Blacksheepdj

Yeah, no doubt, but wherever I buy it from will probably have hefty shipping rates. Mailing a big bar is mailing a big bar, after all...

98civdx

true haha, better then shipping a 26mm front like my friend

kristo

Due to the respective shapes a front sway takes much more volume than a rear one (EK).

Second a 26mm front or a 22mm rear weighs much more than a 15mm rear.


As you may remember I have an EK4 15mm laying around. Should check the weight but these would be the all-in prices: <=5kg EURO 76 (50+26), >5kg EURO 102 (50+52) My guess is the 15 weighs <5. All needed hardware included; new OE bushings +~€16

(maybe you'd have to pay import tax?)

98civdx

Im totaly awear of the size/weight differences, i have installed both myself, which i will never do again.

I remember, i was just simply stating that shipping a big bar is much more expensive then a smaller 13mm sway bar.

I have never heard of any import tax, my friend ships crap from japan to here all the time,

alphalanos

Im using 22mm CTR rear bar and no front on my 96 LX, with ASR brace. On-throttle oversteer is very apparent, off throttle it loses grip fairly evenly front and rear. Only if I deliberately throw it into a corner does it get really out of shape and I need to countersteer.

Blacksheepdj

Not sure if I want to go big right away. At the moment, the car is running on the stock '97 suspension. Everything feels loose. Figured the rear sway would be a good first step, but I know that springs/shocks will need to be replaced/upgraded if I want decent handling.

98civdx

Highier springs before bigger sway bars.

Blacksheepdj

Highier? Do you might a higher spring rate? Cuz I'm guessing you don't mean a lift kit.

Yeah, I know springs are the most important suspension mod. I just figured going from zero swaybar to any swaybar would at least be a quick & easy upgrade. Springs are a bigger job. And I'd probably wait until I could afford to replace springs & shocks at the same time.

98civdx

nope, higher springs rates, sorry forgot to add that, my fault

Blacksheepdj

No prob. That's what I figured, just making sure we were on the same page.

98civdx

You will defineltly notice a difference, people have said a rear sway on their,ex,hx,lx is the best thing they ever did to it.

Look at koni/gc,pic and amr. it is way better to do all at once. also tie rods,ball joints and an alignment when all done is a great start to..

Blacksheepdj

Yeah, rear sway was the best mod I ever did on my Mitsu Lancer.

Was thinking about KYB GR-2s with Tein H-techs, but I know that's not great for performance. But it's gotta be better than the worn-out stockers.

98civdx

Persoanly i would pass on that setup. You could do better with eibach sport lines and tokico illumnia.

Blacksheepdj

Well, for the springs, I have a set goal - slightly stiffer than stock, and not very low. Eibach Sport Lines drop 1.8" F&R, which is more than I'm looking for. Tein H-techs are closer to a 1 inch drop (which is probably still more than I want). The H-techs or Tanabe Normal Feel were my leading choices. I don't want an aggressive setup. Just something on the heavy end of street use.

Shocks I'm pretty open on. Since I wasn't planning to go heavy on the springs, I was going to stick to the GR-2 shocks, which are 10% stiffer than stock. Cheap & basic.

98civdx

I love eibach sport lines for a dd, also tein s-techs

For the shocks gr-2's are simple oem replacments and are not designed to be lowerd so they will blow.

Maybe out of your budget but my friends dad has tein s techs and koni yellows and it's just simply amazing, he drives close to 250 miles a day so comfort was a must. Just an illumnia would do great, made to be lowerded and are adjustable. There is also the Kyb agx, witch would do great for you want and arent really to much money. People will say they suck, but as long as you arent slammed and runing very high spring rates they should be ok.

Blacksheepdj

Sir, you and I have seriously different considerations of a DD.

Maybe not the "would grandma ride in it" policy, but I at least subscribe to the "would wifey ride in it" policy...

ej888

I was on the same page as you can decided to get the Eibach Pro system which included pro kit springs and pro dampers. It's probably the most comfortable ride for lowering springs. Friends don't even know I have lowering springs because it's so subtle both drop and comfort.

Blacksheepdj

I don't doubt that you like them, I'm just not sure how I feel about a 1.5" drop. Honestly, I'm fine with the stock ride height. I'd just like springs a bit stiffer than stock. But in my experience, that's not always an option. Just cars like Subarus where you could put stock WRX springs on an RS as an upgrade... Do we have anything like that for 96-00 Civics?

98civdx

With sport lines and illumnia's, yes wifey would ride in. I bet she'd try to drive it also. But lowering springs on stock replacements will blow and make wifey really mad when the car is bounching around.
The shocks are adjustable so if she thinks it's a little to stiff cool turn it adjust them down a bit.
Tein s techs and Sport lines have some what low spring rates, which are enough to keep the girl happy but still satisfy your need for a stiffer ride. I know where your coming from i hated how soft my civic was, im now runing 650lb front springs and 500lb rear, trust me, my girl hates my car.

Blacksheepdj

I just think back to my 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer. I had that on S-techs (and stock shocks, admittedly). Wifey was not pleased. It was just too stiff for her. So results my vary...

98civdx

Heres the prokit---
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/s...780&perfCode=P

Sport line---
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/s...780&perfCode=S

and because your looking for sway bars
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/s...680&perfCode=S


These all came from tirerack so you can get some feedback on them. I read them for a second and it looks like the pro kit may be right for you, and just because your looking for sway bar for the rear i posted a the sport kit with sway bars.

98civdx

My guess is the shocks were blown, stockers dont like being lowerd.
if you think she was mad, you should here mine after we get back for seatlle and took my car.

Blacksheepdj

Much appreciated. I was looking there (TireRack is one of my go-to places). Might be something I'd think about. Quite a bit to spend at once. And I'd probably need the rear subframe brace so the rear bar doesn't shred my car...

Nah, she hated it from day one. Some people have more tolerance for stiff ride than others. Everyone's a little different.
Yeah, we did a 14-hour drive to North Carolina. Not a happy camper. Especially when I cracked the front lip on a drainage grate. All I heard for years was "it's because you lowered it on those damn springs!"
So then I got coilovers, which made her even more mad. I've made many bad decisions on cars. LOL

98civdx

Yea it can be a bit of money, however when buying eibach you know it's money well spent.


As far as the brace, i dont know. I cant seem to find out how big the rear sway bar is, but as long it's under 18mm, you have noithing to worry about. The Problem with the asr is it's desinged for ctr-22mm and itr 23-24mm or asr. The holes are desgined for the larger d bracket and wont work the SI 13mm, unless you can find the bigger d bracket to work with a smaller sway bar.

Blacksheepdj

Yeah, I know what you mean. But at $683 plus tax/shipping, that would definitely be my tax refund next year or something. So I'm in no hurry...