DIY: Strut bar installation on a 96-00 Civic DX, LX, CX, HX. ANY type.
08-27-2004, 10:43 AM
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DIY: Front Strut bar installation on a 96-00 Civic DX, LX, CX, HX. ANY type.
A Strut tower bar is bolted to the frame to prevent some body squat. The frame of a car on a corner will flex a little, and this will help it flex less, keeping the frame more rigid at the top of the suspension struts. This will help the wheels stay more at the correct camber, keep them more planted, and make the car grip better on the corners.
Many people say a tower bar in the front is bolt in, but not always. There are 2 kinds:
There are tower bars that install onto the macphearson strut, and those that bolt onto the frame. The bars that go to the frame usually don't work on non-EX and Si models due to the damn airbox in the way. If you buy one offline, please check the design with a pic of the exact model you buy, ebay and aftermarket sites will lie and say some things fit that don't, so check.
INSTALLING A FRONT UPPER TOWER STRUR BAR TO THE SHOCK/STRUT ASSEMBLY:
You need a 14mm socket, a torque wrench, and a 14mm wrench (box end or open end) OR a socket wrench.
Pop the hood. On the left and right are two big *** squares of the frame of the car. In this picture is the top of the macphearson strut assembly. To install a tower bar that goes to this, the two bolts circled in yellow are what they bolt to. DON'T touch that bolt thats circled in red, that holds the strut together. Have the car on level ground, not jacked up. Unbolt these two with a 14mm socket wrench. Then do the same to the other side. You should have 4 bolts off. Put the tower bar in place, it should be a simple placement. Slide the holes of the bar over the threaded stubs. Then simply screw the nuts back on. These macphearson strut bolts are torqued to 33 ft-lbs of torque. If your tower bar has any bolts on it, tighten them now. They are different, so I can't give any torque specs, but hand tighten them, cause this bar should act as a solid rod.
Most tower bars that go high enough to clear the air intake box will work on ALL 96-00 Civics. If you have a EX or Si, They will all work, because no clearence issue with the air filter box, its over by the front right corner of the car.
INSTALLING A FRONT UPPER TOWER STRUR BAR TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR:
NOTE: Most all tower bars that go to the frame do NOT work on a 96-00 LX, DX, CX, HX. This is because that bar is flat, and the airbox is in the way. My pictures were taken a year apart. The first one is when I had the stock airbox. I did the 'y8 manifold swap', and used a Short Ram Intake, so I didn't have to worry, cause my intake is that of a 96-00 Civic EX. The Civic EX and Si WILL take any tower bar that bolts to the frame because of the intake manifold that has the throttle body going sideways as opposed to straight up. This line shows where the bar would go through the air filter box on a stock D16Y7 engine in the 96-00 Civic DX, CX, LX, HX.
You need a drill, black drill bits (for metal), some oil for cooling the bit, a center punch and hammer, a 14mm socket and a torque wrench.
Sorry to say, Honda only gave the 2000 Si a tower bar. So this has threads for a solid piece tower bar to bolt to the frame (bolts are 8x1.25mm), not at the strut assembly.
If you want to put in a tower bar like I did, to the frame, such as a Type-R style, you're going to have to drill through the frame. This is doable, and not hard. I, however, Got my type-R style tower bar from ebay. This did not include the mounting hardware. I went to comptech.com and got theirs. This was a little black bar with two threaded studs sticking out of it, and the bolts with it. Drilling into the frame isnt hard, but here's how to do it. If your bar came with a little stud piece, it may look like this.
I got this image, ripped from http://www.comptechusa.com/store/150077c.html
These are for, when you drill the holes, they go inside the wheel well, and you push them through the holes, and when you put the bar and bolts on the threads, they all hold together. Take this stud piece thing, and place it on the frame where the indents are already there. There are indentions in the frame, like dimples, where the 00Si has its bar already.
