Rear suspension refresh (picture heavy, HURRAH!)

I hope you are sitting comfortably……

Following on from the ball joint drill and tap for a grease nipple debarkle, the order was place with amayama and tigawa for parts, and once they had arrived, AND I got a free time slot to do stuff, a plan was formed, the car put on axle stands, and then stop for tea….

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...64df8b0e_c.jpgIMG_20231005_174448 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Fortunately (or unfortunately) I had to buy a commuter car as work moved, so the NSX doesn’t have to be back together for Monday’s commute, which makes a pleasant change….

Invest in a decent ball joint splitter

£50 off ebay…..
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...95694ccf_c.jpgs-l1600 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e8aa21ba_c.jpgIMG_20231006_104741 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

The replacement parts….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...62715907_c.jpgIMG_20231006_105829 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

The top ball joint rubbers were getting crusty (I’d already sourced the OEM parts to replace all the rubbers, but the top ball joint was shot so they are now surplus) so I decided as it would be apart, to replace all the ball joint bits…. 178k miles, so due anyway!

While the suspension was off, might as well pull the driveshafts, one rubber boot clamp had loosened somehow, so it was sliding on the shaft, and possible grease leakage, so needed looking at anyway…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...20804b33_c.jpgIMG_20231006_131724 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Top ball joint…..

https://youtu.be/D46uYgETsXs?si=7tLAIWjfnAPHAffV

Hmmmm…. Floppy

Took the ball joints out of the upright (brute force and ignorance) and gave one a clean…. It sorta cleaned up, but could be better….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...cdcf5a37_c.jpgIMG_20231006_171500 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

And the wheel bearing assembly….. I’ve replaced these before, (I have new rockauto bearings to put in (wholesale closeout at $21 each!!!)) but this one has always niggled me….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b461a04c_c.jpgIMG_20231006_171751 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


Do you see the issue?? it’s shocking…… no? let me zoom in on the area of shame….




https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...08f55059_c.jpgIMG_20231006_171808 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Told you it was shocking!!!!

Now, I knew sand blasting would be too harsh on the aluminium, so I thought I could find somewhere with a vapour blaster setup… then thought that’s just sand blasting with water…. So….. I bought a sandblasting attachment for the pressure washer….


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...77571e40_c.jpgIMG_20231007_091629 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


A whole £16, and about £6 for some kiln dried paving sand…. And tried it on the old top arm….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...47311ec8_c.jpgIMG_20231007_091231_1 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


Yup, that works, and a smooth satin, not sandpapery rough finish… but first I had 2 broken bolts to sort…..


A broken bolt, cos you’ve never seen one…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...93dd99eb_c.jpgIMG_20231007_130605 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


Weld a nut on poorly
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6e8d89b3_c.jpgIMG_20231007_130651 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


The combo of something to spanner on, and the glowing heat of the welder, means it breaks the seal and unwinds!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fecbf9fe_c.jpgIMG_20231007_131056 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


A quick demo on the pressure blasting, it really is that quick…

https://youtu.be/QPV5ph6wYCc?si=Sk4HoM7UMGjrHT0r




Before and after is quite impressive
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ef1aa7e0_c.jpgIMG_20231007_134902 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


As it was all apart, and I had a set of rear calipers, with rebuild kit, half done (for months, with total apathy) I was prompted to finish them….


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7ca9d69c_c.jpgIMG_20231007_152722 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4bb8de28_c.jpgIMG_20231007_163206 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2ee05172_c.jpgIMG_20231007_163710 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

And rebuild…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2f479e45_c.jpgIMG_20231008_122133 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Ready to go back on…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b756c388_c.jpgIMG_20231008_132330 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...cc0f7c62_c.jpgIMG_20231008_132352 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

And now back to the nice clean uprights….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6fe11f76_c.jpgIMG_20231008_133012 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a6da5ce7_c.jpgIMG_20231008_133015 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Bought another tool, £40….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3572d3d0_c.jpgs-l1600 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

