I figured I’d post this up just incase something ever happened to the web page one which is here. I did NOT write this.
DA (1989-93 JDM & USDM Integra) Suspension Tech
by Loc
Bilstein, Tein, Apex’i…these are just a few of the suspension companies that have left your applications untouched. For some reason, the DA has been the red-headed stepchild of the Honda suspension aftermarket. To put the icing on the cake, KYB makes the AGX for the front, but nothing for the rear (go figure!)
Too bad for them, I personally know that the DA suspension market is still a good one. My online store sold 21 sets of Koni Yellows in 6 months last year and probably would have sold of a ton of Tokicos, but I don’t carry Tokicos for quality control purposes (hehe).
But there are JDM companies that have race-type suspension for DAs. If the US import car shops carried more JDM race suspension parts, the DA wouldn’t be treated as crappy, since the DA shares the same suspension type as an EF. You can also incorporate 1992-95 Civic (EG)/1994+ Integra (DC) suspension if people are willing to upgrade to it. The EG and DC stock suspensions are basically the same, there may be spring rate & shock damper differences between the two, which I don’t know the specs of, but the overall mechanical design makes this suspension interchangeable between 1988-00 Civic and Integras. If you’re planning to use any EG/DC suspension on your DA, you’ll need to acquire the following parts:
EG/DC: front drop forks
all 4 shocks
(springs are optional- you can reuse DA springs or use EG/DC springs, it’s up to you).
The reason you need the front drop forks from an EG/DC is this: the shock-bottom hole diameter in the EG/DC drop fork is wider than DA drop forks because EG/DC shocks are ‘fatter’ shocks. (See pics below)
The EG/DC suspension will bolt right up to a DA chassis, and there is an added bonus! If you take a set of rear DA and EG/DC stock shocks & compare them side to side, you will notice that the DA shocks are almost 2.5 inches LONGER than the EG/DC shocks! That’s a good thing! (More ride if you go lower.)
Additional info: You can also incorporate ITR shocks onto a DA, which is more of a performance stock shock over normal EG/DC shocks. You’ll have to get the ITR rear lower control arms though. They’re a different design of lower control arm known as ‘box style’. You need that LCA because of the rear shock bottom style, on the ITR rear shocks. ITR front shocks mount the same as EG/DC shocks+drop forks.
Here are some pictures of various shock bodies. (I used Tokicos because they aren’t worth that much - haha!)
front shocks:
rear shocks:
As you can see, the DA and EF front shocks are pretty much identical. There’s a special gold bracket on the DA shock for the brake line, but you should be fine without it.
The DA rear shock is unique, as it is about 1.5 inches taller than the EF shock, but maintains the exact same girth. It should not matter anyways, as it will be the spring that ultimately makes the difference in height and from the pictures, you can see that the perch for the EF and DA are about the same. According to Katman, the shorter shock is ‘a good thing’.
To summarize, here’s what you’ll need to use EF shocks:
-EF shocks
-ITR rear lower control arm ONLY IF you are going to use a JDM EF shock (i.e., Tein)
Here’s what you will need to use EG/DC shocks:
-EG/DC shocks
-EG/DC front forks
Here’s what you will need to use Type R spec shocks:
-ITR shocks
-EG/DC front forks
-ITR rear lower control arm
Note: I (Ben) left out the shock part # chart.
*For Bilstein, the EF & EG/DC shocks are the ‘Heavy Duty’ type while the Type R shocks are the ‘Sport’ type.
**Surprise! The DA front shocks share the same part number as the EF fronts shocks, and the EG/DC shocks are all the same part number!
One final note, any EG lower tie bar will fit the DA chassis [Note from Ben: This is not entirely true, an EG LTB will fit if and only if the bar is adjustable, for the DA’s and EG’s have a different LCA mount width], unless you’re running the Progress 22 mm rear sway bar (the mount points of this paticular sway bar prevent the lower tie bar from fitting). Thus, if you want a nice combination of show and performance, a Suspension Techniques 19 mm rear sway bar coupled with a Spoon Sports EG lower tie bar is a clean set-up.
-Loc
Owner, B17A.COM
AKA 92GS-R on the Hybrid Board, LRAO everywhere else
A special thanks goes out to Katman and Agent Nine for their contributions and to Autolink Motorworks in Temple City, CA for letting me rummage through their shock inventory.
