Suspension upgrade path / order

someone asked me what my thoughts were so i thought id jot it down here since i remember wondering the same thing when i first started. basically heres my list of upgrades which exhibit the most noticeable results.

in descending order-
tires/springs > front shocks > rear swaybar > lower rear tie/front strut bars > front sway (or skip) > rear upper bar > front lower bar.

-keep in mind it may not be best to install a rear sway before the strut bars as the sway puts a lot more stress on the chassis.
-im installing koni yellows in the rear tomorrow but i imagine theyll be somewhere towards the bottom of the list.
-dont have all the polyurethane bushings yet but i imagine they’d be right after the rear sway.

When people ask me what they should do to upgrade their suspension. I recommend the following course:

  • Refresh the suspension/steering components. Aftermarket performance parts will be limited by worn ball joints and bushings.
  • Shocks
  • Tires
  • Springs
  • Suspension braces
  • Swaybars

The Integra drives quite well with a good set of shocks (Koni Sport/Tokico Illumina) and decent tires. It may not “look” as good or be as glamorous, but it depends on what your goals are.

Also, the mismatched dampening rates of installing just front shocks can be hazerdous depending on what kind of driving you do.