How To: First Gen. Integra Sway Bar Upgrade on Second Gen. CRX.

oc_civic

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1G teg Sway Bar upgrade on 2G rex

found this over at CRXRESOURCE.org and thought i would share it

88-89 Integra Sway Bar upgrade for HF, DX and Si.
Poorboy MOD that is well worth the time and effort.



Parts List from an 88-89 Teg:

Front swaybar (24mm)
Rubbers where the bracket attaches to the sway bar
Front end links
Rear sway bar
Rear bracket to LCA*
Rubbers where the bracket attaches to the sway bar
LCA*
Rear bracket mount*
*Not needed on the SI

Tools:

Suspension hammer
14mm deep socket
12mm deep socket
12mm wrench
ratchet for your sockets
3" extension
Dremel with a grinding bit

First off, you might wanna paint the SB's to make it look halfway decent, I painted mine red to look a little better underneath.

HERE WE GO:

Jack the rex and place it on jackstands. Taking the front wheels off will make the job easier but is not necessary. Take the bolts out of the existing endlinks where it hooks up to the front control arms. Undo the bolts on the bracket that holds the sway bars, two up front, and DO NOT LOSE THE METAL BRACKET. Rotate the sway bar as you take it out, pulling and angling it towards the rear of the car. Once you take it out, put it aside. Bend the Teg sway bar about 1/4 inch towards the middle, compare it to the stock toothpick of a swaybar that you just took out. This step is not necessary (it will fit) but do it so that the weight is distributed evenly to the front control arms. Route the teg sway bar the same way the stock came off. It takes quite a bit of angling and perserverance to get it in but it will go in. Place the bracket over the rubber on the sway bar, anchor it down with the bolt (finger tight). Now, install the endlinks into the SB (sway bar) and the control arm, leave it loose. Now torque everything in sequence, left endlink, right endlink, left bracket, right bracket till it is up to the torque specs. DO NOT GO SUPERSAIYAN on it and break the bolt, tighten it to specs.

Now your ready for the rear. Take the rear wheels off. Assuming you put the rex on jackstands like I said in the beginning. Take out the LCA's (not necessary if you have an SI, I'm not sure what difference the thickness of the rear SB's are between the teg and the Si. I'll replace it anyway if I were you since SB's are matched tuned from front to back. If your an HF or a DX keep reading. If your an SI, your on your own from here. (Si's already have brackets in them, HF and DX gets a lil' tricky from here). The Si's have a factory mount point in the rear for the bracket, a 12mm bolt next to the tow hooks. HF and DX (We) don't. Get the Dremel, with a grinding bit on it. Undo the bolts of the tow hooks, 3 bolts, 14mm on each side. place the bracket on the front two, SB mounting bracket to the front of the car. UREKA!! it lines up, but one small snag... the bracket holes have 12mm bolts but the chassis takes 14mm. Simple solution is to enlarge the holes of the bracket with the dremel we got ready. 15 mins of grinding later and we have our brackets ready.

OPTION 1:

Install the SB endlink brackets on the LCA's, leave it loose. Now, install the LCA on the car, install the SB into the bracket using the rubber that came with it as well as the metal bracket, leave it loose. Now install the bracket to the front two holes and torque it down. Now, connect the SB to the LCA bracket. Quite a bit of stretching on the endlink but it will fit. Now go in sequence to torque it down, left endlink, right endlink, left bracket, right bracket. Again do not over torque it. Finish up but installing the wheels, lowering the car to the ground and going for a test drive. HF and DX will feel a big difference, "go cart steering", but also a lot like wrestling a bull on the wheel on turns because bodyroll is reduced.

OPTION 2:

Install the LCA's in reverse, left to right, right to left. This way the mounting point on the LCA is to the rear. Switch the brackets so that the holes are reversed and lines up to the rear 2 holes of the tow hook mounting point. Install the brackets, install the endlinks, and attach the SB's to both. Not much stretching and now your mounted opposite of option 1. I installed mine this way because all of the mounting points of the knuckle are to the front and the endlink is to the rear, it feels a lot sturdier to me. The LCA's are will fit this way also because there is no bent in it.

SIDE EFFECTS:

Teg LCA's are a little longer than that of HF, and DX. It will give you a slight negative camber which is perfect for AUTOX.
Big SB's up front makes more steering resistance but you'll feel better not having as much body roll.
Thanks to kais3rboy for this information.
 


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