RaceBred

hey, im in the market for a upper front strut bar...jus wondering which is the best bang for your buck.

Downey

try Skunk2, $140 for the front.
http://www.inlinefour.com/skunstruttow.html

hybridb18c

Integra type R. Bolts right in!!!

Downey

the Skunk2 is cheaper than the ITR one i think

PROFILE EK4

best bang for the buck is the nuespeed one in my opinion....ive tried so many out on my eg's...ive used...nuespeed, dc and a bullshit tenzo bar....neuspeed is only like 110 bucks or some crap like dat....

Siphor

I agree, I put mine on and noticed a definite difference.

Leejen

Yepper. Neuspeed. Got it for $89.
Most other bars have two hinges at either end. Does not seem as effective.
If you look at Mugen or the TypeR, those at least are a twin bolt design.
Same with the rear bar.
OMP is making an interesting rear upper strut bar. I think it goes for $90.
I shelled out the $160 for the Neuspeed. It has a twin bolt design.

My opinion, but I don't trust what look like the hinge-type strut bars.
It would seem like what you just bolted on is more weight, rather than
a functioning item.

deviant94ex

i just found the ITR upper front strut bar at http://onelovemedia.com/naples/body.html for 138.80. not too bad. is it true that it will bolt right up to a 5th gen civic? i never knew that.....learn something new everyday.

CHRIS

PROFILE EK4

im not sure if the itr one just bolts up...i think u may have to drill the holes out that are all ready " pre drilled " on the chasis...but if its what i remember...the little dimples by the shock tower can be punched out with a drill and u can just bolt her right up..but as for mounting directly to the shock bolts..not too sure bout that...

3.3.3

itr will fit into your 5th gen civic. best for the $$$ is the mugen. it is a one piece design, so you have virtually no flex from the bar as opposed to bars with adjustable brackets.

PROFILE EK4

im not sure 250 bucks is the best dollar deal...ive seen the mugen bars (and drooled uncontrollably) and yeah its thick as hell but dollar for dollar....the neuspeed is by far the best....u compare 100 bucks to 250 bucks and basically all youre really paying for is the name MUGEN....i mean look at their valve covers....who in their right mind would pay 800 dollars for it???????

but hey...if you can afford the 250 for the bar then go for it...but i have seen a tower bar made by APR and the design is similar if not the exact duplicate of the MUGEN one....some food for thought.....

johng

Spread the load over a larger area and get the beefy Neuspeed bar. It uses the upper control arm mounts which are spread wider apart, instead of the top damper mounts which are close together.

My $.02

bhcvc

Get any good bar and you'll be fine...just don't get a $30 from Kragen. Mugen's are great, but for the price, they're not worth it. All these bars do the exact same thing. For a street car, and even a race car, you won't notice much, if any, difference between any of them. I personally have a Tenzo R-Type bar. It's held up great on the street and track. My friends' Tenzo bars have worked great also. I'm not saying go Tenzo, but they're a low-priced bar that works well...and they're made of extruded aluminum which is stronger than just normal aluminum (kinda like forging). Most of the bars out there are extruded for higher strength and lightness. All OBX bars I've seen worked fine also. Neuspeeds are great, but I've seen a couple of those bent from track use. DC bars straight suck...my friends and I have twisted those things with our hands! Point: you don't need to spend the big bucks on a strut tower bar...a $90 Neuspeed, $60-$80 Tenzo, $70 OBX, $120 Skunk2, $125 Cusco, or whatever will work great and you won't notice a different on the street between these and the $285 Mugen.

Downey

so are Skunk2 bars ****, as in bad?

Todd00

I paid $50 total for a front and rear upper off of ebay. Yeah, I know what everyone is thinking... *cheap @ss bars*. However, they aren't as bad as they seem. They are identical to the OBX-Rs and the Pilots out there and look a lot like the Morosos that Jegs and Summit carries. I did notice a difference after installation too.

Sure, a better bar can probably be had, but the idea and function behind all the bars are the same. As long as the bar doesn't flex (DC is THE WORST at this) and you can bolt it down tight, I see nothing wrong with a cheaper bar. Heck, some people *handmake* them for their cars and have decent results.

If you really want to spend the cash though, get a Neuspeed front 4-point bar. I put one on my old GSR and could notice a difference over the oem GSR front bar, but those are pieces of crap anyway.

B18C-EJ1

Neuspeed - $100 shipped.

RaceBred

Hmm...seems like Neuspeed wins out! They sure are strong and 4 point design makes sense. Thanks a bunch!

GZR4DR

The Skunk2 is a direct spoon copy. So if you like the spoon bar, this one is the same. Also i like the ITR bar. I just like using factory parts. If you have lots of money, go for the mugen. personally i hate the neuspeed bar. You cant pull it off if the car is on jack stands or the suspension will fall down. Plus i think its ugly.

Also the ITR bar May fit your 5 gen civic without drilling. I have a 94 Si hatch, and there are no holes for the bar, or tabs to punch out. I would have to drill holes. Other 5th gen civic that i have seen have the tabs to punch out. I guess it depends on the year and model of your 5th gen.


[Modified by GZR4DR, 5:10 PM 7/5/2001]

FFSquad

they all do the same thing, but i personally like the Spoon and ITR front upper strut bars.