chameleon's jdmvtec.com

5 LUG INSTALL How-to by Chameleon :)
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Day 1 - Getting Started
Lets start off by saying, wouldnt you love this to be your trunk? yes i know the answer to that, today we will be installing 98 JDM ITR 5 lug suspension which means since its original JDM it uses 36mm axle nut, instead of the usdm's 32mm, so finding an axle with his combination of 36mm outer and 32mm inner can be challenging, good thing I have those JDM axles included as well..whew..

We will start off with whats needed to complete this install, its not impossible by any means once you have the right tools and know whats ahead, and as always be preapared for the unexpected since something always comes up no matter how prepared u are.

1) JDM 5 lug suspension ((F+R)Hubs, front Upper Control arms, brake lines(r) etc..
2) 5lug Rims (ITR GM or CW, Prelude SH rims, S2000 (2 front sets) or steelies (accord V6 98+)
3) Socket Wrenches ( 17mm, 14mm, 12mm, 10mm )
4) Wrenches ( same sizes as above )
5) 2 Quarts of Brake Fluid
5) Flathead and Philips Screwdrivers
6) Extensions and Swivel ext
7) Breaker bar
8) Torx Key ( 8mm or 10mm size )
9) Alan Key ( 3/16 )
10) Axle nut ( 32mm usdm )
11) Magnetic Nut tray ( this will be a savior, dont finish wish leftover nuts )
12) Clamp

If you have any power tools available, they will be useful.

Day 1 - The beginning

Start off by securing the car, pulling the ebrake and leaving it in 1st gear, you can disconnected the Negative on the battery also just to get rid of any possibilities. you can do this either by jacking up the car with a hydro jack and using approved jackstands on all four corners or if your lucky like me having a Buddy that works at a shop, a Hydro Lift is a GOD-send!!.

Start off by taking the front wheels off, lugnuts first, hehe. and using a good ol 32mm NUT to brake off the Axle nut, use can use the breaker bar at thing point or an Impact gun, now you can start at how small your brakes are to being with!!

Next is just disconnecting everything that holds the shocks in place and also hold the Upper Control arm and what holds the Lower control arm to the hub, which is very easy process. just to make it easier we will remove the shocks in the process as well. I was changing over to Ground COntrol coilovers in the process so I had to take them out regardless.

Start by taking out the top two Shock Bolts from inside the engine bay, they are 14mm and where my pointer finger is, thats what holds the Upper control arm, thats 17mm you can loosen those as well, u can do this to both sides.

Then Unbolt the bottom of the Lower SHock Fork by using a 17mm Nut, you can also unscrew the top of the Fork to loosen the shock from the bottom thats a 14mm, at this point the entire shock will just fall down. make sure you also unbolt the brake lines off the bottom of the shock so they are loose and to the side, letting you work more freely, you dont want to damage these also. you can also start loosening the ball joint nuts, which is the main thing that hold the Hub with the LCA, this has a pin ( most likely worn, replace )

and dont forget to also loosen the steering rack Nut from the HUB, this is a 14mm and has a Pin as well.

Now just before you pull out the entire HUb and UCA you need to disconnect the brake lines, which is a 14mm nut and has two small washers that you must not try to loose, you can clamp the brake line and it will not spill fluid all over the place just clamp at a good spot, not much force is needed either. At this point you can pull the hub (upwards), if the axle doesnt slide out, spray some WD40 on it and try hammering it out, careful not to flatten the top or you wont be able to get the axle nut back on!!

Day 1 - the Rebirth !

At this point you have removed most of whats not needed, you can start prepping, cleaning and just arranging everything, this is the time-waster for me because i will sit there and clean everything everything before i put it back on :P old habit. just so we can get an idea of the upgrade process at this point, let me show you the before and after shot comparison of the front brakes. Astonishing huh, let me tell ya their heavy!!!!

You can start bolting everything back up in the opposite of removal, main thing to install is the UCA the hub and reconnect it to the LCA. it should look like this at this point. Once you have the shock back in you can connect the brake lines to the shock and back on the ITR caliper.