Honda Car Forum

This is probably a dumb question, I have inherited a '84 Honda Civic from
my mother. She is still alive however, and I need this car to get her back
and forth to the doctors. I can't afford a new car now and my 4wl drive
truck is too far off the ground for her to get in.

Is there a lift kit for this little bugger? The stock struts, even new, are
too flimsy and the car bottoms out way too easily. Getting in and out is
falling in and climbing out, sort of opposite of my truck. For her, it's
the same, but I have to lift her out and sort of ease her down into it. I
would like to find a strut system that would stiffen up the suspension and
lift it up some. If I could get this little go kart seat height a little
higher it would help the gettin' in and out. I'm not trying to go muddin'
in this car, but just trying to keep it from bouncing off the pavement so
much and helping access.

Any help out there?

Thanks

If you get new springs you shouldn't have a problem.


"Brad Taylor" <BradTaylor@ev1.net> wrote in message
news:115bllfq4fjq471@corp.supernews.com...
> This is probably a dumb question, I have inherited a '84 Honda Civic from
> my mother. She is still alive however, and I need this car to get her
> back
> and forth to the doctors. I can't afford a new car now and my 4wl drive
> truck is too far off the ground for her to get in.
>
> Is there a lift kit for this little bugger? The stock struts, even new,
> are
> too flimsy and the car bottoms out way too easily. Getting in and out is
> falling in and climbing out, sort of opposite of my truck. For her, it's
> the same, but I have to lift her out and sort of ease her down into it. I
> would like to find a strut system that would stiffen up the suspension and
> lift it up some. If I could get this little go kart seat height a little
> higher it would help the gettin' in and out. I'm not trying to go muddin'
> in this car, but just trying to keep it from bouncing off the pavement so
> much and helping access.
>
> Any help out there?
>
> Thanks
>
>

On 2005-04-07 somewhereovethe@rainbow.com said:
>Newsgroups: alt.autos.honda
>If you get new springs you shouldn't have a problem.
Oh yeah? Front end is torsion bars on my '84 wagon...

>"Brad Taylor" <BradTaylor@ev1.net> wrote in message
>news:115bllfq4fjq471@corp.supernews.com...
>> This is probably a dumb question, I have inherited a '84 Honda
>>Civic from my mother. She is still alive however, and I need
>>this car to get her back
>> and forth to the doctors. I can't afford a new car now and my
>>4wl drive truck is too far off the ground for her to get in.
>> Is there a lift kit for this little bugger? The stock struts,
>>even new, are
>> too flimsy and the car bottoms out way too easily. Getting in
>>and out is falling in and climbing out, sort of opposite of my
>>truck. For her, it's the same, but I have to lift her out and
>>sort of ease her down into it. I would like to find a strut
>>system that would stiffen up the suspension and lift it up some.
>>If I could get this little go kart seat height a little higher it
>>would help the gettin' in and out. I'm not trying to go muddin'
>>in this car, but just trying to keep it from bouncing off the
>pavement so much and helping access. >


Tom Willmon
near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA

Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered

well then adjust the torsion bars



<twillmon@cybermesa.net> wrote in message
news:d360v3$edi$1@reader2.nmix.net...
>
>
> On 2005-04-07 somewhereovethe@rainbow.com said:
> >Newsgroups: alt.autos.honda
> >If you get new springs you shouldn't have a problem.
> Oh yeah? Front end is torsion bars on my '84 wagon...
>
> >"Brad Taylor" <BradTaylor@ev1.net> wrote in message
> >news:115bllfq4fjq471@corp.supernews.com...
> >> This is probably a dumb question, I have inherited a '84 Honda
> >>Civic from my mother. She is still alive however, and I need
> >>this car to get her back
> >> and forth to the doctors. I can't afford a new car now and my
> >>4wl drive truck is too far off the ground for her to get in.
> >> Is there a lift kit for this little bugger? The stock struts,
> >>even new, are
> >> too flimsy and the car bottoms out way too easily. Getting in
> >>and out is falling in and climbing out, sort of opposite of my
> >>truck. For her, it's the same, but I have to lift her out and
> >>sort of ease her down into it. I would like to find a strut
> >>system that would stiffen up the suspension and lift it up some.
> >>If I could get this little go kart seat height a little higher it
> >>would help the gettin' in and out. I'm not trying to go muddin'
> >>in this car, but just trying to keep it from bouncing off the
> >pavement so much and helping access. >
>
>
> Tom Willmon
> near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA
>
> Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered

struts and or shocks have no bearing on ride height or bottoming out. The
play no part whatsoever in supporting the weight of the car. The springs or
possibly torsion bars in this case support the car.


