Since it's a wishbone-suspension Honda, camber won't be adjustable -- toe and caster only. Your best bet, especially for track work, is to make sure the toe is set to factory specs (usually zero in front, a little toe-in for the back) and add as much caster as you can get.

These cars are also tremendously responsive to front-rear differences in tire pressure, so once you're properly aligned, set the front pressure where you need it for turn-in and to avoid rolling over onto the sidewalls, then play with the rear to tune the handling. 36-38 psi sounds about right to start for the track (for autocross, start the fronts 42-45 psi) -- now vary the rear up or down in 2 psi increments and see what happens. Once you find the right direction, keep working in 1-2 psi increments until you get to where you want. I've not played much with Civics, both my Preludes liked lower pressures in the back. For the track, be very careful about going more than 5-6 psi. For autocross, I ran a very large differential -- as much as 20 psi less in the back, which made the car very loose...far too loose for the track, but very workable for autocross.

 

Rear Caster? Is he driving a Pallet Jack? Last time I checked caster was a function of steering wheels. and the kingpin Inclination can effect dynamic camber, however last time i checked we were dealing with the rear of the car. Go on ebay Pay $30-50 and buy yourself a Pyrometer. find out where the tire is getting hot,

center= your pressures are high and lowering them will give you more grip,
edges= your pressure is low and you need more pressure for optimum grip
outside edge only= you could use more Negative camber
inside edge only = you have too much Negative camber

Every suspension setting is adjustable, in any car, (it's just how hard you have to work to acheive it) in a honda there are a huge amount of parts availble to get whatever you want, shims, camber links etc. the most important thing is to LEARN what YOU need to get the biggest flattest contact patch on the road, you are doing the right thing by running as many events as possable, driver is more important then any part, and you will be able to know what settings work best for YOUR driving style.

my other worry point is with worn stock shocks in the rear of the car the tires might not be following the pavement as they should, this would cause the car to become unsettled in the rear but not in a predictable fashon, and a stock shock will NEVER have adaquate rebound damping for a "Race" spring.

most importantly anyone that tells you PROPER pressures to run is blowing smoke up your A$$. Pressures will vary from car to car, shock to shock, day to day, and By driving style. Sure you can get close with a suggestion but no two cars or drivers are identical so the only way is proper testing and quantitive data, Then you can start logging pressures on your own.

Jeff

 

I was talking about alignment in general. When I asked if his suspension was adjustable, he didn't seem to know what I was talking about, so I clarified.

Yes, no caster on the rear.

Apparently no camber adjustment, either.

Man, I've been spoiled with fully adjustable 4-wheel independent suspension cars!

 

You may also consider a combination of a rear lower tie bar / sway-bar. The lower tie bar (attaches at the point where your main chassis bolt connects to the Lower C-arm) is a huge help in Honda's. It helps to really even out the rear suspension flex.

I have a GSR, use to Autox all the time, and have an upper bar in the rear, but with a Beaks Performance Type R sway bar kit. I couldn't ever afford the full lower tie bar/sway bar setups that Comptech and a few others make. I really like the setup with the Type R sway bar. Its a 22mm solid bar vs. the stock 13/14mm. It really helps to keep the rear end planted and typically gives controllable rotation at the limit. The Beaks kit includes billet aluminum reinfocing bars that help to reduce the tendancy for large sway bars to actually tear out the chassis mounts. You need integra rear lca's with this setup so that the lca's have the stock sway bar mount points. You can get them for 10 to 15 bucks a piece on Ebay.

Seems to have gone up quite a bit in price from a few years back but:

Welcome to Beaks Products

If you really have some cash at somepoint go for:

Sway Bar/Clear Tie Bar--rear (96-00 Civic & 99-00 Civic Si)

 

I actually just picked up a used Neuspeed Lower Tie bar before I got the strut bars. As far as I know there are no sway bars at all my car(and ive spent plenty of hours under this car) But yeah the Beaks set-up is really nice...one day!

For now, I guess I just need to keep driving the car with the bars and get it figured out and see how it reacts(wish i could do it on track). What do you guys think about putting the lower Tie bar on now? I know there is a rule of putting on 1 thing at a time so you know whats changing to your modifications...

 

you can buy all the parts required to put on a rear sway bar. i kinda think that would make more sense than a tie bar, but if you already have it why not put it on. a rear sway bar should definately be on your list of parts to buy. also, installing that beaks bar is a big pain in the ass, atleast from what i remember.

 

From what I hear the Beaks setup is the only one that doesnt rip out your subframe too though...

 

You can buy pretty much any swaybar and then just get a subframe brace. I think there are some companies that sell the two together as a kit, but you don't have to buy them that way.

I remember reading somewhere that 96-00 Civics aren't as susceptable to rear subframe problems if a swaybar is used with stiffer springs & shocks, which seems to make sense, but I've never seen anything definite.

 

Well...I got good news! I dropped the rear pressure by about 3psi and the thing woke up! I took her for a run down patterson(or 4) last night and mmmm...thats all i got to say! thanks for all the tips so far!

I got a Neuspeed Lower Tie bar to install still, I dont think that will make as much a difference as the strut bars did but well see! I guess a sway bar could be next on the list for suspension mods but I gotta get a roll bar, seat, harness, and steering wheel before I get any more mods....

 

That'll help, but it actually has to do with lubrication. The poly bushings need lubed every 3 months or so. Otherwise the bar will bind in the bushing and then rrriiiiiiippppppppp. I lube mine with teflon tape whenever I hear it start squeaking again.

I have the Comptech though, so I have been ignoring it for the past couple years, not worried about tear out.