But had to make it NSX specific, of course….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b5f4687b_c.jpgIMG_20231008_142045 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

And the balljoint simple wound in, no drama!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ea32420d_c.jpgIMG_20231008_142059 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

NSX tax applies to these….. we all know they are probably £30 IF you know which normal car they also fit….. https://www.tegiwaimports.com/hardra...x-na1-na2.html


Next up is the wheel bearings, I bought just the bearing/carrier, not the hub too, so you have to press out the hub…. Had to find a proper press, my kit wasn’t oomphy enough
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...056039e3_c.jpgIMG_20231009_080723 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

This leaves the inner race behind,
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6a58d70b_c.jpgIMG_20231009_081235 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

So you have to get busy with a grinder, to carve an edge for the more conventional bearing pullers to work on…. Eventually they move, and you have the hubs…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b506df64_c.jpgIMG_20231009_183945 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Then paint the backs, cos you can….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ea3930d1_c.jpgIMG_20231009_184938 by JON SUTH, on Flickr



Meanwhile… grotty bolts…..
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f106cceb_c.jpgIMG_20231010_192155 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

I could have bought shiny new, but I didn’t, life is too short to dredge parts diagrams, and def too costly… I could have had them replated, a place near me does them by the weight (Phil knows!) but I was concerned about the ‘special coating’ as they go into aluminium, and galvanic oxidisation is a mare, so I decided to clean and reuse….

Wire brushed off, cos no-one knows what that looks like :)
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4a49b9ff_c.jpgIMG_20231010_192201 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Then treated with my fav rust converter/stabiliser gunge….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c6761323_c.jpgIMG_20231010_194749 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Pretty much the best stuff I’ve found…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...15408867_c.jpgIMG_20231010_201440 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Meanwhile….. you try to find the correct grease for the axle, in enough quantity to do the job in this country… try as I might I couldn’t find the correct honda custard grease outside gaiter kits, trawled google and forums, conflicting arguments for everything, until I happened upon
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...21839812_c.jpgIMG_20231011_164622 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...62afe1f2_c.jpgIMG_20231011_164656 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

The NSX has tripod(e) joints, not CV joints!

So start with this…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fbe7a551_c.jpgIMG_20231013_125006 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Open it up to the mess from hell!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c741e25f_c.jpgIMG_20231013_130816 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Tale it apart, and clean up….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fc8e9025_c.jpgIMG_20231013_130820 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Looks ok
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4cd2fa49_c.jpgIMG_20231013_130828 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Bearings all felt fine, so decided not to split them and have a pile of needle bearing to deal with
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fd9b3891_c.jpgIMG_20231013_130833 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

And ready to reassemble… (using a tube of grease for each axle!)
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4c422566_c.jpgIMG_20231013_133158 by JON SUTH, on Flickr



So…. Ready for the rebuild….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...59ff1643_c.jpgIMG_20231014_113027 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Going back together….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...43b4d849_c.jpgIMG_20231014_120729 by JON SUTH, on Flickr4

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d3831b45_c.jpgIMG_20231014_123737 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

The ABS sensor was put in with lashings of grease around the body and in the hub… the ali had corroded and gripped the sensor when I went to remove it (one side necessitating the removal of all the wiring to gently drift it out on the bench…) not doing that again, so well lubed!

The other side was built up to the same stage, as I was waiting for the brake back plates to dry…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6887c82d_c.jpgIMG_20231014_132537 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

These have to go on BEFORE the hubs…..
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8ecb1431_c.jpgIMG_20231014_150452 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Disc and caliper on, just need to do the drive shaft nut up uber tight….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b5695d56_c.jpgIMG_20231014_151607 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Spot the difference…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...477a81cf_c.jpgIMG_20231014_171746 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


Before I stripped it all, I noted the rear alignment… basic, but does the trick
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5ff2c77c_c.jpgIMG_20231015_133802 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Green dot nearly in the gap….
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...46bfb3d4_c.jpgIMG_20231015_134005 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Did you spot the difference?
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6c4ff3b7_c.jpgIMG_20231015_140256 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d460a485_c.jpgIMG_20231015_140301 by JON SUTH, on Flickr


