Introduction
As most of you may already know, the FN2 Type R is a beast on the road and on the track, but it can still benefit from some carefully selected improvements to refine the handling further.
By upgrading your suspension, you can achieve much more dynamic handling and unleash the full capabilities of the car.
In this guide, we have handpicked the finest suspension upgrades that are guaranteed to optimise your FN2’s handling performance like never before.
Fasten your seatbelts, and get ready to learn about transforming your Type R into a corner-carving machine!
Coilovers
Let’s kick off with one of the most definitive and complete handling mods you can go for – coilovers!
For those who don’t know, coilovers encompass both the spring and the shock absorber into one adjustable unit.
Allowing you to adjust the ride height along with damping settings, coilovers enable a more nimble and bespoke driving experience.
The lowered ride height decreases the FN2’s centre of gravity, which invariably increases stability and reduces body roll. This is a crucial aspect when navigating sharp corners at high speeds.
Coilovers, especially those of higher quality, can vastly improve response times, making the car feel more linked to the driver.
Outfitted with adjustable damping, this upgrade can effectively sharpen the feedback from your FN2 Type R, making it even more reactive to your inputs and road conditions.
There are a variety of coilover options out there that cater to various needs. We’ve listed a couple of great options below which cater to those looking for coilovers for daily driving and also on the track.
Yellow Speed Coilovers
FN2 Civic Type R
BC Racing Coilovers
FN2 Civic Type R
Lowering Springs
Lowering springs are often associated with simply dropping the ride height, but did you know they can also provide performance benefits?
Similar to coilovers, lowering springs lower the ride height and centre of gravity, albeit with less adjustability.
As such, the car leans less when cornering, increasing its stability and offering you more control during sharp rotations.
Owing to their more compact design and increased spring rate, lowering springs provide a firmer ride – although often not as firm as you would get with coilovers.
This makes them a more suitable suspension upgrade for those who want to retain as much ride comfort as possibly for daily driving.
When shopping for lowering springs, opt for a high quality set from reputable brands like the ones below to ensure maximum ride comfort and performance.
Tein Lowering Springs
FN2 Civic Type R
Eibach Pro Lowering Springs
FN2 Civic Type R
Front Camber Bolts
A relatively simple and inexpensive modification, these bolts offer great handling benefits.
Camber bolts are used to adjust the camber angle, which manipulates how the tyres contact with the road.
By adjusting the camber angle, more of the tyre’s surface comes into contact with the road during hard cornering.
This significantly broadens the tyre’s contact patch and provides enhanced lateral grip, making your FN2 Type R feel more stable and balanced through corners.
On the track, this can result in tighter lines and noticeably better lap times.
RHD Performance Camber Bolts
FN2 Civic Type R
Eibach Camber Bolts
FN2 Civic Type R
Whiteline Rear Anti-Roll Bar
Like most front-wheel drive cars, the FN2 Type R is prone to understeer – a handling characteristic where the car is inclined to steer less than you command during cornering.
But worry not – there’s a simple yet effective solution to this – installing a stiffer rear anti-roll (or sway) bar.
With a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, there’s noticeably less body roll when the FN2 attacks corners.
This translates into a more dynamic driving experience, allowing you much more adjustability on the limit of traction.
Many owners who track their Type R love this mod for it’s ability to counter understeer and instead allows more rotation through the corners by utilising oversteer to get the front end to turn in.
Anti roll bars such as the one from Whiteline allow you to adjust the stiffness to suit your driving. The stiffer you go, the more prominent the handling effects will be.
Adjustable Whiteline Rear Anti-Roll Bar
FN2 Civic Type R
Alignment
An alignment is crucial to bringing all of your suspension upgrades together and ensuring you maximise their potential.
With the tyres aligned wrong, grip levels and balanced handling can be negatively impacted. This can result in unpredictable handling and decreased stability during hard cornering at higher speeds.
The alignment setup you go for differ depending on the conditions you drive in.
This brings us to the two types of alignments most FN2 enthusiast typically go for – Fast Road Alignment and Track Alignment.
Fast Road Alignment: Ideal for everyday high-performance driving on public roads, a Fast Road Alignment focuses on improved stability and handling while enhancing tyre life.
Typically, for an FN2, a Fast Road Alignment might involve a slight negative camber and toe-in settings for enhanced road grip and optimising stability.
Track Alignment: A Track Alignment is designed for maximising performance on a racetrack. Given the increased speeds and the need for exceptional handling to navigate tight bends and corners, this alignment often involves more aggressive settings.
For an FN2 Type R being used on a track, more negative camber and toe-out settings could be used to promote sharper turn-in response and improved cornering. While this can provide great handling, you will go through tyres a lot faster with a track focused alignment.
The Verdict
Remember, it’s essential to ensure you prioritise quality and proper installation with any upgrade. Utilise products from reputable manufacturers like the ones listed in this guide, don’t cheap out.
With these carefully selected upgrades, you’ll be on your way to experiencing sharper and more dynamic handling – along with many more smiles per mile.
You don’t have to upgrade everything at once either, you can do it in stages.
For example, you can start with a stiffer rear anti roll bar and front camber bolts then down the line upgrade to coilovers as well to really transform the way the FN2 handles.
Happy modding!
