So I am gonna have to drop the tranny on the Laser to fix the throw out bearing and HOPEFULLY nothing else.
Not sure how high I am going to have to get the bitch to do this though...or if I even have access to jacks to get it up high enough. Car can't go anywhere, it doesn't move. Can't put it up on ramps, since the wheels have to come off.

So.......anyone wanna come help and possibly bring the tools for the job? I am such a noob when it comes to working on my own car it sickens me, but I am just afraid I am going to end up the with car jacked up, torn apart, and still not be able to drop the thing.

I am free Sunday after 3, and Weds after that. I would like to get this done asap. I know this is a LONGSHOT, but if anyone wants to help, I would be more than gracious. The DSM bretheren in B-N runs somewhat thin.

-Nick

A regular jack and jackstands will get you up high enough to drop the tranny.

FWD trannies are white a bit easier than AWD ones.

*edit* edited for safety considerations *edit*

hopefully I get get it done Sunday after work, because I am tired off this "hey, can you give me a ride to and from work?" bullshit. I think the new ladyfriend is getting tired of it as well, she wants to see the beast run. Apparently she likes going fast, and her ex had a Civic, so obviously, she doesn't know what going fast really is.

DO NOT DO THIS! Concrete blocks are NOT strong enough to support a car, nor are they designed to do so. Spend $30 and get a cheap jack and a set of jackstands and save your life.

Fair enough. Please heed their warning there.

Having seen it done enough times (sideways, not upright) I'd figured it plausible.

But no sense in risking it though. Especially if these guys have seen it fail.

Thanks for chiming in before a possible mishap to set the record straight. I'll try to edit my back post from here to correct the misinformation.

You'll need jack stands, jack, pickle fork for the lower ball joint, 32mm socket for the hub nut, 10-21 mm sockets and wrenches, torque wrench, high temp grease, and some patience when tyring to get the tranny back in if you're doing it yourself. I'd suggest having someone help when you go to put it back in and bolt it up to the engine.

Inspect the flywheel and clutch while you're at it.

not that i would be any help to you. but i may be able to swing by for support around 8 or 9. got to support the b-n people

pickle fork? 32mm Socket? 21 mm socket??(theres no odd numbered sockets needed)


neither of these are needed. as the hub nut and ball joint do not need to come out.

Check the VFaQ's for good instructions....

Clutch VFAQ

I've taken out plenty of DSM trannies. The 32mm and pickle fork is used for the hub nut and ball joint so you can take the axles out. Those VFAQ instructions SAY to remove the tie rod already. Its way easier to just undo the nut, pop the lower ball joint, and pull the axle out, vs unbolting a bunch of other crap, and unless you're a retard you can do it without damaging the boot. I couldn't remember if you use a 21 or not on anything. 19 mm for sure.

I know what they are used for but you dont need them. undoing the hub nut is a BITCH for someone without air tools. What we are reffering to is undoing the 2 strut bolts to the hub. swing the hub down and the axle free all at the same time. o sorry you hafta undo a brake line bolt too.

why take out the axles? its not needed. Just pull em up out of the way when you pop em out.

BESIDES nobody is bashing you. just pointing out that you DONT need to do some of the stuff your advising. sure if you wanna bust a nut taking off a hub nut and screw with pickle forking a ball joint be my freaking guest. were just offering a shorter easier common way.

Its cool. It is another way if you don't have the air tools or a big breaker bar. I'm just use to doing it that way on most cars. That other way is good too. I might have to try it next time.

So Mike, why don't you pick up a fwd DSM as a DD? I know you can work on them, and they have to be faster than your current DD... Just a thought.

Right now my DD is a 88 CRX with 190K miles. I consider it more reliable than a FWD Turbo DSM J/K. If my motor blows, I can get one for very cheap and I know more about Honda's than anything else. I like the turbo 1st gen DSMs and know how to work on them from having many friends own them and them having me work on them. They are fun cars. As far as performance vs $$$ they are very good. My CRX is worth $1K max, so I'm stuck with it right now as all my money is going elsewhere.

Erm alright, hopefully I will be able to get the car high enough to do all this. Thanks for offering to come by Biggs, it would be appreciated. So far, the only people I've got that said they would be willing to help are myself and...well....probably myself. Hopefully I can get it done though. We have a jack and jackstands here, and I can get more tools if need be. Oh well, I guess I'll just let you guys know how it goes.

Just for some info for people, my car is the one at Rantas house. Hes helped me out alot and does know what he is talking about. Just because he owns a honda doesnt mean he doesnt know any thing about dsms. In fact i bet he knows more about dsms then alot of people on this site. So stop givin him shit! Oh and have a great day. P.S. Ranta, you're not the only one who has built that car, so stop saying "I" just rebuilt a dsm motor. "We" just built a dsm motor. Oh and AWD DSM 1. Are you a female because your bitchin sounds just like my fieances.?

I need a 32mm for the king nut, correct?

yes, the spindle nut is 32 mm

My bad Chris, WE.

IF anything happens with his car, he knows I will be there to help him fix it as I have in the past. I haven't charged him a dollar for anything I've done on it and a lot of time and effort has been put into it over the last 2 years. Thats just what friends do.

Nick if you pull out the axles as per the Vfaq's instructions you will have to get an alignment after we put everything back together.

Netter, could you explain which procedure you are talking about.

Amen, Ranta. Thats all i have to say, Amen!

This is incorrect, on a DSM, there's no eccentric bolt for setting camber like on a 3/S. The DSM bolts are just normal bolts.