Yup, crusty, I did have a go at powder coating these a few years ago, but I obvs didn’t get it right, mostly, but not completely!... so….blasted, it’s steel, so dry is fine!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...74d52444_c.jpgIMG_20231015_150736 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Rust treated, and painted black…
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d6735177_c.jpgIMG_20231015_182952 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

(forgot the pic, but i also blasted the inboard end of the track control arm....
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...58d06459_c.jpg2023-10-21_07-28-49 by JON SUTH, on Flickr



While I was under there, popped off the exhaust…. it has been a long while since i made it!!!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...33a1bfdc_c.jpgIMG_20231016_172307 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

And the cat shields (2 already brightened up!)
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ec75a136_c.jpgIMG_20231016_175152 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Cleaned up the other 2
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a4070c81_c.jpgIMG_20231016_180333 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Painted the exhaust and polished the tips
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...44cccc5f_c.jpgIMG_20231016_191547 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

And all back on the car…. Now the exhaust came off easily because I’d previously replaced the hardware with stainless bolts and brass nuts, not the horribly corroding/dissolving steel that honda fit!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...978d21cc_c.jpgIMG_20231016_200836 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Same on the cat shields
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c096e12a_c.jpgIMG_20231016_200843 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

And there we are, all back on, brakes bled, test driven, feels a whole lot tighter and planted, which it should, as it’s pretty much all new!
Have a weird wide angle pic to end
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b5ecb9f8_c.jpgIMG_20231017_172652 by JON SUTH, on Flickr

Who needs dry ice!!!! Awesome job. You are the clever.

I am impressed that the sand blasting attachment for the pressure washer worked as well as it did. I have a big-ass air compressor with a pressure feed abrasive blaster; but, man does it make a mess. I will not use it for small clean up because of the effort (respirator and blast hood) and the clean up after use so it has not seen use in the last few years. Based upon your experience I might be tempted to try one of those pressure washer attachments just because you don't have to deal with the dust.

Nicely done on the suspension rebuild.

Hi Jon, did you by any chance take any measurements of the replacement bottom ball joint? I bought some QH ones a few years back to do this job but have not got around to it yet. Just wanted to confirm I had the correct part - the QH ones were about £15 each!

Goodness you have been busy Jon....great work and inovation as ever

Whilst I cold never do this stuff myself, I do very much enjoy reading your threads and looking at the pictures / videos.

A bit like watching Michelin-starred cooking on TV and then eating beans on toast every day!

i know there's a reply form WhyOne on here, but i cant get to page 2.....

with the workaround i can see it! (ta Kaz)

ta for the encouragement all, just adding to the knowledge pool.....

i have the old joints, i shall have a measure up


now for some beans on toast... might add cheese :)

^ top tip for beans on toast - a few drops of Tabasco in the beans, as well as a sprinkling of dried Italian herbs - pimped beans we call this in our household. And smoked cheddar is a game changer.

Amazing job, there!

I'm a bit afraid of bashing seven bells out of alloy suspension bits - they just look too delicate and too beautiful to break.

Has there been a car with more beautiful control arms? Not the NC, that's for sure!

[Jonathan, please feel free to delete this post. Just testing to see whether I can see the 'last page' after forumadmin made some changes. 11:06 05/Nov/23]
This post should be #16.
Kaz

progress, i can see the second page without having to go into hybrid mode now....

Impressive, indeed - as always :)

Excellent thread!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NZNick

^ top tip for beans on toast - a few drops of Tabasco in the beans, as well as a sprinkling of dried Italian herbs - pimped beans we call this in our household. And smoked cheddar is a game changer.

---

Top tips - thank you Nick! :)

Great insight and thanks for sharing as always Jonathan … might just have to try the cleaning attachment …. Car looks great as always … rgds Paul