Torsion Bar Honda Suspension Explained

So, you inherited or bought an 84-87 Honda Civic or CRX (or an 86-89 Integra) and you have no idea how the suspension works. Heeltoe is here in your corner to help explain things!
We're taking things slow and explaining how the parts are installed and how they work together. We'll cover servicing and upgrading in a future video!
Torsion bar Hondas are cars that have a torsion bar front suspension and a beam axle rear suspension. It can be confounding to those who are only used to the newer double-wishbone cars. But this layout is really simple and effective.
Heeltoe sells upgraded torsion bars:
www.heeltoeauto.com/torsion-bar/

[@streetmorros2555]

I have an 87 civic and there isn’t much information that I could find on how to modify it so this video series is exciting!

[@Heeltoe.]

More to come!

[@michealphy4013]

Same here

[@haz_jun2442]

Awesome information. Finally understanding this type of suspension. Keep them coming.

[@Heeltoe.]

More coming!!

[@zVlPERz]

Awesome video, nice to finally understand how the suspension on my 86 si works.

[@Heeltoe.]

That was the goal :)

[@LAguilar4315]

Thanks for the in depth video. I got an 1987 Civic Wagon looking to upgrade suspension.

[@Heeltoe.]

Glad it was helpful!

[@1stGenCRXs]

Great information Marcus and thank you for the help in keeping these great little cars looking and performing! One note is that upgrading the front sway bar is very last on the list for improving handling on these cars. In some cases it can cause more understeer.

[@Heeltoe.]

Good info yes we will be covering suspension upgrades in upcoming videos.

[@joshuagutierrez5867]

Please Please more videos on this civic anything there's no help out there for us....

[@Heeltoe.]

More to come!

[@jakubkuczynski683]

Brother your chanel is gold

[@Heeltoe.]

Thanks for saying so, we're working hard!

[@jakubkuczynski683]

@@Heeltoe. Hello, I have one question on the Tein kits you are selling. Does the Civic kit also fit the sedan version. I would ask somewhere else, but you are like the only seller that I found.

[@muhammadhilmihilmijmj6198]

Good information

[@Heeltoe.]

Thanks! More coming as well!

[@screechtherollerblader7441]

Great video, want to see how you guys install the camber caster plates on the medieval tein. That be great. Thanks

[@Heeltoe.]

Certianly, more to come!

[@tom-vx1lp]

this is so helpful

[@Heeltoe.]

Thanks more to come!

[@UzsDc1UZ]

Hey man I was wondering how on a pan hard/trac link bar it doesn't push the suspension to the right if the car goes over a bump but it pushes it over if the axle moves up (from lowering the car)? This is interesting as my friend has a built jeep and I like looking at the articulation of his setup as well as just understanding solid axle setups better

[@ericslivinski2080]

This is really informative, thanks for taking the time to make this video. Question: I'm looking to lower the rear of my '88 Integra with the Ground Control setup like what you have here about an inch. With that minor of a lowering do I still need an adjustable pan hard? Is there a rule of thumb on how low or is it mandatory anytime lower than stock height?

[@Heeltoe.]

Great question! With minimal lowering there will be minimal change in the initial position. Probably around 2 inches it's where you will really start wanting one.

[@christianlawson7575]

I am getting the BC racing coil-over damper kit for my 86 CRX, I was also probably going to get some 24mm torsion bars. Is there anything els I would need to make the new parts work as they should, or am I good to go without upgrading other suspension parts, mechanically speaking. Currently my CRX is having issues with bumps in the road so upgrading is in my best interest.

[@Heeltoe.]

Thank you we got your order and are shipping all today! We'll contact you shortly with some fulfillment information. You probably will need a Panhard bar as well, as we mention in the end of the video here. Circle back on that and let us know if we should add one to your order.

[@Samualninja]

I just picked up "rover 416i" with the honda engine which is basically the OG integra. I've watched this video and it hurts my brain 😂 I already hate wanting to do any work on it and haven't removed one bolt yet

[@Heeltoe.]

Lol, well, luckily if you do want to do some work there is some support

[@troybranch9720]

Looking at the midevil pro. Wanting to lower it a good amount. Should I max the strut first then leave the rest to the torsion bar. Or should I try to find a balance?

[@Heeltoe.]

The torsion bar sets the height. But because the MP dampers are shorter than OEM these dictate the highest baseline height you can achieve, just installing these dampers lowers the car. To properly set the torsion bar it needs to be re-indexed. Honestly, more videos are needed here to illustrate better.

[@TorbCraft]

How well do these old cars handle? I’ve got a 94 Del Sol on coilovers, braces, and a big rear sway bar and handles roads amazing. Just bought an 87 CRX HF and I was curious if I could eat up some roads with a 2-3” drop with some 27mm torsion bars and some nice springs in the rear? I’ve heard it isn’t worth modifying these cars for anything other than looks but I would really like to take some back roads with this car

[@Heeltoe.]

They handle very well considering their weird design and their age. Old torsion bar Hondacars are still heros at autocrosses all over the nation. Back roads, forget about it. They are light, tossable, and really honestly have a very high limit when set up right.

[@1stGenCRXs]

They can be go carts for sure. My stock 85 CRX is fun in its own way and my fully modded street legal track 86 CRX is very competitive on the track. Lots of trophies and fun!

