2005 Honda Element EX AWD - "Henry Honk"

[CafeRoaster]

Hi folks!

I know this isn't your typical vehicle you find around here, but it's also not super rare. The Element is basically a boxed-out CR-V. Everything but the body and most of the interior are exactly the same. The great thing about that is the reliability. The 2.4 L 4-cylinder is also not too shabby in terms of power. Towing capacity is a mere 1,500 lbs, and the AWD system is nothing like a Subaru's. But hey, it's what I could afford. I picked this up for $6,000 with 173,000 miles back in June, and I consider it the poor man's FJ Cruiser.

Here are some photos from the first week I had it:



Since getting it, I've performed some general maintenance on him. You can see more detail at my other thread on the Element Owner's Forum here.

I've got a lift kit coming, and I have parts on-hand for a suspension rebuild. Because I don't have access to a lift, and due to the time required to do the work, I'm going to be outsourcing the labor for this first major bit of the project. The lift kit includes Dobinsons springs, which will lift the front by 1.5" and the rear by 2", along with GR-2 struts. I'll be slapping on some 235/75/15 Toyo Open Country AT III with some bronze Mayhem Voyager wheels.



Lift kit should arrive late September / early October. The current tires are pretty worn, so I may end up putting the wheels and tires on soon, but that would mean getting an alignment twice, so who knows.

For the future, I'll be picking up a sleeper platform from my buddy that used to have an '08 Element. It's fairly portable, so I'll be able to remove it when not in use. This is my daily driver, after all.

I don't have super ambitious plans, but I do hope to build something that will help me easily get away for some alone time. I may end up adding a cooler and extra power at some point, but I don't know much about all that. I'm super excited about this community, as it seems it will prove to be a great learning source. I may also end up getting a Gobi rack. I don't know that I'll shell out the cash for an E-Camper, but that sure would be a heckuva cool thing!

Anyways, happy to be here! I'll update this thread as needed. Cheers!

 

[CafeRoaster]

I've been accumulating some small items for setting out on the trails, while awaiting all the parts for my lift kit. Everything is on-hand, except my dang Dobinsons springs. My garage smells like a tire shop, which I'll miss when the new shoes go on.

I grabbed a cheap cargo basket to tide me over until I feel I need something actually heavy duty. It rusted on the first rain, despite filling all the gaps with silicone, so I picked up some Plasti Dip and got to work.



I also picked up a large Plano case to put most stuff in - first aid kits, bottle jack, deflator, compressor, etc. I'll also be adding Quick Fist mounts for my shovel, once I get around to drilling out holes for them.

We're getting into the rainy season here, and at this point I'm unsure if I'll be able to get out before the next year. Holidays are crazy at work, and I'm most likely unable to get away. But, hey, at least I'll be ready!

 

[CafeRoaster]

Just got Henry back from Austin Hiro of Hiro's Hotrods in Bellingham, WA. He did an outstanding job and it only took him a day. Suspension rebuild + Dobinsons springs, AeroGenics rear lower control arms, and adjustable uppers all around.

The Toyo Open Country AT/III tires feel amazing! I sized down an inch for wheels, and sized up an inch for tires, giving me roughly two inches more of meat to work with. In hindsight, I could have sized up the tires without sizing down the wheels, but at least it doesn't look wonky. Hah.

















Today, I started playing around with some boxes we received from a friend that used to own an Element. These boxes all open up, and form the base for a sleeping platform. I'm happy to say that they also fit disassembled for traveling with the kiddo and pup, so I think I'm set for a platform! I don't love the setup, but free is free!

I'm now debating if I want my off-road gear (deflator, inflator, tools, etc.) inside the vehicle, or on the roof rack inside the Plano case I got for that purpose originally. I'm worried about it not being secure enough to not get taken. But I suppose if somebody wants it, they're going to get it...

Do y'all lock boxes that you keep outside your vehicle? I'm also thinking about this now because we may end up moving into a place with less storage space.

 

[CafeRoaster]

We took Henry out to Snoqualmie National Forest yesterday - technically Clearwater Wilderness. Our first attempt was FS-75 to Lonesome Lake, but halfway up, I decided it was too deep for Henry, so I back out. We tried a few more spots but they were all closed. Our last ditch effort was to hit up NF-7720. This proved to be more more gradual of a climb. The entire trail is 4,800 feet in 15 miles, while FS-75 was going to be about 5,000 feet in 15 miles, and many more turns.

For the first 10 miles of NF-7720, it was mostly wide packed dirt and gravel, with lots of potholes. Plenty of bouncing around. I aired down from 35 PSI to 15, mostly for comfort. The views are fantastic along the way, especially from noon and on where the sun is coming through the trees. Since a lot of the second half is higher up and receives more shade during the day, there was plenty of deep snow to tread. The deepness of the snow is very gradual and there are ample opportunities to turn around if you don’t feel comfortable.

Despite this road being more washed out than FS-75, and the snow being deeper, I felt more comfortable on it. The shield around the catalytic converter scraped the snow in the middle of the trail quite a bit, as the snow was 8-10 inches deep. There were parts where I felt that a higher clearance vehicle was necessary, but went for it anyway. Choosing the right line and having the tires aired down proved to really allow Henry to shine. Throughout the entire trail, we didn’t slip once, and I only felt AWD kick in maybe once. There were plenty of obstacles - such as severely washed-out portions, fallen trees, etc. - but nothing a standard 4x4 with appropriate tires and a capable driver should have any issue with.

At 4,000 feet, we encountered someone with an old beat up Ford Explorer that had gotten stuck on the north side. I don’t have a winch, so I wasn’t entirely sure how to help. We backed a couple hundred feet down the trail and stopped at a turnout to have lunch and take in the amazing views of the Olympics, Tacoma, and Olympia. As we sat, a gentleman in a heavily modified Jeep TJ pulled up and exclaimed his impression of our little Element. He proceeded to help out the stuck individual. We made the decision to head back home rather than heading to the top, as midwinter doesn’t lend to being able to explore much, and limits what sort of activities you can do on an overnight trip.

All in all, I am immensely impressed with our Henry. Not once did I feel unsafe or underprepared. There were definitely several points where I felt challenged as the driver, which is just what I could ask for. I think this trip really helped me learn what Henry is capable with a full load, in pretty challenging conditions.

 

[CafeRoaster]

More from yesterday.