Today I ran to the junk yard and bought a factory rear sway bar off of a 1996 Accord EX. I did all of the work getting it off the car at the yard...pretty easy to remove.

Got home and realized that my 96 LX Accord isn't quite the same. On the EX there were three holes on each side of the rear cross member that a bracket connected to which held the sway bar in place (one on each side). This is where the rubber bushings connect on the sway bar, and then to the rear cross member. My LX does not have those three threaded holes in the cross member on each side. I'm kind of bummed because it doesn't look like I'll be able to install the sway bar now. I think the holes in the EX cross member had a welded nut on the back side of each hole because the crosss member is hollow and you cannot get inside of it to put a nut on. Looks like the only way to install it is to install an EX rear cross member first...which didn't look fun.

There is a hole in the lower control arm on each side that the sway bar connects to and those holes are there on my LX...just not the ones on the cross member.

Just wondering if anyone had any experience installing an OEM EX rear sway bar on an LX Accord.

Thanks!

 

If you can't scare an installation kit from either Suspension Techniques (or others),
Your only other options would be:
1) Upgrade the crossbrace to the EX unit.
2) Weld threaded plates to your LX crossmember
3) or Tell the Salvage Yard "never mind" and install a complete aftermarket anti-sway bar.

I've searched three forums for you to no avail (Nada)

P

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by P_Adams &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've searched three forums for you to no avail (Nada)</TD></TR></TABLE>


Thanks man!

Unfortunately there are a few other posts on this forum where folks recommend using the EX sway bar on an LX as a cheaper solution. I guess next time I'll need to do some "real world" investigating before I go hunting. Unfortunately this yard only had one 5th gen Accord and it happened to be an EX so I wasn't able to compare...until I got home and looked real hard

The welding solution might be worth investigating, although, after that plus the cost of the bar I may be approaching the cost of the Suspension Technique unit. By the way, the cheapest I could find the rear S.T. sway bar for our Accords was from Jeggs or Summit...think it was about $135 shipped.

 

Yeh, who would have guessed. You would think Honda would manufacture one type of crossmember, but NOooooo, they've got to be difficult (and different).

P

That's about the best price I've found as well.

 

sorry to bring this thread back to life but, just to verify....installing the front sways should be the same on the LX as for the EX tho right?

i've also done a rear disc conversion so i've got EX trailing arms and hubs and all that in the rear, does that affect whether or not i should still get the rear sways for an LX?

i drive the same car as lonestar btw, i just have a rear disc conversion.

 

yup, I have a 94 LX and came across the same problem, sucks huh? I gave up, and I just have the tie bar in the rear for now. I asked on here, and everyone thought (including me) that it should be the same bolt on parts.....ark

 

doesn't neuspeed make some sort of bracket for that?

 

The front bar on all 5th gens' mount the same. The EX version is the largest (and stiffest). If you're going to change out the LX/SE version for the EX style, remember that you have to also install the ex inner sway bar mounting bushings as well. The links on the end are the same.

On your second question, you may not be any better off than before (as far as the sway bar is concerned. The problem isn't with the sway bars' outer mount (trailing arms), but with the proviso's for the inner mount(s). Refer to the two illustrations from Honda' Inline Catalog... The trailing arms are the same for all applications.

EX Version:
http://www.hondaautomotivepart...R+ARM

DX/LX/SE Version:
http://www.hondaautomotivepart...R+ARM

P


Modified by P_Adams at 11:47 PM 9/20/2005

 

so do people just go ahead and get an aftermarket rear sway? are there such things for an LX?

i've also haerd to make sure to get the subframe reinforcements....whats the deal with that?

 

Dx/Lx/Se chassis can go several ways. I'm going to use Suspension Techniques products as an example.
You can:
Leave the stock front bar, and install the S/T rear bar
Swap in the EX front bar, and install the S/T rear bar
Install both the front and rear S/T bars

or (subject to inspection)
Swap in both front and rear EX bars.

As far as frame stiffeners, I (personally) am not convinced of their worth. They were originally developed to control chassis twist on rear wheel drive cars (Camaro's, Firebirds ect), but a unibody FWD vehicle doesn't see those same forces.

P

 

Anyone wanna buy a 5th gen ex rear sway bar? hahahahaha

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by P_Adams &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Dx/Lx/Se chassis can go several ways. I'm going to use Suspension Techniques products as an example.
You can:
Leave the stock front bar, and install the S/T rear bar
Swap in the EX front bar, and install the S/T rear bar
Install both the front and rear S/T bars

or (subject to inspection)
Swap in both front and rear EX bars.

As far as frame stiffeners, I (personally) am not convinced of their worth. They were originally developed to control chassis twist on rear wheel drive cars (Camaro's, Firebirds ect), but a unibody FWD vehicle doesn't see those same forces.

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

i'm probably just gonna install ST front and rears. do we have to specify when ordering them whether or not my car's an LX or do the ST bars come with mounting kits for ex/lx?

 

Suspention Techniques kits for the 5th gen"s fit all applications (DX,LX,SE and EX).

Kit # 52135 Front / Rear with all brackets, bushings and links.

Example: http://www.lightningmotorsport...s.htm

P

 

thanks P

anybody selling an ST f/r sway bar kit?

 

anybody know any good sub frame reinforcement kits?