Skunk2 542-05-1205 Alpha Rear Lower Control Arms Clear 1996-2000 Honda Civic EK

Vehicle Fitment

• 1996-2000 Honda Civic CX, DX, EX, GX, HX, LX, Si (EK chassis) - all 1.6L variants

Fitment Notes

• EK Civic (1996-2000) only - the 542-05-1205 is designed for the EK-generation Civic rear suspension geometry; it does not fit the EG Civic (1992-1995) or the 7th generation Civic (2001-2005); for the EG Civic and 1994-2001 Acura Integra, the correct Alpha Series arm is 542-05-1105
• All EK trims - the rear lower control arm geometry is consistent across all 1996-2000 Civic trims including CX, DX, EX, GX, HX, LX, and Si
• Non-adjustable - the 542-05-1205 is a fixed-length, direct-replacement control arm; it maintains OEM suspension geometry and does not provide camber or toe adjustment; for camber correction on lowered vehicles, pair with Skunk2's Rear Camber Kit for the EK Civic
• Hardware not included - installation hardware (bolts, nuts) is not included in this kit; OEM hardware or grade-appropriate fasteners should be sourced separately; torque specifications follow OEM values for the rear suspension mounting points
• Set of 2 - one arm per side, both sides included in this kit; a complete rear axle replacement uses both arms in this set
• Gold anodized version available - 542-05-1210 is the same arm in a gold anodized finish; both are mechanically identical
• Ultra Series upgrade available - 542-05-2205 is the higher-specification Ultra Series rear LCA for the same EK Civic application, machined from 7075-T6 aluminum with additional spherical bearing upgrade options for dedicated race use

Features

• Alpha Series - second-generation Skunk2 rear LCA design - Skunk2 introduced its first aftermarket rear lower control arm for the Honda EK Civic platform as the Pro Series LCA; the Alpha Series represents a complete redesign benchmarked against that original arm with specific engineering goals: reduce weight, increase strength, and improve dynamic suspension performance without increasing NVH; the result is an arm that is 40% lighter than the OEM steel arm, 15% lighter than the first-generation Skunk2 Pro Series LCA for this application, and 7% stronger - achieved through material selection (forged 6061-T6), manufacturing method (CNC machining of a forged billet rather than machining from wrought billet or casting), and an optimized cross-section geometry
• Forged 6061-T6 aluminum construction - the arm body is forged from 6061-T6 aluminum before CNC machining; forging aligns the grain structure of the aluminum along the stress lines of the part, producing greater fatigue strength and impact resistance than a wrought-billet-machined or cast part of the same material and cross-section; 6061-T6 has an ultimate tensile strength exceeding 42,000 PSI and a fatigue strength of 14,000 PSI at 500 million stress cycles - figures Skunk2 cites directly as the basis for material selection; the CNC machining step after forging produces the precise bore dimensions required for the spherical bearing and bushing press-fit interfaces and achieves the final arm geometry
• High-load steel spherical bearing at the outboard (trailing arm) mount - the wheel-side mounting point uses a steel spherical bearing rather than a rubber or polyurethane bushing; under lateral and longitudinal loads in cornering and braking, a bushing at the outboard control arm mount deflects, allowing the arm to pivot slightly and changing the actual rear toe and camber angles from their set values - a condition known as bushing compliance steer; the spherical bearing cannot deflect under load in any direction and maintains the arm's geometry precisely regardless of the magnitude or direction of applied forces; this is the primary performance advantage of the Alpha Series design over earlier bushing-only arms; additionally, a bushing under torsional load (as the suspension travels through its arc) twists and stores energy, which it then releases suddenly as bushing unwind - the spherical bearing eliminates this twist entirely, providing immediate and predictable load transfer to the chassis
• Tuned durometer elastomeric (polyurethane) bushing at the inboard (subframe) mount - the chassis-side mount uses a large-diameter tuned elastomeric bushing rather than a second spherical bearing; Skunk2 explicitly chose one spherical bearing rather than two as the base configuration to preserve NVH characteristics appropriate for a street and dual-use application; a spherical bearing at both ends of a control arm transmits all road-induced vibration directly to the chassis without attenuation - acceptable for a dedicated track car but uncomfortable and fatiguing on street use; the calibrated durometer bushing at the subframe end provides the vibration isolation necessary for street driving while still being significantly stiffer than the OEM rubber bushing it replaces, retaining the improved handling feedback of a performance arm; the bushing is sized generously in diameter to distribute load across a larger bonding surface for long-term durability
• Delrin bushing at the shock lower mount - the shock absorber's lower mounting point on the control arm uses Delrin (acetal resin/polyoxymethylene) bushings rather than rubber; Delrin is an engineering polymer with very low coefficient of friction, high compressive strength, and dimensional stability under load and temperature variation; at the shock mount, the bushing must accommodate the shock's angular motion through suspension travel while minimizing friction-induced binding that would cause the shock to work inconsistently; Delrin achieves this with lower friction than rubber or polyurethane while providing better dimensional stability and lower deflection than elastomeric materials at this location, resulting in more consistent shock damping performance through the full range of suspension travel
• Optional full-spherical race upgrade - the inboard subframe-side elastomeric bushing can be replaced with an optional high-load steel spherical bearing (sold separately) for a fully race-oriented configuration with zero compliance at both mounting points; this upgrade is intended for dedicated track and competition use where NVH is not a concern; the change can be made with basic tools in minutes, allowing the same arm to serve in a dual-purpose street/track role by swapping the inboard bushing for track days
• Direct OEM replacement geometry - the Alpha Series LCA maintains the stock rear suspension geometry of the EK Civic; it does not alter toe, camber, or suspension travel from the factory specification and is a direct bolt-in replacement for the OEM steel arm; this makes it compatible with all stock and aftermarket shock/spring combinations without requiring any suspension re-tuning from the arm itself
• Clear (natural) anodized finish - the arms are clear anodized, producing the natural silver appearance of the aluminum substrate with a thin oxide layer for corrosion protection; this is the standard finish for the 542-05-1205; the gold anodized version is 542-05-1210

