76 replies to this topic

[TexanIdiot25]

Finally got around to hunting down a rear sway bar for the CRX HF, as it leans worse than I do after too many drinks.

I was suggested to look for a 93-00 Civic rear sway bar. Funny thing... None of them that I could get under came with them. There were Integras and a few 'ludes, but all had a wildly different rear sway bar than I was expecting, and most were too wide for the CRX. My goal was to mount the bar on the rear axle, and the end links onto the "frame rails" protruding out from the floor pan. I kept running from import to import, finding nothing suitable. Most had some hilariously shaped bar to snake around suspension and exaust, and most just bolted right to the control arms, no end links to really speak of. No good, padre.

Then I ran across a Dodge Caravan, stacked up on top of a Jeep... OH JOY! Chrysler still used a dead-beam rear axle in their vans, just like our cars. I measure up the frame mounts, and they are PERFECT! Exactly 3' 4" end to end apart, just like the Rex's frame rails.


Not all of the vans had them, but the Chrysler version always did and the "sport version" of the Dodge Caravan had them I noticed.


2 bolts in each frame mount, and the two each axle bracket. The bolts take a 15mm socket. Bring an extension for the passenger side bracket, or use a 14mm socket to unbolt the rear most exhaust hanger and just push it out of the way to swing a ratchet. Keep all of the frame bolts for later, and the bracket ones as spares.



Your prices will vary, but I got off with it for $25 bucks.


Dropped by Autozone to grab some 2.5" exhaust clamps, and nuts. Unfortunatly, the nuts I bought didn't fit the bolts despite having the proper thread according to the screw-in chart next to the bolts... Not the 1st time this has happened... Just goto home depot with the bolts, get washers and lock-nuts.



Mock'd in place- holes marked. I found the best position was to have the brackets about 1" from the factory tie down plate. Keeps the links at a similar angle that the Caravan had it, and allowed me to use one of the preexisting holes in the floor pan for the bolts

Start with a pilot hole, and work your way up drill-bit size. I don't recall what the final size was.



Found it easier to clamp the thing in place with a jack when threading the bolts. The end links are picky about moving around to different angles at 1st, also had to get creative to get around the exhaust



Bolt up, snug in place.



Perfect fit!!

Now, I'm taking suggestions how to thread a nut into the frame rail, but I'm thinking of just drilling some access holes in the floor pan to get a socket on it for easy access. Right now I've just got them threaded in the holes, but I ran out of time on the project for today to go further.

The results? PERFECTION! The car doesn't seem to start rolling until about 30-40 mph, and slaloming it, it's much steadier. Only did a little bit of driving, so I can't say how the car will react to more situations, but it's very stable and roll-free in corners so far.

The sway bar was $25, each exhaust clamp was 3 bucks, and the bolts were about 3-4 bucks. So, for $35 bucks basically, the CRX is a vastly improved little monster. And, by the grace of the Gods of Speed, a perfect fit! I'm still impressed with how awesome it all worked out.

Edited by TexanIdiot25, 27 November 2010 - 07:22 PM.

[crxmobber]

wow thats awesome! you never know what you can make work on these cars. Good work with your mod. i would say that accessing the other side would be best to secure the bar. I went the easy way and just bought the suspension techniques swaybar, but spent way more than you.

[TexanIdiot25]

Thanks! What diameter is your bar? I forgot to measure before I left.

[cbstdscott]

I love that! I never would have thought of looking under a Mopar van for a rear sway bar.

Scott

[Aren D.]

awesome job, that bar looks nice and strait unlike using a front honda bar like I have with abunch of extra bends that only add weight.

for mounting the link maybe you could just get 2 pices of 1.5" 90* angle iron about 1/8" thick and drill three holes in it, to holes to line up with the factory tiedown bolts, and then one hole to line up with the link mount?

nice job tho, love it.

[TexanIdiot25]

But but but, I spent all that time making such pretty and perfectly aligned holes for the van brackets

Not a bad idea, I do have some angle iron laying around. The van brackets also have another set of tow hooks built in.

[Aren D.]

no dout your way is good, I was just spit ballin.

[TexanIdiot25]

It's all good. I did however, took your way of mounting it to the axle with exhaust clamps.

[anjin]

Great find and result. I would reinforce that frame rail - its thin thin metal.

[TexanIdiot25]

I thought about that, I figured with the fattest washers I could fit into there, along with the van's bracket it would be a-ok. Would like to avoid having to cut the floor pan up any more than needed.

[TexanIdiot25]

Done!

Drilled a 1" access hole for the forward most bolt, and was able to use a preexisting hole to get the rearward one. FYI, the farther forward you put the van's frame brackets, the easier it is to line up the rear hole.



I'll get a plastic cap for the 2nd hole. And although you can't see it, I did back the bolts with large washers.



All said and done. I'm quite pleased with the results. The car is much sharper to drive, you can really feel it "rotate" on it's own center axis, where before all you felt was body roll. Now it just needs a good back road test. The only downside is that it seems to transfer more vibration to the back of the car, more shit rattles back there. The mounts are still tight after a 1st drive, so that's my theory on it.

Edited by TexanIdiot25, 17 June 2010 - 08:11 PM.

[Maine_Honda_Racer]

That's the charming drawback of tightening up the cars suspension, your back is what suffers the most! Mine is very rough with the 29mm tbars and 375 pound rear springs. I think I need a rear bar for more rotation, I'm going to try to set this up!

[badpenny]

Now all you need is some dx or si springs in the rear, and you will notice some incredible stiffness.

[TexanIdiot25]

Yeah that's why i started with the sway bars first. it rides harsh enough. and with pizza delivery i off road it a bit on⦁ the dirt roads, i need all the travel i can get its not really stiffer over bumps, predictably, just less over all slop.

for the dx and si springs, would i need to upgrade the shocks? they're in good shape as is, though.


edit:
Wrote that from my phone, very brief. Last driving impression, since I know if I take it to my 'test road' I'll just recite the same thing again.

Finally got a few good tosses at it. I've got to REALLY try and dive in too hard to get it to understeer. And I got a second opinion from a friend who rode with me when I 1st got the car, who says the car is much smoother for the passenger as well. The front chatters a bit, but holds regardless. More to do with these old tires than anything. I think with the Si and DX, with their built-in sway bars this would be a great setup. For the HF it's a nice balance. It's not snappy coming out of a badly driven corner either, something I was worried about when I was first looking at it, considering it was larger than any of the other Honda bars I saw. Not the case, the car is smooth to change directions. This seems to be just the right bar for the job.

I'm still shocked at how well it fit, hell the bar is even close to level and the links have about the same amount of angle to them, as they did in the Caravan. Not to mention, for $35 bucks the car is a completely changed machine, and still rides good!

Edited by TexanIdiot25, 18 June 2010 - 11:29 PM.

[Gant]

That is awesome info, thanx a lot for sharing, I am now defiantly considering this for my wago project