ATTN: CivicSiRacer

I've been pricing out the materials I'd need to upgrade the OE 6th gen Si rear swaybar I have on my DX Civic right now, to a larger Teg Type-R swaybar. I found a how-to online for how to change it out (I just needed it to prove that it can be done, installing it is simple ;)) My question is, with doing auto-x and all, should I just stick with my Si bar I have on right now, or would I benifite much with the thicker 22mm ITR rear swaybar? And being thicker, should I get the mounting brackets welded to the frame, or since that bar is OE design, would I not have to worry about any problems like tearout? Just want you're opinions on this, thanks. :) To upgrade to ITR bar, all I need it the bare bar itself, and the bar bushings for it, I can use the Si endlinks on it as well as the mounting brackets. :cool: Out the door, it should be under $100 for all parts needed, and that's for brand new dealership ordered parts too!

Originally posted by SilverY2KCivic
I've been pricing out the materials I'd need to upgrade the OE 6th gen Si rear swaybar I have on my DX Civic right now, to a larger Teg Type-R swaybar. I found a how-to online for how to change it out (I just needed it to prove that it can be done, installing it is simple ;)) My question is, with doing auto-x and all, should I just stick with my Si bar I have on right now, or would I benifite much with the thicker 22mm ITR rear swaybar? And being thicker, should I get the mounting brackets welded to the frame, or since that bar is OE design, would I not have to worry about any problems like tearout? Just want you're opinions on this, thanks. :) To upgrade to ITR bar, all I need it the bare bar itself, and the bar bushings for it, I can use the Si endlinks on it as well as the mounting brackets. :cool: Out the door, it should be under $100 for all parts needed, and that's for brand new dealership ordered parts too!

Going with the Si sway bar you wouldn't need modifications, but if you go to the Type R bar I know many people who ripped their subframe using that one. So I would suggest upgrading and reinforcing the subframe.

Do you have a front sway bar on the car now? If you don't and add one of those sway bars I'd becareful. That backend will definitely come around at an autocross and even worse on slippery roads (ie: rain or snow covered). I'm upgrading to a Comptech bar for this season and switching my coilovers 350f/400r to 400f/350r.

Originally posted by CivicSiRacer


Going with the Si sway bar you wouldn't need modifications, but if you go to the Type R bar I know many people who ripped their subframe using that one. So I would suggest upgrading and reinforcing the subframe.

Do you have a front sway bar on the car now? If you don't and add one of those sway bars I'd becareful. That backend will definitely come around at an autocross and even worse on slippery roads (ie: rain or snow covered). I'm upgrading to a Comptech bar for this season and switching my coilovers 350f/400r to 400f/350r.

No, right now I don't have a front swaybar. I never got one because I know having or adding one can induce understeer, and that's what I want to avoid, so I can balance my car out. I've been considering a front lower tiebar, but I've been told that won't really do much, just wasted money more-less. I guess I could get an EX front swaybar, but wouldn't adding that defeat the purpose of getting the ITR rear sway, since it would balance my car to about what it's at right now, or am I all off on that notion? Also what would upgrading to a thicker bar actually do for me? I mean what differances will I notice when I upgrade? And on the welding part, is what I weld, each side of the mounting bracket to the frame it bolts to? As far as my Teins go, they came with the standard for the SS model units, 448f/224r for the spring rates. Pretty mild for the rear, but I can stiffen it up. When I auto-x'ed this past sunday (the 26th) I did my runs with the rears 4 clicks stiffer than the fronts.

Nah you want a front sway bar. What people tend to forget is your can dial out understeer just by tire air pressures.

But a front sway bar will make your car corner/turn-in quicker, since it doesn't have to lean first then turn. With a larger front sway bar as soon as you turn the steering wheel the car will go that direction. Plus the front tires will grip better/quicker. And then you want to add a rear Si or ITR bar to get it to neutral.

Having no front sway bar makes the car handle like a boat in some people's eyes. I've never driven like that. Then adding on a rear bar (without the front bar) and your car will snap oversteer - BAD!

Originally posted by CivicSiRacer
Nah you want a front sway bar. What people tend to forget is your can dial out understeer just by tire air pressures.

But a front sway bar will make your car corner/turn-in quicker, since it doesn't have to lean first then turn. With a larger front sway bar as soon as you turn the steering wheel the car will go that direction. Plus the front tires will grip better/quicker. And then you want to add a rear Si or ITR bar to get it to neutral.

Having no front sway bar makes the car handle like a boat in some people's eyes. I've never driven like that. Then adding on a rear bar (without the front bar) and your car will snap oversteer - BAD!

