Lowering my 87 civic si? Needs advice on springs, want to just cut them but no front springs? please help me.

 

The front has torsion bars, not springs. They have some degree of factory adjustment. You can raise or lower the car a bit using an adjustment nut under the car. Be aware however, that those cars don't have much suspension travel as it is, and the stock torsion bars are fairly soft. If you lower it as far as the adjusters allow, with stock torsion bars you will probably bottom-out constantly. If you want to lower further than the adjusters allow, you can rotate the torsion bars a notch in the torque tubes (they just have splines on each side). The best way to lower the front is to get some aftermarket torsion bars, and install them 1 or 2 splines rotated from the stock position. A thicker torsion bar (measuerd in millimeters) translates to a stiffer spring rate. Aftermarket bars tend to come in sizes from 23 to 32 mm, with 23-25 being good for daily-driver / street use, 29-32 for race use, 26-28 being a mix in between.

For the rear, you can be a hack and cut your springs, but if you are going to do that, then at least try to find some springs off an 86-89 Integra instead. They are slightly stiffer, and then you'll still have tour stock ones if you decide to go back. The right way would be get get a coilover conversion kit to get the adjustability.

Also note that the further you lower the rear from stock, the further the rear axle becomes out of alignment with the center of the car. Getting an adjustable panhard bar would correct this.

I have some pictures of the entire torsion bar and crossmember assembly removed from the car here, incase you don't know what i'm talking about: http://www.rallybeater.com/thewhitec...n-torsion.html

 

really like this year civic..good luck on everything

 

Great post sir, seriously helped this guy out