lying around.. So I should know how she runs in about a week!

By jim_mac (198.142.140.185) on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 01:42 am:

Nikolaj

I found a small engineering shop in Sydney that manufactured new wheel nuts for me. I know what you mean about the brake caliper it was close on mine (from memory 3-4mm)but it did not touch when driving. To fix my offset problem on the front I was going to get somebody to shave 3 or 4mm off the rim plate thereby bringing the wheel in more but I probably would then have it touching the caliper plate. Also wheel shops would not do this as it might weaken the rim. However the RX5 rims are built for a heavy rear wheel car and there is plenty of alloy to do it.

Jim

By Charles (137.219.16.107) on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 02:49 pm:

Jim and Niklaj,

I have some after market Enkie super light wheels on my civic originally made for a Mazda. I did all the things mentioned above. I had 4mm machined of the back of the rims (the mounting surface). It is Ok to do if the wheels just have casting ridges like mine had then you don't lose any of the meat that the steel inserts are held in by.


The brakes are fine until you replace the pads and then you get the problem Nikolaj is talking about. So you can grind down the plate (as there is nothing lost to strength with this). Fitting bigger brakes and a different type of calliper meant none of the brake mods are necessary

By jim_mac (198.142.54.134) on Wednesday, June 27, 2001 - 05:17 pm:

Charles

Nobody I asked would machine the plate as they are all worried about repercusions.

I am more interested in getting the correct offset rims and could you please E-mail me (jimreiko@optusnet.com.au) with price for Phoenix 14X6. If you need offset at this stage say - 42mm. Whilst the 14inch RX5 rims look ok when you put 185/65 tyres on of course the car goes up higher and this detracts from my 40mm lowering of springs. I want to fit lower profile tyres if possible.

By Nikolaj (213.197.4.217) on Thursday, June 28, 2001 - 12:40 am:

Charles, you really pay attention.. I did not even think about the plate sticking out more when installing new pads, which I just did!
But you guys are talking about machining the plate?? What plate? I get the feeling your talking about the hub, and not the braking plate. It seems to me grinding a piece off the braking plate is no problem, it is a very big thing and you need like 5-10mm off. But you guys also talk about offset...the rims I have don't seem to have any offset problems, I put them on and they don't stick out the sides, which is probably why my braking plate is a bigger problem.

I do have the mentioned CRX out front now, yesterday we switched boxes to see if the engine would run once in good position. The thing ran one time superbly without exhaust manifold!!! Well, off course it was not ALL good. The first place I jacked the car (right-front), didn't take too long to give up... The jacking points are all messy/rusty.. It looked like the guy who owned it never put the box in correctly, which is why the support broke.. I think they did something very stupid as one of the CV-joints at the box-side just fell apart. Also, the guy lowered it so much, I could't even jack it properly. A friend wanted to know how it was done, because he has adjusted his torsion-thing to the max. Well on this crx it was adjusted below max, holding the whole thing with 2/3 threads!! I also found in the car: computer CRX, computer PRELUDE 2.0, CD's of my taste.., woofer, cassettedeck, cross-over...! That's a lot of stuff for nothing. I am missing one wheel, the guy damaged it (probably all in one, crushing the wheel, crushing CV-joint, which made the whole box come off, that's my guess). So that is the story, I really wanna keep this car, as they may well be one off the finest cars to drive, being light, fast, yet very comfortable compared to the old civic. But don't fear: I will never part with my first gen.

Hey, anyone need a computer for a 1.6CRX or 2.0Prelude????

By Charles (137.219.16.107) on Thursday, June 28, 2001 - 05:51 pm:

Grind it off your brake caliper. It is not needed and won't hurt it. Do not touch your wheel with a grinder, especially the spokes where you could set up a stress riser.

By Nikolaj (213.197.6.207) on Friday, June 29, 2001 - 02:21 am:

That's what I have done, now I need the nuts for the wheels and I'm ready to slap 'em on! I don't think I'll machine the wheels for the drum-caps, I'll just get good caps for the wheels, which I believe is good enough to protect my bearing from the evil influences of the outside world.

Hey, I'll stop talking CRX here. No one seems interested.... :<

By jim_mac (198.142.55.53) on Friday, June 29, 2001 - 03:45 am:

Nikolaj

Before you get too excited I hope you have tried the rims on the civic WITH tyres on. Because I got trapped when buying my rims I fitted them and looked fine but when I had the 185/65/14 tyres installed and wheels fitted is when my problem arose on the front.

Jim

By Nikolaj (213.197.4.175) on Saturday, June 30, 2001 - 06:29 am:

Jim, thanks for warning me...
I have almost bought tires on different occassions, but luckily I havn't spent any more money on these rims yet.. I must say the wheels I have look to be on the dot (or very near), they are definitely much older than the RX5 you are talking about..and all 4 are the same.
I know using 195/50/15 tires would give you only a slightly bigger allround wheel+tire diameter, so using 185/60/14 should be around the same also. So it's not like your car is gonna pop back up more than say, a mm..