I'm looking for opinions on whether or not to add a Rear Sway Bar or not to add on a 92 CX. The Car is going to be used as Road Racing Track Car but also will be driven on the street from time to time. It currently has Koni Yellows, Skunk2 Coilovers, Rear Upper Strut Bar, and what appears to be an Si 21MM Front Sway Bar, although I'm not positive on the size.

I've seen people say no Rear Sway Bar and I've seen people say go with anywhere from 13MM to 26MM. I'm just looking to improve handling in everyway I can, mainly in attacking the start of a corner more aggressively and exitting the corner with more speed.

 

How does it handle the way it is now? Does it tend to under or oversteer through corners? What are your spring rates all around?

If springs are stiff enough, a sway bar won't really do much. But to get to that point the springs would have to be race track-only stiff, i.e. unbearable for street use. Most often for a double-duty road/track car, sway bars can help the car rotate easier and/or handle more neutral without affecting straight-line ride quality to any noticeable degree.

A good starting place that many people swear by is the OEM Integra ITR 22mm rear sway bar. It can be had for relatively cheap (under $200 with Beaks mount kit included). You will need some kind of subframe reinforcement, but the Beaks kit should suffice. ASR is always an option if you want to have a subframe tie bar built in (costs a good bit more).

Also without an OEM rear sway bar, you would need to swap out the LCA's with those off of a car that did come with a rear bar, or aftermarket. Beware of aftermarket LCA's with incorrect geometry, though. Many put the rear sway end link holes in the middle of the LCA, where they should be near the top for 92-95 Civic applications. I always recommend Function7 LCA's. They are pricier than most, but the quality and service are unmatched.

You really should assess the car's handling in its current state, though, before you start throwing more parts at it. If it understeers and you want it to rotate easier, put that rear bar on. If it already oversteers too easily when you lift off the throttle, then a rear bar will only make it worse, which could lead to a hazardous driving situation (especially on public roads in the rain).

 

^this

I like my 22mm CTR rear bar with stock front bar.

 

I completely agree with everything patrick said. But, not to be **** but isnt a ITR rear bar 22mm?

I am runing 26mm and 13mm, and it is great. Also have skunk2 coilovers, 10k front, 6k rear. (650lb-350lb)

 

oops brain fart there... post edited

 

Alright, I took the advice above which was to take it out and see how it handles/feels. I took the same turns I usually do, but took them 5-10 MPH faster than I did before, and accerlated through the turn rather than just mantain the same speed. I experienced 2 seperate things while doing this.

1. It happened twice through the turns, where I would be going around the corner, and it felt like I was dragging the rear end, like it wasn't turning with the car. I let off the gass and guided the car the opposite of the turn for a second before re-entering in the the inner side of the corner.

2. And this happened most of the time. I would turn right on a corner hard, and the body rolled left. Or I would turn left, and the body would roll right.


I am not sure how to check spring rates, so if someone could fill me in on how to do that, I can check those and come back with the results so that I know if I need to adjust those or pick up a rear sway bar to stop body roll.

I will also be measuring the Front Sway Bar here soon to get an exact size on that.

 

The are numbers on the springs, post them.

 

Will do, Ill go check those out in a few. The Front Sway Bar measured in at 26MM, larger than I thought it was.

 

Very well could be a 99-00 si sway bar, what do your endlinks/lower control arms look like?

 

i've always read that the itr is 23mm????

 

JDM ITR = 23mm rear sway
USDM ITR = 22mm

 

whew. i thought i was losing my mind.

 

This sounds like understeer. The car rolling left or right is basically your spring rates.
Sounds like someone already upgraded your FSB which could contribute to your understeer.

Just to show you, although my car is a bit heavier than yours, my setup is a 00 Si (26mm FSB, upgraded CTR 22mm RSB, 375f/450r springs on Koni.)

 

Right, the CX didn't even come with a FSB. The previous owner installed it with the Integra Arms and Larger Integra Brakes.

Unfortutenly I have been unable to check the spring rates. 3 Days after making this post I hit a 150 Pound Deer at about 54 Miles an hour dead on. Hood bent around the engine, core support is all bent up.

I wasn't orginally planning too upgrade to the RSB with ASR Brace and Function7 Arms, however, because of the recent accident which will leave the Hatch with plenty of down time, and the fact that I agree with what Blaze the Chemi has stated, I am going to go ahead and make the jump for those parts in the next 2 months or so. Going to get a 13mm and something bigger than that, and just try the 2 out and see what feels best.

 

With the 13mm rsb and asr you'll need to modify the d brackets or get adjustable ones.

Sorry about the car man, I almost hit 2 deers this summer. Mother ****ers just jump right out!

 

You may not even need to get the subframe brace for the 13mm RSB. My Si didn't have one and I don't think the GSR 14mm? bar did either.

Sorry to hear about the carnage. If you killed that deer good, you should have dumped it in the trunk, had it processed and sell the venison. YUM! Bambi tastes good.

 

No, you dont need one. On the SI it had backing plates which helps a little, integra did also. A normal civic will not have them, however you dont need them.

I am currently runing my 13mm RSB without a brace, and everything is fine.

It has been said up to 17/19mm you will be ok without a brace, but anything bigger and you should get one.