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Maybe it IS a stupid question. But, I can get a pair of function 7 rear billet control arms for 100. used. but theyre 250 new apparently.

Why would I want/need them. I know what the control arms are, and I threw on energy suspension bushings on them long time ago. I don't buy much go fast stuff for her, because.. in the end, she's still a civic. But I do drive aggressively and I am all about buying any suspension upgrades.. but.. if there is a benefit.. or even a potential benefit. I love to throw her around. 2 billet control arms? I saw them. They look like weapons. Big mean clubs. Would replacing my current control arms with these garner any improvement for me in terms of stiffness, dampening, or any kind of suspension benefit?

I would prob spray them matte black. I don't want 2 bling blingin rods under my car..

EDIT: After being offered these.. I searched everywhere for other "aftermarket" front control arms.. none exist it seems.. why just on the rear? Or why just upgrade the rear?

EDIT AGAIN: So I lied, I found SPC control arms.. doesnt say if there for the front or rear or what.. I presume theyre not identical ie) you can't use rear for front, front for rear, theyre not all the same. I presume ther for the rear as well. Are there NO front control arms? Why does ES sell a front control arm bushing set..

 
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No one makes a front control arm for the D17 because of low demand and there's no real gain to be had from an aftermarket one anyway. The stocker is pretty light.

For that matter, the only thing you gain on rear LCA is looks. Again, stocker is light already and there isn't anything to adjust on them. So unless you've damaged the your existing LCAs, they're all crappified and rusty, or you just want to replace them, there's no real point to having them. Pretty much a vanity mod. ES sells a bushing kit because the front bushings tend to bind and rip when you remove the arm.

 
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All good points, Clint.

I will add that Function 7 is generally considered the best aftermarket lca not just because it's lighter and comes with the bling, but has superior bushings to both OEM and aftermarket (i.e. ES or Prothane). This kind of stuff is mostly valued by the auto-x guys.

 
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Awesome, thanks for the replies guys. I don't autoX, I just drive maniacally, so 100 dollars saved. Thanks for the help! I don't post often, but I've been a member for a while and the information I've absorbed from here has proven to be priceless!!

EDIT: But theyre only 100, I think I might just pick them up and throw em in the garage somewhere. If I ever do destroy one of my LCAs I'll have a nicer replacement on hand. Theyre still getting painted matte black though!

 
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Umm, the spc ones have adjustment for wider tire combos I thought - the function 7's, k sports were just for looks.. the skunk 2, Ahh, I cant remember if thoes had an adjustment on them or not. Megan might even have some out there.

 
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That is more of an older generation civic thing. For our car, most people don't run 8" wide rims and hitting the rear LCA is only done under severe compression/turning. I have only seen that done with an 8" wide rim with something wrong with an alignment. Therefore, these arms don't offer much over stock.

 
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Great extra info guys, thanks. I run 17x7 on 215/45/17s, so its relevant info. I've never had any rubbing issues. I've been thinking about going 215/40 or 205/40, but, I really like the proportions the way they are now, I don't like REALLY low profile tires, just something thinner than stock, but with some 'meat'. People say performance will improve with with a 40, but, I bet (real professional I know) that it's negligible. I don't think I have any wall issues when turning hard, I think a bit more than a strip of rubber on a 17 inch rim looks nice instead of a rubberband wrapped around the rim, and its quieter imo. To each his own though! not here to knock anyones choices. This is off topic im stopping.

 
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The stock rear arms are fine. Save your money and get a good rear sway bar.

 
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Thanks for the advice, I'm rather OCD (not really, but maybe) and so I'm picky about the order and quantity I do my upgrades in. I've done the tires/wheels, have uninstalled springs, and currently saving up for shocks. I like to do the upgrades not individually, but in groups of what I consider a category.. weird, I know. It helps me to feel the difference in the handling incrementally as well. I was going to do the front and rear lower suspension first, then the upper, well I guess just a nice front strut bar, have my mind set on the black neuspeed bar.., and some cheapo rear upper strut just to put my mind at ease and have one. For the lower I was planning on getting the progress front/rear sway, but need the adaptor for the rear sway as I don't have a stock one on my 02 LX coupe, but somewhere between that order I want to get the ingalls torque damper and the revo short shifter to see if it makes a noticeable difference in smoothness of shifting, not from the clutch side of things, but just the shifter itself. The rear progress adaptor is what I'll need for your suggestion.. is the "rear lower tie bar" just a different name for the same type of product, except its not made specifically to bind to the progress rear sway? It seems like it goes in the same place, aaand I'm pretty sure you can't have both.

EDIT: your suspension and autoX faq are priceless btw. Also to save this thread from being constantly resurrected with different questions, about half a year ago when I looked it up, the D3 designs double-X brace specifically said it was for our civics, since, their page has changed and say rsx/civic si, will it still fit? Or has fitment changed on the product? And if I am correct, you can't fit an X brace and a tie bar simultaneously right? It's an either or thing?

 
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Are you sure you don't have a rear sway bar? I thought 02 LXs had a rear sway bar.

Anyway, the adaptor kit is not the same as the lower tie bar. The lower tie bar is a brace. Look at some pictures in the gallery. The adaptor kit allows you to have endlinks.

The D3 brace will fit in the front. You can't have a front under tie bar with the D3 brace, but a rear under tie bar is fine. Why are interested in the D3 brace?

 
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You're correct, I was changin the oil today and i DO have a rear sway. Don't know why I thought I didn't, and never noticed it before. although it looks more like a piece of spaghetti. Does this mean I won't have to buy the adaptor kit? Because that would save me 100 something odd dollars. And as for the D3 brace, I was just curious. I made a big compilation excel thing of suspension parts/prices/vendors last year and I was just following up on all of those. Like I said, I'm nutty about tight handling and a rigid chassis, but the D3 is prob overkill for my driving, seeing as how the car never sees a track. But who knows maybe that'll change one day. I just like keeping the car flat as possible, eliminating body roll, improving chassis rigidity, thats all. Increases my confidence in the car, makes it more responsive, and lets me push the limits of taking a turn. But it looks like a **** to install anyways, lining up all those holes properly. a tie bar will suffice, and I prob wont be able to tell the difference as a street driver.

 
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I'm nutty about not running into a tree...

Make sure you look into what distortions you may end up doing to the under/over steerage behavior of your car by randomly adding sway bars and other suspension changes thinking that you'll just be "keeping the car as flat as possible".

 
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I dont have nor am I willing to pay for suspension geometry/tlltd software, one of my friends who did automotive engineering from kettering uses that stuff, but its expensive and complicated. all i have is the net to go by other peoples experiences and calculations. frankly just I have to feel the changes by the seat of my pants in an open area to feel when that "break out" point for my tires is after each modification i do. if u have any suggestions how i can better do that, please do tell me.

I'm not just gobbling up every suspension part out there and throwing it on her