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Adding ABS to an 89 CRX Si


Psionic
09-05-2004, 08:59 PM
I have an 89 CRX Si and I'm wondering if it is possible (feasible) to install an ABS system on it.

I have an engine swap and a 4 wheel disc brake swap planned, would getting a specific engine and disc brake package make the installation of an ABS system easier?

I've never heard of anyone doing this, probably because most people don't care about braking distances...

Oh and what parts do I need?

Thanks.

TheSilentChamber
09-05-2004, 09:05 PM
abs is worthless....

but if you want to do it I'm pretty sure you could pull the entire system off a teg and it would bolt right on.

1990civicdxhb
09-05-2004, 09:08 PM
If you have a little bit of money to spend just for the brakes,
I believe there was an 89 crx or a year around there,that came with 4 disc brakes,you could swap everything with that motor including rear disc brakes,
but the brakes are a system of itself,so I would say you could just get the master cylinder that provides rear disc brake pads & the brake lines that can reach to the rear & the rotors,claibers & pads & I would think that would do the trick.

Psionic
09-05-2004, 09:19 PM
ABS is not worthless. It ensures that you get optimum braking pressure 100% of the time. People who say it is worthless are people who either:

A) Don't understand what it does
B) Think they are Dale Earnhardt and can pump the brake faster than 60 times per second.
C) Spend too much time doing power slides and hand brake turns.
D) Read in some magazine somewhere that some guy somewhere said that it was bad.

ABS is proven to be better 98% of the time, and that extra 2% is a 50 cent toggle switch away...

What about the computer? I would have to get a computer from a car that came with ABS right?

1990civicdxhb
09-05-2004, 09:24 PM
What about the computer? I would have to get a computer from a car that came with ABS right?

no,there is no electric that runs through the brake system,besides going into the top cover of the master cylinder & thats just to let you know when you get low on brake fluid

TheSilentChamber
09-05-2004, 09:26 PM
heh, I fall into catagory C. I live in texas, it never ices around here so I never would use the full potential of what it is designed for. But like I said I think you can take all the stuff off a teg and it will bolt on rather easy. Not sure if the electronics has to be tied into the ecu but I'm pretty sure it doesnt.

TheSilentChamber
09-05-2004, 09:27 PM
no,there is no electric that runs through the brake system,besides going into the top cover of the master cylinder & thats just to let you know when you get low on brake fluid


abs is electronicaly controled, I think your still talking about just 4 wheel disc like you were talking about in your first post.

1990civicdxhb
09-05-2004, 09:30 PM
i was,sorry,im out of this post :banghead:

jeef
09-05-2004, 09:32 PM
i've never heard of any one doing it, but i'm sure it could be done but would require a lot of work and more money than i'd ever think about dropping on it... you'd most likely going to have to swap the control arms and all that, you'd need the ecu and engine to go with it, and any other little bits that would go with the system...

Psionic
09-05-2004, 09:38 PM
Ok one guy is telling me its a bolt on job, the other guy is telling me its like sending a shuttle to jupiter.

Why would you have to swap control arms? They don't have anything to do with braking.

If ABS is a system contained solely in the brake system, then all I have to do is swap in the brake system from a vehicle equipted with ABS. If it is contained solely in the brake system but also controlled by the computer then can I not just get a computer equipted with ABS + the ABS brake system?

jeef
09-05-2004, 09:41 PM
heh, I fall into catagory C. I live in texas, it never ices around here so I never would use the full potential of what it is designed for.

ya know i have to disagree with you there... so it never rains in texas causing the roads to get slick, and no one in texas drives like a dumbass and pulls out in front of you or jacks their brakes or other sensless acts of the sorts...

jeef
09-05-2004, 09:48 PM
whoa hold up there buddy... never said it was bolt on... you must have missed the whole part about it being a lot of work and costing mucho dinero...

You're telling me that the braking system of your car is in no way hooked up to the suspension? last time i checked in order to put teg brakes on our cars you have to swap the whole control arm, and the 88-89 teg doesn't even have ABS. those are the only years i know that will work with little modification...

and then if you do find a later year and can get the suspension on your car you need the right computer... which in turns you need the right engine, or at least wire your car to OBD-1 or OBD-2 by no means is this going to be a simple bolt on affair...

Psionic
09-05-2004, 09:57 PM
The guy above you said that it would be a bolt on procedure.

When you do a rear disc brake conversion on a CRX, you use 90-93 integra brake parts, or EG brake parts, and it is a direct bolt on. My brother has a 92 integra and the suspension is pretty much identical to the one on my CRX.

But like I said, if I'm changing the engine (and therefore the computer) anyways, then it shouldn't be too big a job, no?

TheSilentChamber
09-05-2004, 09:59 PM
90-94 teg suspension bolts right on. Try to find a wiring diagram for it, that will be the only way to find out. Like I said on most cars it is not directly tied into the ecu, but honda does things odd sometimes. And yeah, you got me on the rain part.

Setanta
09-06-2004, 01:11 AM
Just get the JDM SiR ABS :) Both the 2G CRX and 4G Civic had it as an option. Reviews on it say that it was ok for its time but nothing spectacular and that it weighed the car down a bit more.

Personally, not having it is a non-issue on my SiR - the 4W disks pull it up and if I get into a lockup I release the brakes and then reapply them quickly. lol - and try not to ever get in a situation where I will lock up. 19 years of driving - 3 accidents, 1 where I rolled a Datsun 180B 2 weeks after getting my licence, I where I was rear-ended and 1 where I was T-boned by a van. Rather than spend a fortune - just drive defensively.

Personally - if you want ABS, get a car that comes with it stock. :)

TheSilentChamber
09-06-2004, 01:17 AM
yeah like he said it would good for its time... old abs's left much to be desired. Often quiet jerky. I just remembered there is a complany that makes abs systems for street rods, you just adapt it to your current setup and it does the rest. I'm sure it has a nice price on it though.

Setanta
09-06-2004, 03:36 AM
Just did a quick check, the JDM Si Civic and CRX also had it as an option - so far no idea on the XT25 etc.

turtlecrxsi
09-06-2004, 10:04 AM
the 4W disks pull it up and if I get into a lockup I release the brakes and then reapply them quickly. lol - and try not to ever get in a situation where I will lock up.
Personally - if you want ABS, get a car that comes with it stock. :)

Same here. I've noticed lock up happening more often lately, but I just do the above and all okay... kinda scary though especially on mountain roads being tailgated by motorcycles (which passed me illegally, then stopped to look at map, then got behind me again :loser: )

Setanta
09-06-2004, 05:06 PM
lol - tap the brakes to let them know you are thinking about stopping and watching them sailing over the front of your car in a continuous motion - anyone stupid enough to tailgate on a bike is a nominee for the darwin awards anyway :D

turtlecrxsi
09-07-2004, 07:30 AM
Yeah, the tailgaiting was split second... I looked in rearview still good ways back, I take an uphill climb at cruising speed and look in rearview, bike on my ass, then 1 and 2 bimmer bikes flying freakin' passed me. It's funny to see them pull over to look at a map though like at the next intersection. People from Florida all over the place here in SC recently...

Santas90Si
09-07-2004, 10:25 AM
Thats cause they are running from the apocolypse They need to learn that if three hurricans in less than 3 weeks means, PACK YOUR SHIT AND LEAVE.

Civic Jim
09-07-2004, 10:55 AM
i wouldnt bother mate , the original honda ABS system was rubbish anyways , a lot of people with the SiR's in the UK dont like it just get bigger discs

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