"Brad Taylor" <BradTaylor@ev1.net> wrote in message
news:115jkm7pk7aqefd@corp.supernews.com...
> Actually, I did get new struts and shocks along with some new motor mounts
> because of all the times I bottom out. Even with the new stuff, it still
> bottoms out. This car has no springs that I can see, unless they are
> coil.
> I can't tell.
>
> "halo2 guy" <somewhereovethe@rainbow.com> wrote in message
> news:ZISdnSPBhcjbJ8vfRVn-sw@comcast.com...
>> well then adjust the torsion bars
>>
>>
>>
>> <twillmon@cybermesa.net> wrote in message
>> news:d360v3$edi$1@reader2.nmix.net...
>> >
>> >
>> > On 2005-04-07 somewhereovethe@rainbow.com said:
>> > >Newsgroups: alt.autos.honda
>> > >If you get new springs you shouldn't have a problem.
>> > Oh yeah? Front end is torsion bars on my '84 wagon...
>> >
>> > >"Brad Taylor" <BradTaylor@ev1.net> wrote in message
>> > >news:115bllfq4fjq471@corp.supernews.com...
>> > >> This is probably a dumb question, I have inherited a '84 Honda
>> > >>Civic from my mother. She is still alive however, and I need
>> > >>this car to get her back
>> > >> and forth to the doctors. I can't afford a new car now and my
>> > >>4wl drive truck is too far off the ground for her to get in.
>> > >> Is there a lift kit for this little bugger? The stock struts,
>> > >>even new, are
>> > >> too flimsy and the car bottoms out way too easily. Getting in
>> > >>and out is falling in and climbing out, sort of opposite of my
>> > >>truck. For her, it's the same, but I have to lift her out and
>> > >>sort of ease her down into it. I would like to find a strut
>> > >>system that would stiffen up the suspension and lift it up some.
>> > >>If I could get this little go kart seat height a little higher it
>> > >>would help the gettin' in and out. I'm not trying to go muddin'
>> > >>in this car, but just trying to keep it from bouncing off the
>> > >pavement so much and helping access. >
>> >
>> >
>> > Tom Willmon
>> > near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA
>> >
>> > Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered
>>
>>
>
>

Actually, I did get new struts and shocks along with some new motor mounts
because of all the times I bottom out. Even with the new stuff, it still
bottoms out. This car has no springs that I can see, unless they are coil.
I can't tell.

"halo2 guy" <somewhereovethe@rainbow.com> wrote in message
news:ZISdnSPBhcjbJ8vfRVn-sw@comcast.com...
> well then adjust the torsion bars
>
>
>
> <twillmon@cybermesa.net> wrote in message
> news:d360v3$edi$1@reader2.nmix.net...
> >
> >
> > On 2005-04-07 somewhereovethe@rainbow.com said:
> > >Newsgroups: alt.autos.honda
> > >If you get new springs you shouldn't have a problem.
> > Oh yeah? Front end is torsion bars on my '84 wagon...
> >
> > >"Brad Taylor" <BradTaylor@ev1.net> wrote in message
> > >news:115bllfq4fjq471@corp.supernews.com...
> > >> This is probably a dumb question, I have inherited a '84 Honda
> > >>Civic from my mother. She is still alive however, and I need
> > >>this car to get her back
> > >> and forth to the doctors. I can't afford a new car now and my
> > >>4wl drive truck is too far off the ground for her to get in.
> > >> Is there a lift kit for this little bugger? The stock struts,
> > >>even new, are
> > >> too flimsy and the car bottoms out way too easily. Getting in
> > >>and out is falling in and climbing out, sort of opposite of my
> > >>truck. For her, it's the same, but I have to lift her out and
> > >>sort of ease her down into it. I would like to find a strut
> > >>system that would stiffen up the suspension and lift it up some.
> > >>If I could get this little go kart seat height a little higher it
> > >>would help the gettin' in and out. I'm not trying to go muddin'
> > >>in this car, but just trying to keep it from bouncing off the
> > >pavement so much and helping access. >
> >
> >
> > Tom Willmon
> > near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA
> >
> > Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered
>
>

Brad Taylor wrote:
>
> Actually, I did get new struts and shocks along with some new motor mounts
> because of all the times I bottom out. Even with the new stuff, it still
> bottoms out. This car has no springs that I can see, unless they are
> coil. I can't tell.

This diagram depicts the front lower arm of the '84 Civic
http://tinyurl.com/6x66d. The part labeled #13 is the actual
torsion bar that holds up the car.

Eric

thanks, i didn't know. Guess, i'll just have to get a higher car somehow.

"Eric" <say.no@spam.now> wrote in message news:425A6078.6E66094B@spam.now...
> Brad Taylor wrote:
> >
> > Actually, I did get new struts and shocks along with some new motor
mounts
> > because of all the times I bottom out. Even with the new stuff, it
still
> > bottoms out. This car has no springs that I can see, unless they are
> > coil. I can't tell.
>
> This diagram depicts the front lower arm of the '84 Civic
> http://tinyurl.com/6x66d. The part labeled #13 is the actual
> torsion bar that holds up the car.
>
> Eric

"Brad Taylor" <BradTaylor@ev1.net> wrote in message
news:115t051596mme5e@corp.supernews.com...
> thanks, i didn't know. Guess, i'll just have to get a higher car somehow.
>
> "Eric" <say.no@spam.now> wrote in message
> news:425A6078.6E66094B@spam.now...
>> Brad Taylor wrote:
>> >
>> > Actually, I did get new struts and shocks along with some new motor
> mounts
>> > because of all the times I bottom out. Even with the new stuff, it
> still
>> > bottoms out. This car has no springs that I can see, unless they are
>> > coil. I can't tell.
>>
>> This diagram depicts the front lower arm of the '84 Civic
>> http://tinyurl.com/6x66d. The part labeled #13 is the actual
>> torsion bar that holds up the car.
>>
>> Eric
>
>
Torsion bars normally have adjustments to adjust the ride height. Part #33
in the diagram is labeled "nut, adjusting" and looks like it is in the right
place to adjust it.

Mike

> Torsion bars normally have adjustments to adjust the ride height. Part #33
> in the diagram is labeled "nut, adjusting" and looks like it is in the
> right place to adjust it.

And if thats not enough (may not be), take the torsion bar out and rotate
the lower control arm on spline. Then you have to dort out the rear with a
longer spring. Go to a wrecker and look at the rear springs from other cars,
starting with later Civics. Pick a spring with
a) the same or very similar INSIDE diameter so the spring will fit over your
struts, and

b) the same wire gauge and longer free length, or
c) bigger wire gauge and about the same free length.

Stick it in a see if this lifts the car suitably.

Stewart DIBBS