I have a 2000 Civic EX coupe. I'm trying to learn more about my car's suspension and all that, but the manual I have doesn't really help me a lot. I've heard about how an anti-sway bar bigger than 17mm will eventually snap the subframe because the subframe isn't thick enough to take the abuse. If an anti-sway bar bigger than 17mm is installed, what extra bracing would be needed for the subframe to NOT snap? I'm not going to modify anything, I just want to know more about my car.

Also, does my front suspension have a front anti-sway bar or something like that? And what is the difference between struts and shocks? I've heard some people use them interchangeably (and incorrectly so), but what makes struts more important than shocks?

Help is much appreciated!!

 

Yes, your civic should have a 22mm front sway bar.

A 17mm will not cause the subframe to snap, a 22mm "can". However, it doesn't snap it. it tears out the subframe mounting points.

Basicly, you can use a ASR backing plates, which will slip inside your subframe, and give you 2 mounting points per side, as OEM. it will also spread out the load a little better. This is basicly what the 99-00 Si's have, and people can/have ran 17mm bars out back without any issues.

These cars do not run struts, they use shocks.

 

Great info! Thanks a ton! So if I could use a 17mm sway bar without problems on the back, then what size sway bar do I have?

Also, I was wondering if any of my stock suspension is adjustable. Like camber, toe, damper, shock stiffness, etc. And I don't mean buying new parts and installing, I mean the parts that came with the car being adjusted.

 

You don't have one. The only 96-00 civic that came with a rear bar was SI. That was 13mm.

The only thing adjustable on the car is toe.

 

Cool, thanks for the info.

 

Sorry about bringing up an old thread, but I've been looking into a lot of sway bars lately and bracing. Eibach makes a 17mm rear sway bar, and I was wondering if it would be safe enough to run a 17mm sway bar WITHOUT bracing in AutoX.

Again, sorry to dredge up an old thread.

 

If you're doing AutoX it's probably a good idea to do the bracing. That is a significant amount of torquing on the suspension components when running the course.

 

What spring rates?

You really don't need the brace for that size sway bar, ofcourse having one wouldn't hurt anything.

 

I would skip the 17mm and jump to a 22mm CTR/ITR with an ASR brace.