Place one of the ends on the frame, and mark where it goes. Use a center punch so you know where to drill into. using this stud piece, make the 2nd hole, and make sure its inline with those dimples. Do the same with the other side of the car. To check yourself, take your bar, assembled, and place it on the car where it would go. Through the 4 holes that will hold it there, make sure you can see the little holes that you made with the center punch. This is how and where the bar will go. Take off the bar, and get your drill. I drilled the holes twice, once with a smaller bit, then again with a bit that is wider than the threads on the stud piece, so it will go through. Try a 5/16" drill bit. Hold the drill perpendicular to the frame at that point, and start drilling. EVery few seconds, add oil to the drill bit, as it will get hot, and so will the frame. Keep the whole drilling soaked in oil. When you get through, drill the other 3 holes. Once you have all 4 holes, clean up around them with a file or something. I then painted the frame just to cover the bare metal and prevent rusting the frame. Put your hand in the wheelwell with one of the studs in your hand, and stick the two threads through the hole. Then put the bar's holes over the threads, and put the nuts on and hand tighten. Do the same to the other side, and make sure the bar fits and is alighned. Only hand tighten those 4 bolts. If your bar is a multi piece like mine, tighten all the bolts on the actual bar. Then, torque the 4 14mm bolts to the frame to 17 ft-lbs of torque. Note that on a 99-00 Si, these bolts are in the frame, so installing the tower bar is simply without the drilling; you will take off the 4 bolts, take off its stock tower bar, and put on your new one, still tighten the bolts to the same 17 ft-lbs of torque. Let me know if I forgot anything, I'll post up more pics later. Hope this helps the unexperienced to work on their own Honda.
This is my engine. Theres wires, I know, I'm doin stuff. But this is a D16Y7 engine from a 96 Civic LX sedan. It has the Civic EX intake manifold on it, so it will fit a Tower bar bolted to the frame, which is painted a midnight blue color, and the mounts are black.
Modified by Redline96LX at 12:53 AM 9/11/2004
Many people say a tower bar in the front is bolt in, but not always. There are 2 kinds:
There are tower bars that install onto the macphearson strut, and those that bolt onto the frame. The bars that go to the frame usually don't work on non-EX and Si models due to the damn airbox in the way. If you buy one offline, please check the design with a pic of the exact model you buy, ebay and aftermarket sites will lie and say some things fit that don't, so check.
INSTALLING A FRONT UPPER TOWER STRUR BAR TO THE SHOCK/STRUT ASSEMBLY:
You need a 14mm socket, a torque wrench, and a 14mm wrench (box end or open end) OR a socket wrench.
Pop the hood. On the left and right are two big *** squares of the frame of the car. In this picture is the top of the macphearson strut assembly. To install a tower bar that goes to this, the two bolts circled in yellow are what they bolt to. DON'T touch that bolt thats circled in red, that holds the strut together. Have the car on level ground, not jacked up. Unbolt these two with a 14mm socket wrench. Then do the same to the other side. You should have 4 bolts off. Put the tower bar in place, it should be a simple placement. Slide the holes of the bar over the threaded stubs. Then simply screw the nuts back on. These macphearson strut bolts are torqued to 33 ft-lbs of torque. If your tower bar has any bolts on it, tighten them now. They are different, so I can't give any torque specs, but hand tighten them, cause this bar should act as a solid rod.
Most tower bars that go high enough to clear the air intake box will work on ALL 96-00 Civics. If you have a EX or Si, They will all work, because no clearence issue with the air filter box, its over by the front right corner of the car.
INSTALLING A FRONT UPPER TOWER STRUR BAR TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR:
NOTE: Most all tower bars that go to the frame do NOT work on a 96-00 LX, DX, CX, HX. This is because that bar is flat, and the airbox is in the way. My pictures were taken a year apart. The first one is when I had the stock airbox. I did the 'y8 manifold swap', and used a Short Ram Intake, so I didn't have to worry, cause my intake is that of a 96-00 Civic EX. The Civic EX and Si WILL take any tower bar that bolts to the frame because of the intake manifold that has the throttle body going sideways as opposed to straight up. This line shows where the bar would go through the air filter box on a stock D16Y7 engine in the 96-00 Civic DX, CX, LX, HX.
