civic?eww?y?

This will be my 1 and only suspension mod, besides tires.

If I go the el-cheapo route 35$ strut bar... will I see any results?

I notice the EM2(2001+) civic has quite a bit of understeer when cornering, and the suspension geometry goes way off when the front flexes even with moderately slow turns~ 45km/hr.

I'd like to ask EM2 owners with any suspension mods, including the strut bar. How their cars handles corners after modifications.

I'm fairly new to the Em2 chassis, so let me know its weak points, and areas which need improvement.


*edited: added (2001+)

Nova_Dust

If you want to correct understeer, you need to stiffening up your rear.

If you want to correct body roll in general (cause chassis will twist no matter what), you need more than a front strut bar.

The cheap brand "might" do something, but I wouldn't count on it. Look at the end of the bar, thin, small, and connected by a threaded bolt. In most cases, it won't do anything. You want a decent strut bar, look for the ones that has thick ends or no pivot points.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

obviously it's not a weak chassis... it's a weak driver. understeer is mostly a driver problem first and foremost. yeah, FF chassis have more tendancy to understeer, but I have no problem putting any 5 spd Civic sideways... can't do it on autos though.

also, the suspension geometry doesn't 'flex' as you put it... the Civic, after it's big brother the Integra Type R and GSR... is the best handling FF car out there straight from the factory. maybe your tire pressures are low.

I don't have a strut tower brace installed and my suspension is ... it's tight. I think a few members here can voutch for that. My civic is prolly in the top 5 best handling cars in the club.

Nova_Dust

I will settle for the 6th place then.

imported_trackhack

I'm probably not that far off either =)

imported_Bruce Fee

i'm probably number one out of the guests.

imported_loudsubz

im not even close lol

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

I'm not here to toot my own horn, but it's a fact. I'm sure there are others here that handle well, but you'll be hard pressed to find a car that will hold in even the roughest roads, soak up bumps and keep traction on the tires, won't slam the bumpstops, and still stay neutral with minimal body roll. let's just say this... the seat upgrade was not out of fashion, it was outta necessity, the stock seats could not keep me in the seat with the lateral G's the car is capable of. Maybe I'll have a chance this summer to set up a 200 ft skidpad and test it with a G-tech.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like my car. The only thing holding me back right now is my crappy all season tires. I can't wait to get the summer wheels back on and start carving those corners again, especially with all of this new-found power i have acquired.

i'd love to bring my car to that test as well. You should set something up, like a "test your car in a controlled environment day" I'm sure there are people here that have g-tech's we can use.

civic?eww?y?

LOL...am I the only one here with an EM2 civic...

You guys all have 98-99-00 EK/EM1 Civics...(which I think are the best)

I have an EM2...haha Its MUCH different...rofl

You know..its the model after the 6th gen..the 7th gen...the ...crappier one? lmao!

Yeah..so back to my topic...please answer if you own a 7th gen =)

Yeah..about driver skill? I dont really care...the question here is whether the 7th gen chassis is flexing alot due to the unibody design up at the front two strut towers?

Fill me in =)

Also, my sarcasm is happy sarcasm, like joking sarcasm, please dont be offended =)

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

haha ok... and NO, the new Civic platfrom is even more torsionally rigid than the prev generations. so no, its not your chassis twisting. it's prolly soft sidewalls and crappy tires at this point. go in the summer and get good tires, then tweak your chassis from there. the RSX is very similar, and the two guys Tom and Peter on speed TV built a wicked Mugen eq't RSX. You can do the same.

civic?eww?y?

Hmmm.. inspirational,

I noticed this car has alot of clearance....but the rear end feels very loose at higher speeds.

How do I tame the rear end using suspension mods?
...I dont want to lower my car btw...

Get a set of stiff shocks?
or ... get a rear tie bar?
or ... both?

I've actually seen some rear tie bars on 2001+ civics...they look short, and skinny incomparison to the 96-2000 civic applications.

It makes me wonder if the rear tie bars actually do anything at all.

StewPiddass

Yeah, I heard Sean Hyland say today that that Mugen RSX pulled 1.12 g's!!! On street tires!

Don't even worry about tie bars, if you want to do only one mod to decrease understeer (but you don't wanna put in 500lb linear rear springs like me) then get a bigger rear swaybar. I think the one from a RSX fits...

Oh yeah, I'd like to enter my car in this "best handling car in the club" thingy, you guys need to come out to some Autocross events, it'll be fun!

DumbasSi

I have an 03 Civic and the last thing I would spend any money on would be a cheap tie bar. Like bbarbulo mentioned above, the 7th gen Civics are very rigid already. If you must buy a tie bar, buy a solid one like Neuspeed, but they are over $100.

Here is what I did and am planning...

H&R Sport springs. They are alot stiffer then stock, but only about 1.5" lower and have really made the car handle and corner better.

RSX rear swaybar. The Civic swaybar is 13 or 14mm, but the RSX one is 19mm and is a direct bolt-on. You need bigger mounting brackets, but they are cheap and you can re-use your original endlinks. From what I have read on another Civic website, the RSX bar really reduces rear body roll and understeer.

Better tires. The stock Firestones SUCK! Even if you keep your 15" steelies, replace the tires with a better set. Even a cheap set of Kumho 712 will be a million times better then the Firestones.

imported_phuviano

Well, I got an 04. I've had a generic strut bar, and now I have a neuspeed one. Generic one was ok, but it didn't fit without touching my intake. It kept making a banging noise from hitting the intake.

If you are not going to bother with an intake, then get a generic one. I have the neuspeed one now, and I think it works just as good as the generic, but the neuspeed one stays clear of hitting the intake.

BTW, I can make turns at 40km/h with no problems. I turn at 35-40 km/h with no effort at all.

lordm

this is my suspension setup. i think i have one of the most heavaly modified 4dr 2002 civics here.
complete N1 race coil overs
neuspeed from upper strut brace part# 35.20.77
nuespeed rear 22mm anti sway bar with sub frame brace part
#25.20.22.1 this is well worth the money
dc sport rear upper strut brace.

with all this done my car stays flat and corners really well. you can anyone on the board i feel confident they will confirm or vouch for my ride

imported_Dawson

yeah i got a 05 si coupe and i didnt notice a huge difference with the strut brace bar installed but mines just a generic one

civic?eww?y?

Alrighty then, I'm gonna get a sway bar. ~scratch the whole strut bar idea~

1. Anyone know if the RSX-S (~20 or 21mm) rear sway bar will fit?

2. Will the subframe get ripped off the chassis from this oversize bar, like the older 96-00 civics?

3. Whats the part numbers for the sway bar swap.

I guess I'd need 3 parts

i) rear sway bar
ii) sway bar bushings
iii) mounting bushing brackets

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

yeah your car was one I thought of when I was thinking "top 5 best handling civics on TCC"

StewPiddass

Thanx Bruno... you make me blush...

The RSX bar does fit, one of the guys I autocross with has one on his '01 coupe. No idea about part numbers though... (weird from the guy who works @ Honda)