rear sway bar on 2000 ex

[hondachief21]

I have already searched the suspension forum and did not find anything. I know that I need a different lower control arm for the sway bar to work. Can I use stock ones from an Si, or do I need to buy the aftermarket ones? If I need to get aftermarket ones what brand is recommended? Thanks, Chief

[SilverY2KCivic]

Originally Posted by hondachief21

I have already searched the suspension forum and did not find anything. I know that I need a different lower control arm for the sway bar to work. Can I use stock ones from an Si, or do I need to buy the aftermarket ones? If I need to get aftermarket ones what brand is recommended? Thanks, Chief

You don't need different LCAs to fit a rear swaybar. ALL 6th gen '96-'00 Civics (CX up to Si) and even the JDM Civic Type-R all come with the SAME rear LCAs with the endlink holes already pre-drilled out at the factory. Since you have an EX which comes with a factory front swaybar, you don't have to worry about changing anything there either. CX/DX/LX 6th gen Civics however, must swap out LCAs in front to connect up a front swaybar. But for the rear, all you gotta do is get the bar, and bolt it up. Simple 15-20 minute install! As for kits, Suspension Techniques and Progress both make very good kits. Stay away from anything 17mm or larger. I ran a 22mm Integra Type-R rear swaybar and Beak's subframe reinforcement kit for about a year an a half before the bar started tearing itself out of the subframe. I had to get the damage welded back together as well as have some steel plates custom fabricated and welded over the repairs to prevent it from happening again which it would with that bar, and next time it would be at the LCA mounting points. Now I have on order a 15mm Del Sol VTEC rear swaybar that I'm going to put in place of the ITR 22mm bar, so I make sure that tearout never happens again. It's not fun to have to deal with. Luckily one of my friend's dad is a welder and was able to do the weld repairs for me, AND also cut out the steel plates using a plasma steel cutter, and made them using a true scale template that was made via AutoCAD that I was able to obtain. Here's a pic of how it turned out...

[NerveAgent]

What would cause the subframe to tear? I want to buy sway/strut bars as well, but i don't want to run into problems. What are the appropriate sizes.

[SilverY2KCivic]

Originally Posted by NerveAgent

What would cause the subframe to tear? I want to buy sway/strut bars as well, but i don't want to run into problems. What are the appropriate sizes.

Any bar 17.5mm or smaller. It tears because the metal of the subframe of EK/EJ Civics is VERY thin, I'm talking 20 gauge thick metal at the most. Also larger bars exert a LOT of force onto the chassis since they can't flex much at all, so all that energy has to go somewhere, and it get's put into the frame where it's mounted up to. Mine happened from angling up and down a very steep driveway ramp at my work the past several months.

[NerveAgent]

So I if get all sway/strut bars under 17.5mm without a reinforcement kit, my subframe will not tear?

[SilverY2KCivic]

Originally Posted by NerveAgent

So I if get all sway/strut bars under 17.5mm without a reinforcement kit, my subframe will not tear?

No, it shouldn't. If you go larger, you need a reinforcement kit, and that's not even a guarantee as was in my case. The subframe is so thin, there's no real way to 100% prevent it, short of drilling out the stock rear subframe, and tack-welding in an Integra or Civic Type-R rear subframe which is about "1/8th thick, or even slightly more si it can withstand the load and force of it's massive 22mm rear swaybar, or even the huge 26mm bar that Mugen sells. But we'll say under 18mm, you won't need reinforcement.

[NerveAgent]

Does anyone know if the Megan racing rear tie bar is under 17mm?!

[SilverY2KCivic]

Originally Posted by NerveAgent

Does anyone know if the Megan racing rear tie bar is under 17mm?!

This ONLY applies to swaybars, not tie or strutbars. Huge different between those.

[NerveAgent]

OHH! ok ok cool i thought it applied to both. thanks

[NerveAgent]

oh btw what kind of sway bar would you recommend i was thinking Neuspeed but its a little pricey and if i can't find anything with similar qualitys i'll probably just get that.

[SilverY2KCivic]

Originally Posted by NerveAgent

oh btw what kind of sway bar would you recommend i was thinking Neuspeed but its a little pricey and if i can't find anything with similar qualitys i'll probably just get that.

I'd never get a Neuspeed swaybar. They use VERY crappy and impracticle mounting brackets with theirs. I had a friend who snapped thr 2 different brakets on the same side, when he had a Neuspeed swaybar. If you have a '96-'00 Civic, I'd go with the OEM Si rear bar. Might not be as cheap as some, but it's what the car is designed for. Progress has very good bars I hear as well as Suspension Techniques.