2000 replies to this topic

[kakabox]

tyee rod ends? thats genius! im going to have to steal that one!

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Well, not tie rod ends, but rather heim joints, or rose joints...rod ends...these:



...I purchased 3/8" stainless rod ends from: http://www.midwestcontrol.com/

Cheers!

[RineRacing]

This is simply the best build thread I have read in a long time. Excellent attention to detail.

My only complaint is not enough pictures of that cat!

[bigk3000]

i think you should have built one of those car rotators liek AREN D built, so you could roll the car over and blast / re paint the undercoating.. its the only thing on your car that isnt spotless and redone...

I dont even own my civic anymore.. its posts like this that keep me comming back to this site

[3gencivic]

yes not to get extra posting numbers but its a great build thread and it should get pined or stickyed when it sall done for all to find theres so much info on this thread.

keep up the good work

[kakabox]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

I got to tell you, I'm having a lot of fun w/the KAKAbuild and an equal amt of fun posting the build on this thread! So, yeah, it's fun for me and hopefully other peeps can use/copy the info to their benefit.

Yup, this is a great site and Tom (rpr) deserves kudos (and/or 'mad props') for creating/maintaining it! Thanks Tom!

[jjamiemmark]

ya thats a double props to tom what a site!

[crxls]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WTF? i count 8 jackstands

i guess you can never be too safe

great build!!!

[kakabox]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WTF? i count 8 jackstands

i guess you can never be too safe

great build!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

4 to hold the car up, 2 to hold the axle at anticipated ride height (notice no springs or dampers)...and 2 to confuse the viewer!

...oh, and I have another set (not shown in the pic) that I can use too!

Yes, must be safe.

Edited by kakabox, 16 June 2006 - 08:33 AM.

[kakabox]

...more rear stabar stuff:

Modified (shorted) the ES stabar bushing brackets so that the ears wouldn't stick out so much. Welded a plate to a 2" muffler clamp for the bushing support. Two inch muffler clamps are a perfect fit for the HF axle; the Si axle is ~0.30" larger in dia, so perhaps a 2 1/4" muffler clamp would work for that axle.


After removing the paint from the axle in the stabar mount areas, I positioned the stabar again, torqued down the muffler clamp (bracket) nuts, then remove the whole axle/stabar unit from the car to weld the muffler clamps to the axle. Originally I was only going to tack weld the clamps to the axle...guess I got carried away! I don't think the stabar mounts are moving any time soon!




...both the 'U' bolt and the bracket are welded to the axle, yeah, probably overkill, but, I love to weld!



Cleaned up the welds and painted the welded areas w/Rustoleum...it's shiny in the pic because it's just painted; it'll be semi-gloss after drying overnight.


More rear axle news: I got the rear dampers today!


Cheers!

[duukiey]

WOW, i wish i had te room an time to do even 1/4 of what you have done hear, it is all great and shows me how to do stuff, great read and wonderful info given, thanx...

-mike-

[kakabox]

For those peeps concerned about the clearance btwn my phb mount brace and the axle beam, here's a pic showing the min clearance with the axle on the bump stops: 0.50"


...no worries mates!

A couple of months ago, I was fortunate enough to be able to buy an unused rpr adj phb! I installed it last night...here are some pics of it in all it's rod-ended, stainless steel, TIG welded glory!




Cheers!

[Aren D.]

Your project is looking really good man, awsome work and super clean! I love seeing all you fab parts and mods.

[kakabox]

Your project is looking really good man, awsome work and super clean! I love seeing all you fab parts and mods.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey, thanks Aren...when are you getting back to Cali to work on your project? I look fwd to seeing updates on your build thread too.

Cheers!

[kakabox]

Weight Reduction and Mini Battery Tray Fab:

Here's a comparison of the stock 3g battery and the Mr. Disability 'NRG' Cell battery...28 lbs. for the stocker, 11.1 lbs. (digital scale) for the mini-me:


The mini battery is lxndr's. I don't have one, yet! The oem battery tray is entirely too large and cumbersome to use...lxndr and I tried, but, we couldn't come up w/a satisfactory way to use the stock battery tray, have the mini-me secure and not look like ass! Believe me I really tried to use the stock tray...all the while lxndr was patiently and politely saying: "I think we should just make a completely new tray for it..." After what seemed like several hours staring at it, I said the same!

Since I intended to use a 'NRG' mini battery too, I made a two trays, one for 'xndr and one for me.

The mini battery tray goes in the stock battery tray location and uses the stock captured nuts on the passenger side frame rail...no new holes need to be drilled.


After some careful measuring, pieces for the tray base were cut:


...and welded together:


Amazing, after cutting pieces, welding together, the battery still fits nicely inside:


...and still bolts up to the existing locations:


The battery is cantillevered off of the frame rail, so, just like the oem battery tray, two "diagonal" braces were welded on to react the overturning moment:


Two 1/4 in. coupling nuts were welded on for the hold down bolts:



...continued...

[kakabox]

...mini-me battery tray fab continued:

Two completed trays:

...two stainless steel 1/4 bolts are used to hold the battery down against the base.

The final tray w/the battery lashed down!



...and here's lxndr carrying his home!


The KAKATRAY ( ) weighs in at 1 lb, 8 oz...the oem tray weighs 14 oz.

Total weight saving: 16.9 lbs. battery - ~1 lb. tray = 16 lbs.

Cheers!