You will not have to get an alignment done after the VFAQ axle popping procedure.

Here goes nothing....expect to see "WTF do I do next?" posts all day long, because I am trying to do this thing by myself. Hopefully it doesn't start to rain again, or else I guess I'm getting wet.

trust wort's word... unless he tells you that the rubber spacing around the turbo charger never gets sucked in... lol...

oh yeah, good luck...

got a little wet, but I'm living. After going all over town and wasting 2 hours, I finally found a place that carried a 1/2inch drive 32mm socket to get the castle nuts off. Then it rained. I got wet. I got the short halfshaft off....but I am having a lot of trouble getting the long one out. It just doesn't seem to want to come out of the tranny, and I can't get it to come out of the hub either while the hub is still attatched. Do I just need to pull the whole hub off to get this out? I know me and KOU did last time, but that was simply because the shaft was siezed to it and we had to replace the whole thing. Any quick insight while I am taking a breather?

Try carefully pounding a large flat bladed screwdriver between the half-shaft and the tranny.

Damn Netter locked all the tools in his room when he left for Canada. No hammer, no good screwdriver. I used a 2/4 and a baseball bat (staying true to cheap DSM style) to pound the shafts lose from the hubs...and I don't think I will have room to swing the bat under the car. Maybe I'll just go buy a damn screwdriver.


Back to work....I'll update my progress (or lack thereof) later.

Raining again, and the little sunlight I had is gone. I don't have any lights outside except tiki torches, and they won't really help in the rain. I can't get the long halfshaft out. It won't budge. I tried a screwdriver and a hammer, borrowed from the neighbor, and it isn't going anywhere. I pulled off the rotor and caliper, tried just pulling off the whole damn thing, but it won't budge either, because it still has the halfshaft partway in it. I don't have the goddamn tools that I need, and have been using a pair of vicegrips and a baseball bat to get almost every bolt I need off, because I only have like 4 sockets, two of which are useful (I think).

So pretty much, I'm done for the day. Or maybe done period untill I can get some tools and somebody who has a clue what they are doing to come and help me. I've been at this for like 6 hours now, and the only things I have accomplished are: pulling the battery and airbox bullshit, taking off the linkage and a couple sensors, jacking the car up, pulling the wheels, taking off a bunch of shit that should have never needed to be taken off, and getting out one halfshaft.
The only good thing that came from my day (possibly) is that I called autozone and advanced auto, and they both told me the alignment tool and throw out bearing are the exact same for all 3 models (1.8, 2.0nt, and 2.0T). I already have these parts. It means I don't have to buy them now. At least I hope not, because they all had the same parts numbers in thier computers. I am thinking if they both told me this, its probably true.

So god dammit, I guess the bottom line is that I might just come to the cookout tommorow anyways, see if JVB wants to come out with me and drive, and see you guys, because I sure as hell don't forsee me finishing this shit by myself anytime soon. My less than below average mechanics skills are finally started to shine through I think.

holy shit I was so right on its scary.

hey nick, don't give up. keep at it! It can be frustrating to work in less than prime condition, with out the proper tools... but don't give up!

That sux man. PM me with your phone number I might be able to help out tomorrow morning. Hey I don't k now about FWD's but on the AWD when I did my front halfshafts the pass side popped out with a jab and pry of a big ass flathead screwdriver. The driver's side had a support that unbolted from the block with two or three bolts. Then same thing. Big ass screwdriver, quick pop.

The long FWD halfshaft "shouldn't" have a carrier bearing to unbolt from the block before popping it out. The big screw driver and 3 pound sledge haven't failed me before.

Are you sure that you've unbolted the suspension pieces to give you the play you need for that halfshaft to pull out of the tranny?

My fault. I wasnt sure if the FWD and AWD were the same setup in front.

I think when I did mine (5 or more years ago) all I did was unbolt the spindle and strut housing and swivelled everything down.

he's talkin about the two 17mm bolts that bolt the strut to the spindle, I think



thats what I did on mine recently

yes I did, and I pulled the strut to the side so the part that the bolts go into wouldn't be in the way of the halfshaft. Didn't matter, I still don't have enough play to get it out. Even unbolted the bolt to the tie-rod end so I could possibly pull the whole thing up, took off the caliper and rotor so they wouldn't be in the way...nothing. Still won't move far enough to come out. I was jabbing, twisting, pulling for 45 minutes. Tried to bust it loose with a screwdriver. No cigar. Maybe I am just an idiot and going about this all wrong, but nothing really seems to be working all that well.

And thanks for the offer Forcus, but I have to work from 8-3 tommorow, then I am either going to mess with this car more and see if I can make some kind of progress, or just say the hell with it and go to the cookout.

This is SO damn frustrating. I am really tired of not having a vehicle to drive at all, and I am sure my roommates are tired of taking me and picking me up from work 5 days a week, and lending me thier vehicles to run errands and pay bills. Hell, I am tired of having two broken cars sitting in my driveway that I am paying insurance on. Its just a major pain in the ass.

sounds like you need a bigger turbo... a turbo big enough for two cars. have you tried that yet? j/k.

I need a damn miracle.
I think I'm saying the hell with the car today. Just gonna lift alot, relieve some stress, and see if I can bum a ride to the cookout.

change of plans, gonna do a little wrenching now and maybe come out to the cookout with JVB, cause the lady doesn't feel like doing shit. If any of you Champaign folk wanna stop on by on your way over feel free.