Specifications

• Part Number: 542-05-1205
• Brand: Skunk2 Racing
• Product: Alpha Series Rear Lower Control Arms - Clear Anodized
• Series: Alpha Series
• Vehicle Application: 1996-2000 Honda Civic CX/DX/EX/GX/HX/LX/Si (EK)
• Material: CNC-machined forged 6061-T6 aluminum
• Finish: Clear anodized
• Weight Reduction vs OEM: 40% lighter
• Weight Reduction vs Prior Skunk2 Pro Series (EK): 15% lighter
• Strength Increase vs Prior Skunk2 Pro Series (EK): 7% stronger
• Outboard Joint: High-load steel spherical bearing
• Inboard Bushing: Tuned durometer elastomeric (polyurethane)
• Shock Mount Bushing: Delrin
• Adjustable: No (fixed-length direct replacement)
• Quantity: Set of 2 (both sides)
• Hardware Included: No
• UPC: 873265001026
• Gold Anodized Version: 542-05-1210
• Ultra Series (7075-T6) Version: 542-05-2205
• EG Civic / Integra Alpha Version: 542-05-1105

Included Components

• 2x Rear Lower Control Arms (left and right) - forged 6061-T6 aluminum, clear anodized, with spherical bearing, polyurethane bushing, and Delrin shock mount bushing installed

Product Description

The Skunk2 542-05-1205 is the Alpha Series Clear rear lower control arm set for the 1996-2000 Honda Civic EK - a direct-replacement pair of rear lower control arms machined from forged 6061-T6 aluminum that are 40% lighter than the factory steel arms and engineered to eliminate the suspension compliance inherent in OEM rubber bushing designs. Skunk2 Racing, founded in 1994 in Norco, California, has produced rear lower control arms for Honda/Acura platforms since the mid-1990s; the Alpha Series is the second-generation design, benchmarked against and improved over Skunk2's own first-generation Pro Series LCA in both weight and strength.

The Alpha Series uses three different joint/bushing types, each selected for its specific function at that mounting location. The outboard (trailing arm side) mount uses a high-load steel spherical bearing - the primary performance upgrade over bushing-only designs - that holds the arm's geometry precisely under all lateral and longitudinal load conditions without the compliance deflection that changes actual toe and camber angles during dynamic driving. The inboard (subframe side) mount uses a large-diameter tuned elastomeric bushing that provides enough stiffness for performance feedback while maintaining acceptable NVH for street use - Skunk2's deliberate choice to not use a second spherical bearing here. The shock lower mount uses Delrin bushings for low-friction, low-deflection shock performance throughout suspension travel.

The arm is a non-adjustable direct bolt-in replacement that maintains OEM geometry; pair with Skunk2's EK Civic rear camber kit for camber correction on lowered applications. The inboard bushing can be field-upgraded to a spherical bearing (sold separately) for dedicated race configurations. Set of 2 (both sides). Hardware not included. Gold anodized version: 542-05-1210. For EG Civic (1992-1995) and 1994-2001 Integra, see 542-05-1105.