"Betty" Gets a Sway-Bar

If I haven't mentioned it before I have this thing about naming my cars. (and most inanimate objects I interact with regularly, like my home computers, iPods, cell phones... it's more fun that way!) The coupe I've recently sold to my brother; "Rhonda." Red Honda... make sense right. My wife's car had three decent tires and one cheapo that didn't match. The only word you could read clearly on the side without crouching down was the name brand, "Douglas." Can you guess the name of her car?

So, when the new four door civic replaced the coupe it needed a name. Being a beige sedan which was driven for it's first seven years by an older woman should really have an old lady name. Plans for it being what they are it would look like an "old lady car" but underneath be a real firecracker. Easy! Betty White! So her new name is "Betty." And she's beginning to get that spark... the first real change was the addition of window tint. Here in SC summer lasts 3/4 of the year and it gets hot! The cooler thing are to start with the less heat the A/C must remove (that one's for you thermodynamicists). Good tint cuts out a significant percentage of the suns thermal radiation. Priority.

OK, back to the sway-bar... with the newer, nicer car comes the opportunity to use it for more than commuting, for instance running errands with my wife, or going out to dinner with my wife. So now I get some good feedback. And her, being a wonderful match for me begins by noting that the suspension is a bit soft and needs a some stiffening. :D I could not help but to oblige. I began the search and found a great deal on a EM1 ('99-'00 Civic Si) rear sway bar. What made the deal great was the fact that it came with new links (almost $100 for the set new!) and reinforcement plates.

All this fun and no pictures?! Oh, here they are...

Just for visual reference, the front EX/LX sway bar. OE bar is 22mm here.

Here is a look at the rear subframe and lower control arms in its original sway-bar free condition. Notice though at the outer part of the control arms and just above the chassis side mount points the pre-drilled (...pre-punched really) mount holes found on all '96-'00 civic, even though only the '99-'00 Si had a bar back here.

The rear bar 13mm, soaking up some afternoon sun prior to install. The links on the rear are double ball type instead of a through bolt with bushings like the front. This is the better design I think. Speaking of better, check out the aluminum reinforcing plate there on the mount bracket! It's a slick looking CNC'd peice meant to prevent the thin sheet metal subframe from tearing out under heavy load. The two holes are threaded so extra nuts aren't needed and install is a bit easier.

A closer look at those plates and the brackets that fasten to them.

Super simple install. Four bolts, two nuts... double check and done. Initially I was going to clean the bar, links and brackets before install but it blends in so well with a little dirt on it, it's as if it belonged there. And those fancy aluminum plates..?

...tucked away, out of sight. Fantastic.

First driving impressions: the difference is noticable but subtle. The car doesn't feel so unsettled when you try to have a little fun. Overall it feels more balanced and poised. This set up, 22mm in front and 13mm in back is supposed to be a "neutral" set up for this chassis. I concur.

For more reading check out this write-up. That's where I did most of my research and planning before buying.