You need a drill, black drill bits (for metal), some oil for cooling the bit, a center punch and hammer, a 14mm socket and a torque wrench.
Sorry to say, Honda only gave the 2000 Si a tower bar. So this has threads for a solid piece tower bar to bolt to the frame (bolts are 8x1.25mm), not at the strut assembly.
If you want to put in a tower bar like I did, to the frame, such as a Type-R style, you're going to have to drill through the frame. This is doable, and not hard. I, however, Got my type-R style tower bar from ebay. This did not include the mounting hardware. I went to comptech.com and got theirs. This was a little black bar with two threaded studs sticking out of it, and the bolts with it. Drilling into the frame isnt hard, but here's how to do it. If your bar came with a little stud piece, it may look like this.
I got this image, ripped from http://www.comptechusa.com/store/150077c.html
These are for, when you drill the holes, they go inside the wheel well, and you push them through the holes, and when you put the bar and bolts on the threads, they all hold together. Take this stud piece thing, and place it on the frame where the indents are already there. There are indentions in the frame, like dimples, where the 00Si has its bar already.
Place one of the ends on the frame, and mark where it goes. Use a center punch so you know where to drill into. using this stud piece, make the 2nd hole, and make sure its inline with those dimples. Do the same with the other side of the car. To check yourself, take your bar, assembled, and place it on the car where it would go. Through the 4 holes that will hold it there, make sure you can see the little holes that you made with the center punch. This is how and where the bar will go. Take off the bar, and get your drill. I drilled the holes twice, once with a smaller bit, then again with a bit that is wider than the threads on the stud piece, so it will go through. Try a 5/16" drill bit. Hold the drill perpendicular to the frame at that point, and start drilling. EVery few seconds, add oil to the drill bit, as it will get hot, and so will the frame. Keep the whole drilling soaked in oil. When you get through, drill the other 3 holes. Once you have all 4 holes, clean up around them with a file or something. I then painted the frame just to cover the bare metal and prevent rusting the frame. Put your hand in the wheelwell with one of the studs in your hand, and stick the two threads through the hole. Then put the bar's holes over the threads, and put the nuts on and hand tighten. Do the same to the other side, and make sure the bar fits and is alighned. Only hand tighten those 4 bolts. If your bar is a multi piece like mine, tighten all the bolts on the actual bar. Then, torque the 4 14mm bolts to the frame to 17 ft-lbs of torque. Note that on a 99-00 Si, these bolts are in the frame, so installing the tower bar is simply without the drilling; you will take off the 4 bolts, take off its stock tower bar, and put on your new one, still tighten the bolts to the same 17 ft-lbs of torque. Let me know if I forgot anything, I'll post up more pics later. Hope this helps the unexperienced to work on their own Honda.This is my engine. Theres wires, I know, I'm doin stuff. But this is a D16Y7 engine from a 96 Civic LX sedan. It has the Civic EX intake manifold on it, so it will fit a Tower bar bolted to the frame, which is painted a midnight blue color, and the mounts are black.
Modified by Redline96LX at 12:53 AM 9/11/2004
08-27-2004, 11:30 AM
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Re: DIY: Front Strut bar installation on a 96-00 Civic DX, LX, CX, HX. ANY type. (civic_speed99)
Thanks, took like a hour, jus tryin to help people who are new to workin on their car.
08-27-2004, 11:51 AM
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ek and older civics don't have MACPHERSON struts. macpherson struts act like an upright, and dont have upper control arms. the upper ball joint is the top-hat on a macpherson strut.
anyways, this guide also pertains to 92-95 civic. you might want to include the neuspeed bar. it uses the upper a-arm bolts and the strut mount bolts.
a front strut bar will also do nothing to prevent "body squat". you'll need some aprings and shocks for that
anyways, this guide also pertains to 92-95 civic. you might want to include the neuspeed bar. it uses the upper a-arm bolts and the strut mount bolts.
a front strut bar will also do nothing to prevent "body squat". you'll need some aprings and shocks for that
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08-30-2004, 01:41 PM
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Re: (dantastic)
EDIT:
Sorry about my wrongness. Yes, the 6th Gen civic's front suspension is NOT a macphearson strut. It is an unequal length upper and lower A-arms, similar to a double wishbone suspension.
