[FrodoGT]

Found this on another board...Makes sense, almost like reactive caster on cars...

I dont want to disrupt everyones trip down memory lane, but since lots of ppl are reading this, i thought id clear the air about the 88 rear suspension.

Its true that the 88 rear lower control arm was unique in the US and shared only with the Integra Type R which is nearly identical. Its nothing similar to the NSX. It is however the same in nearly all civic and integra models from 1988-2000 sold in Japan. For some quirky reason, the civics and integras except as noted sold in the US had the cast lower control arm. What can be sure is that the difference in control arms offers no tangible difference in handling and performance. The geometry of the arm is identical and size of bushings are nearly the same between different arms.

Part of the lore of the CRX is that the 88 year had different handling and was changed for later years, which is then attributed to the change in the rear lower control arm. This actually is true, but not because of the lower control arm. It is the placement of the rear compensator arm (toe arm) to the chassis that was adjusted in years after 88. This change causes the dynamic toe change in the rear suspension to be less pronounced throughout the wheels vertical travel, making it less "twitchy", especially during hard braking. Some call it "passive rear steering", but all Honda's have it to some degree, front and rear. Its just part of how honda designs their suspension. Honda simply retuned it after feedback from racing experience here in the US and perhaps customers. But because the change was made to the chassis, it cannot be changed by switching parts between model years without rewelding the bracket the bushing bolts to on the chassis.