[@renegarcia4522]

I have my 1987 honda crx leaking grease at the end of the torsion bar where it is mounted to the fron do i need new torssion bars?

[@Heeltoe.]

No. Not at all.

[@ferrnanimal]

I think I have seen the bar inside of the rear beam axle removed. Is it worth the weight reduction? I have a b series 87 CRX

[@Heeltoe.]

Yes people do remove it and then lock the rear axle, but this really isn't the wisest thing to do for dynamics.

[@zVlPERz]

Do you know what spoiler is on the hatch of this car?

[@Heeltoe.]

It is a Mugen Spoiler

[@bryanchaconcastaneda2830]

To lower the height in the front, which way would you have to turn the teeth of the torsion bar? thanks for the info...

[@Heeltoe.]

It depends on which side of the car we're talking about. A better way to think about it is, which way would you need to turn the bar to lower the car? On the left side of the car, to lower the car you need to raise the control arm, looking from the back of the bar that means turning it clockwise. On the right side you'd be turning it counter clockwise.

[@bryanchaconcastaneda2830]

​@@Heeltoe.ooh I understand, then no the two sides do not turn in the same direction, thanks a lot

[@sstig13]

So when you lower the car with the torsion bar adjustment does that take away some of the car’s spring stiffness? Is that why people reindex the bars when they lower them? To get some spring stiffness back and still have the car sit lower?

[@sstig13]

Asking mainly cause I’d like to lower the 89 integra just a little but I don’t want the car to bottom out on a wet piece of toilet paper lol.

[@Heeltoe.]

No the stiffness does not change when raising or lowering the car. People re-index because they lower the car a lot and run out of adjustment on the torsion bar. So moving the bar a spline makes a big adjustment change in height but keeps the adjusting nut in the middle of the adjustment range.

[@Heeltoe.]

The car bottoms out because the stock struts are too long to accommodate much lowering. That is why we have shortened dampers available from Medieval-Pro/Tein on our website.

[@azwolf3285]

​@Heeltoe. Thanks for all the great info, buddy. I have an 85 hatch with A B series swap. And now I'm starting to get into the suspension Very useful information here, thank you. There's not much out there on these old ones. I've had three of them this is my first that I swapped an I love them Your car is beautiful I love the build bud!👍

[@user-is8hy9ci2g]

How do we service the suspension system

[@Heeltoe.]

Other than inspecting and replacing worn ball joints and tie rods there isn't much to service. The bushings can wear and need replacement but honestly the way Honda bushings are, they really don't go bad so often.

[@YoBoyNero]

Man…. I have an 01 Hyundai Santa Fe basically same suspension setup as a late torsion beam suspension setup from older Hondas I’m looking to lowering her but nobody makes any aftermarket parts for my SUV so I have to source from other cars and modify to be able to fit and work that’s why I’m looking to getting coilovers for a Honda that use torsion beam suspension because since it’s a Honda it’s gonna have way more aftermarket support

[@Heeltoe.]

That sounds like a challenging platform without a whole lot of options. Best of luck!

[@eant4030]

So is it hard to lower the car? Is it more expensive than a regular car?

[@Heeltoe.]

NO, in fact it is really pretty easy. There isn't any cheapie Taiwannabe sus available, if that is what you mean. More to come on it.

[@renegarcia4522]

Just bought some cs coilovers for my

[@Heeltoe.]

CS? Tell more.

[@renegarcia4522]

​@@Heeltoe.Just bought some bc coilovers for my 87 crx and wanted to Just switch them out with the old struts keeping the same height to not affect the panhard bar until I can buy an adjustable one and I want to delete the torsion bar and add a sway bar and strut bar... you thinks this is a good idea?

[@isacksito6996]

How do it to conversion to disc brake rear

[@averyw6482]

Civic hatch has the same length trailing arms as 1st gen integra. I swapped the whole beam axle from an integra into my hatch. If you have a crx you have to swap your trailing arms onto the integra axle. Or scarebird makes a bracket for DA integra rear discs

[@Heeltoe.]

Great tip!

[@1stGenCRXs]

You can keep your stock beam and arms. You just need the parking brake cables, brackets, studs for the brackets, calipers, and lines. Tip is to get parking brake cables from the two door version since they are shorter.

[@michealphy4013]

I have on. But big trouble is about engine. Want to change it as currently am using a carburetor engine model honda civic 1985

[@Heeltoe.]

What do you plan to swap in?

[@michealphy4013]

​@@Heeltoe.Swap with K20A 😊

[@1stGenCRXs]

K series is fun in these cars. Had a B16 in my 86 CRX SI since 2000 and it was a blast on the street and track. Just upgraded to K24 and it’s a monster now! 😂

[@michealphy4013]

@@1stGenCRXs i ll consider this 4 sure

[@BMan100]

always liked the 3rd Gen cars, tried to get one as my first car, but they are either rusted out, OR totally modded to the point where it's distasteful.

[@Heeltoe.]

They really are great and fun cars!

[@armankordi]

these cars kinda handle like the old big body Chryslers from the 60’s lol my 89 is double wishbone so none of that

[@Heeltoe.]

You could not be more wrong! These cars are light and tossable, they do a lot with what they got. The suspension is simple and compact. It is not very refined, for sure. But you should drive a properly set up one.