I am about to replace the shocks on my Civic with Koni STR.R shocks and Neuspeed springs. Is there anything else I should replace while I am there? I figured the mounts.
Also I have heard on Civics that you should add something to reinforce the rear subframe if you are adding a swaybar but I don't believe Street Touring rules allow this. Is it really needed?
everyone that I know of that put large rear sway bars on (Civic/CRX) is ST/STS.. has put the rear subframe reinforcement ... don't know of any protests ... the SCCA rule book is so convoluted and hard to read ..... shrug
It depends on how big of a sway bar you're putting on back there. OEM (say, from an Integra or Si) and you can get away without it. Honda didn't reinforce that area until they got up to the 22mm ITR bar.
Reinforce. I had a 21mm bar tear out in my 98 Integra, even with sport springs and Konis. If you have no bar at all now it is easy, just use big ass washers or a backing plate in there. If you have a bar there are captive nuts that make it harder. The hot ticket used to be the comptech rear sway bar and tie bar combo
I've been running a large bar in both my CRX and Civic for many years with no reinforcement. The only reason I think you might need it is if the rear subframe is rusty.
Bravenrace, your civics are all 88-91 models, right? If so is the bigger bar in the stock location mounted to basically the trunk floor frame rails?
On the 92+ Civics and 94+ Integras it is a very common problem that I and several others I knew have personally experienced, but one that is easily prevented.
I used to run an eg Civic hatch in h stock many moons ago and it could have benefited from a rear bar..
Sonic wrote: Bravenrace, your civics are all 88-91 models, right? If so is the bigger bar in the stock location mounted to basically the trunk floor frame rails? On the 92+ Civics and 94+ Integras it is a very common problem that I and several others I knew have personally experienced, but one that is easily prevented.
Yeah they are. But in my defense, he never said what year Civic.
In reply to bravenrace:
Sorry '93 Civic EX coupe.
So to answer the original question; yes the reinforcement is really needed. Good insurance against subframe tear.
yes
Yes reinforce. What about urethane bushings & ss brake lines & new wheel bearings?
I've switched from SS brake lines back to OEM rubber ... there is no way you can monitor the condition of the rubber inside the SS ... when they fail, granted that could be way down the road ... with the in-expensive rubber OEM, you just swap them out ever year or two as a maintenance item ... when new the OEM don't bulge and cause a soft pedal ...
can't answer for the bushings or wheel bearings .. I just swap them as needed
I am planning on doing the bushings this winter with Hard Race bushings.
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