Honda-Tech - Honda Forum Discussion

Honda Civic: What Civic Parts are Interchangeable?

It is a nice thing to know that your vehicle shares the same parts as several other vehicles. Learn what parts you can interchange to add to your Civic.

By Piyush Kayastha - March 4, 2015

This article applies to the Honda Civic (1992-2000).

Honda and Acura vehicles share many of the same parts. This is a good thing when it is time to replace a worn out component. It's nice to know that your options are not completely limited. Not everything fits, but many parts do. This article will cover the various components that could be interchanged between Honda and Acura vehicles. Many of these can be treated as bolt-on upgrades, while others may require machine work for proper fitment.

Interchangeable Parts

Brakes, Knuckles, Calipers, and Rotors

Figure 1's chart displays different parts that are compatible with different Honda and Acura models. Note that many of the parts are bolt-on, but some require machine work to be done. Those that need to be worked on will require the grinding of metal parts to allow for necessary clearance of the combined components. This is a great upgrade for your Civic because many of the interchangeable components are larger and will allow for enhanced, quicker stopping power. So not only will this upgrade be useful, but it will also lengthen brake wear, plus double your vehicle's safety.

Figure 1. Interchangeable brake systems between Acura and Honda vehicles.

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Interchangeable Seats

Acura RSX

These seats can be fitted to both the front and rear seats of your Civic. However, changing them will require cutting off the old brackets and installing fabricated ones, which either you or a professional will have to make for the seats' proper fitment.

  • Figure 2. Old bracket removed from Acura RSX.
  • Figure 3. New custom bracket for the Acura RSX seats to fit.
  • Figure 4. Front Acura RSX driver's seat installed in a Honda Civic.
  • Figure 5. Rear Acura RSX passenger's seat installed in a Honda Civic.

This upgrade is mainly installed to increase comfort for the driver and passenger. Forum members have elected this specific seat upgrade because the standard seats are found to be uncomfortable. As mentioned, this is not a bolt-on upgrade and will require fabricating the brackets. It is also riskier because if your measurements are off, the seats will not be secured in the optimal position and location for the driver and passenger.

Honda S2000

This swap involves the the changeover from the Honda Civic seat pans into the S2000 seats. To make this swap more of a bolt-on configuration, it is a necessity to swap over the metal seat pans. Before securing the new seats, you will need to completely take apart both seats to gain access to the seat pans.

  • Figure 6. Honda S2000 seat pan.
  • Figure 7. Honda Civic seat pan inserted into the S2000 seats.

This seat pan swap is necessary because of the way the seats mount into specific cars. The Civic seats mount via the side of the seat bottom, whereas the S2000 mounts via the bottom of the seat bottom. Swapping seats over in this fashion will be less risky than swapping rails or fabricating brackets. It would be best to properly align the new seats with the stock location of the original seats. However, several Honda Civic owners have still chosen to fabricate brackets for different types of seats.

Interchangeable Suspension

Both the shocks and springs from Acura Integra and other Honda Civic models can be swapped into your Civic. The main difference will be in the spring rates. The rear trailing arms are interchangeable between Integras and Civics because they are one in the same. And there is a high compatibility between the sway bars. These upgrades are favorable because they increase the handling capabilities of the vehicle, but with better components. However, there are some exceptions when it comes to swapping the lower control arms.

  • Figure 8. Spring swap into the Honda Civic strut.
  • Figure 9. Integra control arm (bottom) and Civic control arm (top).
  • Figure 10. Honda Civic sway bar.

These upgrades are common because of their performance. Many enthusiasts want improved handling for their modified Honda Civics, and many of the necessary components are available from their more luxurious counterpart—the Acura Integra. Some special consideration must be taken when swapping the front lower control arms, but it allows for installing upgraded sway bars that usually come standard with other Honda and Acura models, such as the Honda S2000 and Acura Integra.

Common Questions

Is the Suspension Between All Acura Integra and Honda Civic Completely Interchangeable?

Yes, for most parts, but with the exception of the front and rear lower control arms. For the front suspension, using an Acura lower control arm on a Honda Civic will give you the ability to swap with a variety of sway bars, as well as traction bars. With the rear suspension, swapping Civic components into an Integra will require grinding down the rear lower control arm bushing. This is to allow the Honda shock "fork" to fit properly.

Are Cold Air Intakes Interchangeable Between Honda D-Series and B-Series Engines?

No. Each engine is designed with specific intake systems. For example, the length of the tubing may be longer, so the bends in the piping/tubing will hit the fender liner area.

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