1st upgrade is in the handling department:
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. :uhoh: In order to save weight and achieve it's 1700 lbs curb weight, the CRX goes with out any sort of rear sway bar, so how better to improve on handling?
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. :lol: 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. I think I used a 16mm socket, though it really needed something like a 15mm. But, no bolts even attempted to round. 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.
Your prices will vary, but I've been going to this yard for years and he let me go off with it for $25 bucks! I was expecting 50-75 to be honest.
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.
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 :lol:
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 40-50 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.
Total costs in the car? $400~