The_Honda_Guy

Just a small bit of information - I've installed a couple of parts so far. I installed the Blox front UCA's because the ball joints were wearing out, so I decided why not go with adjustables that are also replaceable. Also, the car has the stock steelies with Blizzaks for winter and summer set is a set of DR-16's, 16x7, with Kuhmo Ecsta ASX's. Everything else on the suspension/steering system is stock, all parts are tight and good at the moment with a fresh 4 wheel alignment. I also just placed an order for a set of Progress street performance coilovers.

Little by little I've been upgrading this car. Since I'm working over the suspension, I'm looking around at other upgrades. Now, this car is my girlfriend's daily driver and it's built for reliability and gas mileage in mind. I debated adding sway bars to it, but it really won't do me much good since the car doesn't see much spirited driving and anything I add to it will go to waste I think. The only upgrade I was thinking of doing was the rear LCA's, simply because it would be nice to replace the worn out rubber bushings on the stock ones and have something that looks a little nicer. Also, I was thinking a front strut tower bar too, but not the rear one because we pack groceries into this thing.

Are that any suspension upgrades that are really worth doing that won't interfere with it being a daily driver or losing ground clearance?

77777

well front sway bars seem like a lot of work to add, but i pieced together a rear at the scrapyard for $12 and its a nice easy upgrade even for normal driving.

D Griff

Bad news, once you put on the coilovers, you're going to need another fresh alignment.

Don't get blox rear lcas. The bushings are $h!t. I have them, trust me.

I wouldn't blow money on a strut tower either really, unless you want it for looks, I don't think the do much. Sway bars are a much better investment, but you don't really need them if the car is never going to be doing any serious cornering I guess.

The_Honda_Guy

Yea, I know I'll need to align it again. No big deal though, I work at an automotive dealership as a technician and have access to use our alignment rack and hoist on Saturdays.

Sounds like you're having the same idea I am about using the sway bars. I would love to put them on if the car was driving in any kind of events but it never sees much more than the girlfriend driving it to and from work and errands. We sometimes take it to some of the car shows or cruises and such, but the cruises aren't that often and we usually take my W8. I'm just thinking that the extra weight and less clearance and room won't really be worth it. I was thinking of doing the front strut tower bar since it's cheap and looks nice I guess.

Are the Blox rear LCA's that shitty for the bushings? Who should I go with then for the LCA's and a strut tower bar?

B serious

iTrader: (1)

Never never never never never never get aftermarket LCAs that have any type of rubber bushing. Ever. They're all trash. Even after clocking my bushings while installing on my stupid *** Omni LCAs, the bushing seperated from the sleeve in about 2 months. The bushings are now also so cracked and weak that when the car is on the ground, the bolts are ready to tear thru the them.

The disadvantage now is that you'll have to get ones with polyurethane bushings. I don't like the harshness of poly bushings.

OEM arms are more than good. www.hondaautomotiveparts.com usually has them for relatively cheap. Maybe about $50 or so more than some garbage aftermarket LCAs.

I bought mine cuz I needed them RIGHT then (had to cut my shock bolts out) and a local shop owner had them in stock...and I know the guy...so I got them for next to nothing. But I would never do it again. I'm getting ready to buy some used OEM arms.

The_Honda_Guy

You know, I have read this before too that people had issues with the aftermarket LCA bushings tearing apart. It didn't matter what you did, they would quickly fall apart. I for sure don't want poly bushings because they'll end up doing the same thing. I've seen those fall apart just as far, only when they fail, the tear out of the mounting area. I guess I'll just stick with the OEM arms and bushings that are on there now. lol

I guess from what I'm seeing thus far the only thing I can really go with is the front strut tower bar. I would use the rear one but this car does get used to haul things occasionally like groceries and such, plus I want to be able to put a subwoofer box in the back sometime. The sway bars aren't going to do me much good since I don't see enough spirited driving and the extra cost, weight, and complexity won't pay off. Also, I know for sure I don't want to use polyurethane bushings in the suspension because of their known issues. I know they make interior bars but those are a no-no also as I don't want to lose interior room or have to cut any panels apart.

Are there any other suspension pieces missing that I could possibly use? Who should I go with for a strut tower bar?

Vindicator9000

You can get a CTR front strut tower bar from Hmotors for like $55 the last time I checked. Nice little upgrade, I'm planning on ordering one myself sometime soon.

D Griff

Well, rear aftermarket LCAs do look cool. Some people have said good things about some brands (maybe buddy club, function 7, skunk 2), I'm not sure which ones. I guess I just personally wouldn't bother with anything if you won't be doing any "spirited driving." Just coilovers or a nice spring/shock combo if you want it lowered or some eye candy like a strut tower bar.

alphalanos

If its just a daily I would skip bars. The most effective upgrades are going to be tires, shocks and springs. I dont know what kind of rates Progress has on the coilover, but they should reduce body roll a good bit.

Youre already using one of the best all season tires, but theyre not the greatest for wet and dry grip. If you can get away with summer tires I would suggest that. Theyre good for wet and dry, but no cold (<35 F) temps.

I agree with the arms OEM is the way to go. I just put my 15 year old OEM upper control arms back in because the ball joints in the Omnis starting going.

Save the money to do general maintenance. If you really feel that it understeers a lot and you find it being driven hard more often, go with an ASR brace and maybe CTR rear sway.

D Griff

Tires are definitely huge, I forgot to mention that.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

If you already have blizzaks, why not get a summer tire for the other wheels? The bridgestone potenza re760s look promising...and they're available in civic sizing. They're also cheap. Along with BFG G-force sports...I've had those. They're better than decent.

Also, watch the wear on the omni front LCAs. I doubt those bushings will last a long time...along with the ball joints.

The_Honda_Guy

Yea, I'm thinking just a simple strut tower bar to do the trick. I think I should even be able to run the regular one now that I have the AEM intake instead of the stock airbox on the DX instead of having to run one made for a D16Y7.

The rear LCA's are cool, yea, it just sucks that the bushings always wear out so fast in them. Like everyone said, I'll just stick with the OEM ones that are on there now for longevity. I guess I could even paint them if I wanted to.

Like I said, I'll just skip the sway bars since it doesn't see that kind of driving to really merit using them or paying for them. Also, I think I'd need to change control arms in the front and rear to use them anyways as I don't think the DX control arms allow them to be bolted on. A far as the front UCA's, I've got the Blox ones right now and so far so good. I'll be checking them again next oil change but so far I've had good luck with them. If I start having issues with them I'll go back to OEM ones.

At this point I'll just go with my Progress coilovers and get a strut tower bar and go from there. Tires, that's another story. The Kuhmo's are brand new still with only like 5k miles on them. Once they start wearing down I'll replace them with something better. Only reason I went with them is because I got them in 205/45/16 for 41 dollars a piece with shipping brand new.