I have done no work on a 5th gen civic to verify what has to be done exactly, and I don't want go guess. My posts are as close to exactly what needs to be done as possible, cause I've done it.
P.S. Think the pics are fixed. Don't know why my other site wouldnt host em.
Mike
Modified by Redline96LX at 1:34 PM 5/24/2005
Sorry about my wrongness. Yes, the 6th Gen civic's front suspension is NOT a macphearson strut. It is an unequal length upper and lower A-arms, similar to a double wishbone suspension.
I have done no work on a 5th gen civic to verify what has to be done exactly, and I don't want go guess. My posts are as close to exactly what needs to be done as possible, cause I've done it.
P.S. Think the pics are fixed. Don't know why my other site wouldnt host em.
Mike
Modified by Redline96LX at 1:34 PM 5/24/2005
08-30-2004, 03:09 PM
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Re: (slowEKsedan)
Oh ****, I forgot that part. Thats a big thing too. Yea, all 96-00 non EX and Si models can't use type-r tower bars. Thanks for reminding me. I'll edit that.
08-30-2004, 03:17 PM
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Re: (Redline96LX)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">on 6th Gen civics, the independant suspension in the front is referred to as a mahphearson strut</TD></TR></TABLE>
that, sir, is incorrect
a macpherson strut is used to provide lateral structure as well as dampening/spring. what we have on the 6th gen is a coilover assembly, they are different. don't believe me? look at the 7th gen civics and you'll see the difference
that, sir, is incorrect
a macpherson strut is used to provide lateral structure as well as dampening/spring. what we have on the 6th gen is a coilover assembly, they are different. don't believe me? look at the 7th gen civics and you'll see the difference
11-04-2004, 02:06 PM
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Re: (Fake99Si)
Nothing wrong with strut bars. Just that the Si can use the tower bars that go to the frame by swapping its original, or the EX can have the frame drilled for these as well. The LX and DX have clearence issues.
There are the cheap tower bars that go to the 2 bolts holding the shock to the frame, which i hear do work decently. So for a LX, i'd say get the ones that go high and to the struts. I basically made my clearence that of an EX, so i didnt have to worry, i just drilled. I took the long way tho.
There are the cheap tower bars that go to the 2 bolts holding the shock to the frame, which i hear do work decently. So for a LX, i'd say get the ones that go high and to the struts. I basically made my clearence that of an EX, so i didnt have to worry, i just drilled. I took the long way tho.
07-18-2005, 09:22 AM
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Re: (Redline96LX)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Oh ****, I forgot that part. Thats a big thing too. Yea, all 96-00 non EX and Si models can't use type-r tower bars. Thanks for reminding me. I'll edit that.</TD></TR></TABLE>
umm well sorry to say bro but I have them on my EJ8. They work better beyond those cheap tower bars that bolt onto your struts. Anyway I have both of them on my car (meaning the "type R" strut bar and the regular front upper strut bar, it looks sweet with hood popped open!) as well as the rear upper strut bar. i just need the lower tie bar for the rear and I am set. My car turned ok with just the front struts, but after I installed the "type R" frame struts, it turned FLAWLESSLY!! Sorry I have pics but I dont have a scanner to post it! But I have dual intakes as well, alot of ppl are amazed that I have both of them in my car!
