After the cruise last week, I have been feeling like I want my car to handle like a go cart through the twists. If i cant keep up with those sti's on the straights, i def want to be able keep up with on the curves.

My ep allready out handles most vehicles in its stock form, but I want to have some fun on the next few cruises and maybe some Gingerman time this next year.

I have done some research and this is my plan: (which i have allready started) p.s its on a budget too


upgrade brake pads (installed hawk hps pads)
Tires (bought some new toyos few weeks ago)

Type-s rear sway: 45.00 used
Front lower tie brace: 130 used
Front strut tower 20.00 new
Rear strut bar 20.00 new - basically useless but....
rear camber kit 50.00 used

Basically just going to stiffen up the car, gain some oversteer, improve grip through the corners with a little front negative camber, and newer rubber.

Does anyone have any auto X experience? What are your thoughts? Will the gains be noticeable?

i was about to give you some tips... and then i realized they only applyl to RWD cars :/

coilovers!

RWD owns. But what your doin sounds good.

what size rims are you running?

Matt

the stock 15" wheels

yeah, rwd is the best <8- D
haha i think i will be following a simillar budget plan.
i doubt i will be putting much into it but i want to get some slotted rotors up front, some ok pads (how are those pads you got?).
sounds like your car is going to be much better though.
oh yeah, i know this was a while ago, but sorry for being in front of you for some of the drive to south haven, my civic smokes a lot and im guessing you noticed <8- \ edit~i had to add one letter someplace.....

thats ok man...... sorry i passed ya- i was getting a headache

haha i actually wanted you and john the great to pass me, i don't like holding people behind.

well definately get some sticky ass rubber for them or step up a rim size. Maybe 16s or 17s would be as big as I would gon that car. Advantage to 17s or evne 16s is prolly the ability to install a larger braking system
Matt

yea those big brake kits are sweet. i would really like some 16" rota slipstrams in flat black and an aem big brake kit since they are seem ok and are reasonably priced.

we will see in march when tax money starts rolling in

Pass on the AEM kit if you can, I would really suggest either a stock system with some nice pads, like you have, or go to a wilwood system. They are pretty reasonable, around $600, at least as far as big brake kits go....

if you're going to mod brakes just step up to a bigger brake. Adding High performance pads is going to help you stop better and do it longer, but you can only push a stock set of brakes so far?

K2o your car has 4 disc brakes right?

Matt

yeah, i think he has discs all around. best way to slow down faster is by having better tires, but then again, everyone knows tires are the best thing you can change.
it seems like a stock braking system would be good enough if you can lock up your tires, i mean what good is it going to do? i don't know too much about A.B.S. and brake upgrades though <8- \
although steel braided brake lines are supposed a nice uprgrade.

getting rid of some body roll will help. A nice set of tires will do the most, unless you're gonna spend major cash. But it seems like you are heading in the right direction, might want to look into something like an H and R cup kit, or something similar, or a TEIN coilover kit(no idea what the honda boys use)

from what I recall if you can easily lock up your tires when stopping that means your brake system is not up to par and needs replacement/improvement.
Matt

thanks..... this is the input i was looking for.

this is going to be a daily driver which i was just hoping to improve the handling without spending too much.

and yep its got disc brakes on all 4 corners

like CMartin suggested a Coilover kit could be very benefical. Especially an adjustable one.
Matt

yea i have been looking at either tein or mugen set up but sooo damn expensive.

both are at about 1200.00

doesn't tein just make a budget coilover kit, called "basic" or something. i thought they were only $600. pretty cheap for a fully threaded coilover.

FYI, the mugen kit is made by MOTON, and $1200 for that stuff is cheap. they have external reservoirs, which you dont want for the street.

honda stuff is cheap, you should be able to find something pretty easy.

yea in comparison to other models of cars- honda's are pretty cheap to mod. tein basics for 600 sounds reasonable.

just have to start saving up a lil more. im a broke college student lol

http://www.omnipowerusa.com/Products/Produ...ll_Coilover.asp but i think they sell them cheaper on some other sites, i never really look for EP parts anyways lol. i want a set for the EF but like i said, i want to go on a really low budget.

as far as brakes go contact patch of the tire is most important for stopping, more tire means the tires will not lock up as easily, grip goes both ways. Second problem is that fat tires and small brakes create a lot of heat, the heat will increase stopping distance, upgrading the pads will help some but a bigger brake rotor will not heat up as fast and more metal will dispate the heat better. Taller rims will increase the contact patch even with same width tires and give you more room to install larger rotors. Just my 2 cents.

good info thanks...

here is a great article. http://www.wilwood.org/pulpfriction.pdf
here is a discussion that started about rotors http://www.drifting.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6920&page=1 <8- )

well i didnt get to purchase the parts i thought i was going to. i had to pay the power compnay 700 dollars unexpectedly so i guess maybe this spring if i still have this si and not the new one

you had to pay the power co $700?? what are you doing, growing marijuana?

no i got screwed by an old roomate who never paid the utility and they came and found me....

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Plus some sway bars and some sticky tires.

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