I have a question. I'm trying to install a strut bar to my 2004 Civic Ex. As of right now I only have an AEM Short Ram Intake installed. I tried to attach an APC Raw Steel Strut Bar to my car; however, the Short Ram is too tall and I cannot attach the strut bar to both towers. I'm missing the other tower by about 2-3 inches. What can I do to solve this problem?

To make things that much more difficult, I would much sooner find another type of strut bar, instead of investing in a new intake system. (My intake system is about 4 months old)

How should I approach this situation?

If anyone can show me how to post a pic, I will post a picture of the area in question to give a better idea of what I'm working with.

Thanks again!

 

I was doing a lot of research and I noted that the Secret Weapon doesn't seem to stick out of the top as much as the AEM short ram does. Again I'm hesitant to purchase a new intake system in order to bolt a strut on.

Would this solve my dilema or am I just creating more work and expenditure than needed?

 

you might want to get rid of the APC bar, APC is crap...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 808_si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you might want to get rid of the APC bar, APC is crap...</TD></TR></TABLE>

What would you recommend I replace it with?

 

shoot, sorry I've never done research on a 7th gen civic. hmm, cheapest I guess I'd go with neuspeed. bling i'd go with passwordjdm or carbing.

oh, one thing you might want to look into, once again, i know nothing about 7th gens, but you have to jack up the front in order to install a strut bar because of tension etc. so that may be a little bit of your problem as well...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 808_si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">shoot, sorry I've never done research on a 7th gen civic. hmm, cheapest I guess I'd go with neuspeed. bling i'd go with passwordjdm or carbing.

oh, one thing you might want to look into, once again, i know nothing about 7th gens, but you have to jack up the front in order to install a strut bar because of tension etc. so that may be a little bit of your problem as well...</TD></TR></TABLE>



That's what I'm dealing with. The biggest problem thus far is the intake sticking right in the middle of where the brace should go.

However, I'll keep the tension in mind.

Thanks!

AM- Also, how do I post a pic? Thanks!


Modified by Sparkkee at 10:06 PM 8/24/2005

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 808_si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">shoot, sorry I've never done research on a 7th gen civic. hmm, cheapest I guess I'd go with neuspeed. bling i'd go with passwordjdm or carbing.

oh, one thing you might want to look into, once again, i know nothing about 7th gens, but you have to jack up the front in order to install a strut bar because of tension etc. so that may be a little bit of your problem as well...</TD></TR></TABLE>



That's what I'm dealing with. The biggest problem thus far is the intake sticking right in the middle of where the brace should go.

However, I'll keep the tension in mind.

Thanks!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sparkkee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What would you recommend I replace it with? </TD></TR></TABLE>

something THICK and STIFF.

 

spoon, tanabe, cusco, carbing, ect. all make good strut bars
AmericanProducedCrap is what APC stands for

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sparkkee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

http://C:\DocumentsandSettings...e.JPG
</TD></TR></TABLE>

You need to host your photos online for us to see them; try photobucket or we-todd-did.

Anyway, did you put the bar on both sides, then loosely put the nuts on each side? If you tighten down one first, you'll have a hell of a time getting the other side to fit.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AutoXer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Anyway, did you put the bar on both sides, then loosely put the nuts on each side? If you tighten down one first, you'll have a hell of a time getting the other side to fit.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I cannot reach either side then. Tightening the bar makes me miss by about 2-3 inches, while not tightening it miss both sides to where I cannot even bolt one nut on.

I looked at some JDM ones, but those too seem to offer little help.

Should I wait for equipment to encompas this scenario? Because, as one person put it, he didn't really study a lot of 7th generation hoda civics.

Thanks

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sparkkee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I cannot reach either side then. Tightening the bar makes me miss by about 2-3 inches, while not tightening it miss both sides to where I cannot even bolt one nut on. </TD></TR></TABLE>

And this is due to clearance with the AEM, and not just poor manufacturing of the bar?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AutoXer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

And this is due to clearance with the AEM, and not just poor manufacturing of the bar?

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I can try another strut bar; however, in the pics I've seen a front end strut bar looks very streamlined, in that it doesn't offer a lot of room for things to fit under it....unless I'm completely mistaken.

What would you recommend then? Lets say in a medium to medium-high range.

Thanks!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sparkkee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I can try another strut bar; however, in the pics I've seen a front end strut bar looks very streamlined, in that it doesn't offer a lot of room for things to fit under it....unless I'm completely mistaken.

What would you recommend then? Lets say in a medium to medium-high range.

Thanks! </TD></TR></TABLE>

But is it not fitting because of the AEM? Your pic doesn't work because it's not hosted on the web, so I can't see.

I'm assuming if it's not hitting the AEM, it's crappy manufacturing. I would save your money for a GC / Koni setup rather than worry about the 'bling bars' anyway if that's the case.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AutoXer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But is it not fitting because of the AEM? Your pic doesn't work because it's not hosted on the web, so I can't see.

I'm assuming if it's not hitting the AEM, it's crappy manufacturing. I would save your money for a GC / Koni setup rather than worry about the 'bling bars' anyway if that's the case.</TD></TR></TABLE>

there not bling bars.. maybe the APC is but strut bars do work and are alot cheaper then a suspension set-up.... common

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G2 Speed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">there not bling bars.. maybe the APC is but strut bars do work and are alot cheaper then a suspension set-up.... common</TD></TR></TABLE>

Do you have any emperical data to show otherwise? I've been tracking my car for quite a few years, and the addition of the bars made no difference in feel, and did not decrease my lap times at all. There's been plenty of discussion on this site either way, but for just a street car (which is what I'm guessing is this guys ride) they really don't do anything but add to your mod list, and look cool in the engine bay.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AutoXer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you have any emperical data to show otherwise? I've been tracking my car for quite a few years, and the addition of the bars made no difference in feel, and did not decrease my lap times at all. There's been plenty of discussion on this site either way, but for just a street car (which is what I'm guessing is this guys ride) they really don't do anything but add to your mod list, and look cool in the engine bay.</TD></TR></TABLE>

ya no what i'm not even gonna aruge with you because i don't even own a car so lol

 

My bro has REworks strut bar and it totally messed up the toe and really bad camber
wear ate his tires in 2 months

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chinese acrobat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My bro has REworks strut bar and it totally messed up the toe and really bad camber
wear ate his tires in 2 months</TD></TR></TABLE>

There is now way that adding a bar will change toe or camber. Changing ride height will do that.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G2 Speed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ya no what i'm not even gonna aruge with you because i don't even own a car so lol</TD></TR></TABLE>

Didn't mean to sound too snippy; had quite a few drinks at happy hour, lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AutoXer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Didn't mean to sound too snippy; had quite a few drinks at happy hour, lol</TD></TR></TABLE>

naw man it's cool nice car by the way

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chinese acrobat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My bro has REworks strut bar and it totally messed up the toe and really bad camber
wear ate his tires in 2 months</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your brother is mentally retarded.