Modified by *****est_raver at 12:38 PM 7/18/2005
umm well sorry to say bro but I have them on my EJ8. They work better beyond those cheap tower bars that bolt onto your struts. Anyway I have both of them on my car (meaning the "type R" strut bar and the regular front upper strut bar, it looks sweet with hood popped open!) as well as the rear upper strut bar. i just need the lower tie bar for the rear and I am set. My car turned ok with just the front struts, but after I installed the "type R" frame struts, it turned FLAWLESSLY!! Sorry I have pics but I dont have a scanner to post it! But I have dual intakes as well, alot of ppl are amazed that I have both of them in my car!
Modified by *****est_raver at 12:38 PM 7/18/2005
07-19-2005, 01:05 PM
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Re: (*****est_raver)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by *****est_raver »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
But I have dual intakes as well, alot of ppl are amazed that I have both of them in my car!
Modified by *****est_raver at 12:38 PM 7/18/2005</TD></TR></TABLE>
Are you joking?
But I have dual intakes as well, alot of ppl are amazed that I have both of them in my car!
Modified by *****est_raver at 12:38 PM 7/18/2005</TD></TR></TABLE>
Are you joking?
09-22-2005, 06:11 PM
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Re: DIY: Front Strut bar installation on a 96-00 Civic DX, LX, CX, HX. ANY type. (Redline96LX)
yo man I have a 00 Civic Ex. How do u install a Type-R style front strut bar?
2000 Civic Ex
Bomz Short Ram Intake
CTX Xonic Exhaust
Monroe Suspension
2000 Civic Ex
Bomz Short Ram Intake
CTX Xonic Exhaust
Monroe Suspension
09-22-2005, 06:21 PM
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Re: (Wazup)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Wazup »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">can anyone name or show any specific bars that fit the cx,dx,lx? ive been looking but could not really find one.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I use a neuspeed bar on my 97 cx hatch.
I use a neuspeed bar on my 97 cx hatch.
09-22-2005, 06:36 PM
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Re: DIY: Front Strut bar installation on a 96-00 Civic DX, LX, CX, HX. ANY type. (Redline96LX)
i have yet to see ANY strut bar on a civic work. ive seen a few tests by engineering companies that twist the cars, and they welded bars in place, rather than bolt on. they did tie bars, subframe bars, cpillar bars, strut bars... theyre all useless... for you to say one strut bar (shock tower mount vs frame mount) is absurd....
there has yet to be ANY conclusive evidence that strut bars work, and for the evidence that ive seen, that information was proprietary... so i couldnt just steal the papers and scan them. just a bunch of ricers claiming that the butt dyno improved their handling... and tossing out theories that the shock towers, when under stress, collapse and become closer to each other???? some people have some wild ideas out tehre about chassis design...
there has yet to be ANY conclusive evidence that strut bars work, and for the evidence that ive seen, that information was proprietary... so i couldnt just steal the papers and scan them. just a bunch of ricers claiming that the butt dyno improved their handling... and tossing out theories that the shock towers, when under stress, collapse and become closer to each other???? some people have some wild ideas out tehre about chassis design...
07-04-2006, 04:52 PM
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Re: DIY: Front Strut bar installation on a 96-00 Civic DX, LX, CX, HX. ANY type. (Redline96LX)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Then, torque the 4 14mm bolts to the frame to 17 ft-lbs of torque.
Modified by Redline96LX at 12:53 AM 9/11/2004</TD></TR></TABLE>
what do you mean by torque-ing it?
Modified by Redline96LX at 12:53 AM 9/11/2004</TD></TR></TABLE>
what do you mean by torque-ing it?
07-04-2006, 05:02 PM
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Re: DIY: Front Strut bar installation on a 96-00 Civic DX, LX, CX, HX. ANY type. (ek9-hatch)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ek9-hatch »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what do you mean by torque-ing it?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts to the proper torque specification.
Use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts to the proper torque specification.
07-04-2006, 05:22 PM
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Re: DIY: Front Strut bar installation on a 96-00 Civic DX, LX, CX, HX. ANY type. (Targa250R)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts to the proper torque specification.</TD></TR></TABLE>
^^^
but wow lol
^^^
but wow lol
