6ft5inHX

About a year ago I installed Koni/GC on my 97 Civic HX and I love it. It's 340f 280r with Yellows. I have settled on the Koni's at 1/3 up from full soft-front, and 1/2 up...rear. Everything else in the suspension is stock. Still have HX rims with kind of grippy 195 60r14 cheap all seasons. Tires will be my weakest link. I do want to add a rear sway bar to flatten cornering, but unsure of size. Do I need a SFbrace and/or LCAs? Would prefer just to add a bar unless it's detrimental to my car. It's a daily, and will never see a track. Just like to have fun on the curvy roads.

I've searched and read many threads and articles, but everyone's setup is different so I just wanted to share what I have.

Would appreciate any advice.

Thanks, Tall Paul🏀

spAdam

iTrader: (1)

For a street car, Si 26mm front with CTR/ITR 22mm (or 23mm) rear is great. I'm running them with OTS GC rates on my sedan daily. The front end always feels planted and responsive, turn in is great and the car is very balanced mid-corner. Corner exit sucks because FWD with open diff, but that's not getting addressed anytime soon. I originally left the stock 22mm on the front and was not nearly as happy. It's likely due, in part, to the bushing-stack stock end links and their inherent squish & slop... you end up using up a lot of the spring rate just smooshing bushings and don't even bend the bar until said bushings are smooshed.

The right way to put the front bar on your car is by swapping out the lower arms and forks for Si/CTR units and using the end links from the same. An alternative is to drill the bar ends to 12mm and use prelude end links on the stock arms. The geometry is not 100% correct with this method but it works. Do not bother with the DC Integra/Del Sol VTEC 24mm front bars, they do not fit the 96-00 subframe correctly, requiring you to attach them on the bottom of the lca (to tilt the bar down to clear the exhaust) and also leaving the middle "humps" of the bar sticking way down, lower than the frame rails of the car. This seriously compromises ground clearance and safety.

Get better (summer) tires. You live in southern California, unless you're a weekend ski bunny there's no real reason to have tires with a M&S rating.

6ft5inHX

Thanks for the reply. As far as the front, I'm looking to add a little oversteer via rear sway bar. Right now there's a bit of understeer, not much but noticable. I also thought about changing out the 280r GC for a little over 300ish. Definitely considering tire change or even tire and wheels, I like the HX rims though.

Still wondering which size rear sway bar to compliment the 280r GC, or would someone think I should increase the strength of the springs?

Thanks

2LEM1

iTrader: (1)

Either one would give you the results you desire, but I'd go higher than 300.

Try 450 in the rear.

ASR also makes a 32mm hollow bar for the rear.

Andy@AMR

With those rates you would be fine with our 1" rear swaybar or the ASR 24mm. Just make sure you have the provisions for the swaybar, and your good to go. I always recommend getting a Function 7 brace to go with any swaybar upgrade. You may need lower control arms, as the HX I believe did not have those provisions. Again I would recommend Function 7, if you want quality. They come with a lifetime warranty as well. Like I always say, keep it simple. You really don't need to replace the rear springs with a higher rate for your needs, just keep what you got unless you got the money to throw around.

6ft5inHX

Thanks Andy I'll look into all that. I just returned from Christmas road trip Oceanside to near Sacramento, then to San Francisco (horrible roads). Then a little coast hwy, and 101-405-5south. Overall the HX was fun and comfy 😁. Pushed it on some twistys, even with the soft all seasons it gripped good but with some leaning. Will upgrade soon and give an update. Got 43 mpg hwy, maybe 32 city.