finally going to be putting on an si rear sway on my 98 civic. Just wanted to get a few things clear before i put it on...

will I have to drive it up on rails so that i can mount it and tighten it with the suspension settled? Or can i just lift it at the jack points fit it on without tightening and then just drive it around the block for the suspension to settle before i tighten it up? Any tricks to get this mounted?


I've also heard that some people have used larger washers behind the bolt so that it distributes the stress over a wider area, is this necessary with this stock bar? Should I use locking washers?

finally going to be putting on an si rear sway on my 98 civic. Just wanted to get a few things clear before i put it on...

will I have to drive it up on rails so that i can mount it and tighten it with the suspension settled? Or can i just lift it at the jack points fit it on without tightening and then just drive it around the block for the suspension to settle before i tighten it up? Any tricks to get this mounted?


I've also heard that some people have used larger washers behind the bolt so that it distributes the stress over a wider area, is this necessary with this stock bar? Should I use locking washers?

I used to have the 13mm Si rear swaybar on my '00 DX coupe before I upgraded it to a 22mm Teg Type-R rear swaybar.

Both bars I installed myself in about 20 minutes just by simply having the rear of the car lifted on jack stands at the rear jack points, while parked on my driveway. The bar will settle itself out once you drive around a little bit on it. Once you loer your car back down, what I usually do is hop a little bit on the door sill of each side of the car to settle it some beofr going out driving. You may want to grease up the mount bushings for 100% quiet operation, otherwise you may experience moans and groans from the bar as it twists and flexes per suspension movement. I didn't have that problem really with my Si bar (I never greased it, LOL!) but I had MAJOR noise problems with my ITR bar till I got it greased up.

As for parts used installing SI bar, just use whatever components Honda recommends. I don't recall using any washers myself and never had a single problem with it, so larger ones won't be nessacery at all.

thanks YOU! :smile:

I'm installing one too on my car... thanks for the info.

Should I bother getting polyurethane bushings for it? If so, where's a good deal place to get them at?

Yes get the poly bushings, I'll post a link @ the end of this. Make sure to lube the hell out of them & keep clean during install.

You don't need to do the washer trick because of the tiny bar going on. Now if it was a large bar you would want to do the washer trick & possibly use a frame reinforcment kit, also welding brackets to the frame won't hurt - well except when it comes for removing the welded brackets. Stock sways are pretty simple to install with suspension @ full droop(car lifted) My rear ST adjustable bar is impossible to hook-up the end links on it's stiffest setting with the car lifted. To do this, I have the car lifted & then use a trans jack under each control arm & then connect the end links. I'm sure it could be done on the ground, but I ain't laying on the ground when we have lifts! Lock washers wont hurt, but aren't really needed. Just make sure they are high grade bolts if not using the OEM bolts.

http://www.suspension.com/civic.htm

Just an FYI, most Pep Boys also sell Energy Suspension brand poly bushings. That's where I got mine from that i'm using with my ITR rear swaybar, $14.99 for a pair of swaybar chassis mount bushings. And they come with Zerk type greasable fittings too that you can get lubed up at any Jiffy Lube or similar place. :cool:

just had one last question. WHat size bolt do I use to mount the brackets to the subframe? :icon16:


I went to honda dealer and they were trying to sell me the bolt that attaches the d bracket to the mounting bracket, but that looks to short to me.

Someone from another forum told me in was a 1" long bolt and the place that sold me the sway bar told me it was 8 x 1.25". Went to Home Depot and didn't find either.

Arrgghh. need help. :banghead:

I don't know the exact size & pitch, but I would go back to the Honda parts counter & point to exactly what you need on their parts diagrams. Some times they aren't the brightest morons behind the counter.

just had one last question. WHat size bolt do I use to mount the brackets to the subframe? :icon16:


I went to honda dealer and they were trying to sell me the bolt that attaches the d bracket to the mounting bracket, but that looks to short to me.

Someone from another forum told me in was a 1" long bolt and the place that sold me the sway bar told me it was 8 x 1.25". Went to Home Depot and didn't find either.

Arrgghh. need help. :banghead:

Actually, there are three measurements. It could be "8mm diameter bolt with 1.25 pitch threads and a ~1" bolt length".

According to hondaautomotiveparts.com, the bracket bolt to subchassis is: "8x18" which probably means 8mm diameter x 18mm length. Threads, is probably the 1.50, but I'm not sure. Could be the 1.25.

Hope that helps a little.

If you get the Beaks (http://www.beaksproducts.com/srk-ek.html) subframe kit, it comes with the necessary bolts.

Credit SilverY2KCivic for showing me that one a while ago.