I've already had that happen on a freeway ramp once with a 15mph 90 degree curve half way down it, and I hit it at almost 40 (not on purpose though, I was trying to slow down for it), and whilegoing through it, I made the mistake of tapping the brakes, because I didn't think I'd make it at that speed, so thus my rear slid out about 45 degrees from under me. That was pretty scary, but cool too in the sense that I drifted the corner, not willingly though.

Would you say that the 22mm Civic EX front sway bar would be adaquate enough ti dial out turn lean from the front, or would I need something bigger up front?

Originally posted by SilverY2KCivic


Would you say that the 22mm Civic EX front sway bar would be adaquate enough ti dial out turn lean from the front, or would I need something bigger up front?

Yeah I think that should work. Even the 99-00 Civic Si front bar would be better 26mm.

Originally posted by CivicSiRacer


Yeah I think that should work. Even the 99-00 Civic Si front bar would be better 26mm.

Ok cool, thanks again for the help and tips. :)

Onelast question. Since I don't have a rule book yet (gonna get it on CD-ROM soon) would swapping out my stock DX Y7 intake manifold for a better breathing D8 EX intake manifold bump me out of STS class and into SM? I've heard it may since that's like internal work, but it IS still a factory component. Since I hear it'll work and fit, I was also considering bolting on an H22 Prelude throttle body if i do this manifold swap, but not sure on that yet...

Originally posted by SilverY2KCivic


Ok cool, thanks again for the help and tips. :)

Onelast question. Since I don't have a rule book yet (gonna get it on CD-ROM soon) would swapping out my stock DX Y7 intake manifold for a better breathing D8 EX intake manifold bump me out of STS class and into SM? I've heard it may since that's like internal work, but it IS still a factory component. Since I hear it'll work and fit, I was also considering bolting on an H22 Prelude throttle body if i do this manifold swap, but not sure on that yet...

It depends if they are in the same class as Street Prepared which I think is ILLEGAL. The DX would be in FSP and the Ex would be in DSP.

Originally posted by CivicSiRacer


It depends if they are in the same class as Street Prepared which I think is ILLEGAL. The DX would be in FSP and the Ex would be in DSP.

LOL, I'm confused now... Ok, what is it that would be illegal? And how would DX be in a different class than EX? Are you refering to stock for those two? :confused:

Originally posted by SilverY2KCivic


LOL, I'm confused now... Ok, what is it that would be illegal? And how would DX be in a different class than EX? Are you refering to stock for those two? :confused:

YOu gotta get yourself a rule book :)

STS follows almost the same rules at Street Prepared. Since the Civic DX is in FSP and the Civic Ex is in DSP you cannot interchange things between the classes.

So no it's not legal to change the throttle body from a Civic EX to a Civic DX. That would be like me changing the throttle body from a Civic Type R from Japan or a GSR changing the throttle body from a Type R.

What class would that put me in then? And why is DX in different class from EX? Is it the whole VTEC/no VTEC thing?

What do you mean why is the DX in a different class than an Ex? Cause they are different models with different hp. Like saying why is the 99-00 Si in a different class than the Dx.

You really do need to get a rule book. Go to the http://www.scca.org site to order one. It will help explain alot of the rules and allowable modifications.

If you changed the throttle body you could go to: Street Prepared (I'm 90% sure), Street Mod, Street Prepared, and Modified classes. You'd basically have to spend alot of money to get competitive in those classes.

I'd stick with STS and be somewhat competitive.

Originally posted by CivicSiRacer
What do you mean why is the DX in a different class than an Ex? Cause they are different models with different hp. Like saying why is the 99-00 Si in a different class than the Dx.

You really do need to get a rule book. Go to the http://www.scca.org site to order one. It will help explain alot of the rules and allowable modifications.

If you changed the throttle body you could go to: Street Prepared (I'm 90% sure), Street Mod, Street Prepared, and Modified classes. You'd basically have to spend alot of money to get competitive in those classes.

I'd stick with STS and be somewhat competitive.

Ok, thanks. I just didn't realize that the EX would be in a different class than DX, I would have guessed so for Si, but not EX. Anyways, as I mentioned above, I will be getting a rule book soon, as I plan to get a score card soon too and possibly join one of the clubs around where I live for auto-x.

Originally posted by SilverY2KCivic


Ok, thanks. I just didn't realize that the EX would be in a different class than DX, I would have guessed so for Si, but not EX. Anyways, as I mentioned above, I will be getting a rule book soon, as I plan to get a score card soon too and possibly join one of the clubs around where I live for auto-x.

Score card? What for?

It's something I might eventually look into, once I'm used to it and can get pretty decent times, I'll need a points card (sorry, not score card)to really compete in it.