Just bought the Mugen rear tower bar. I was under the impression that this is the most solid bar on the market, and that it should be quite heavy for that reason.

The first thing I notced with mine was that it is very light. It only weights 1.6kg.

To test how stiff the bar is I tried to put som weight on it by standing on it, and it bent very easily.

Did I get the real deal, or did I get a replica? I did not think it was supposed to be this light... It feels completely hollow inside...

Hope other Mugen rear tower bar owners can chime in.

Some pics:

 

i hope your joking...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NTGR8D &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i hope your joking...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm not...

 

just by seeing what it came with, yes it's real. Intructions, gaskets, and rubber lining for after you cutout the holes for the bar to go through the strut tower panels.

 

so wait now you have a bent bar? bars are not meant to be stood on if not mounted on the car. there's a big difference if you just stand on the bar, plus, you have to keep in mind that the bar isn't the only thing that keeps the car stiff..under your rear seats is also an example to keep the car rigid, sway bars, lower tie bar.. etc.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kicker773 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so wait now you have a bent bar? bars are not meant to be stood on if not mounted on the car. there's a big difference if you just stand on the bar, plus, you have to keep in mind that the bar isn't the only thing that keeps the car stiff..under your rear seats is also an example to keep the car rigid, sway bars, lower tie bar.. etc.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I did off course not put my full weight on it to avoid bending it too much. But it gave out very easily.

And what about the 1,6kg weight? That's way too light for the bar to be solid inside (which I though it would be).

Anyone else who've weight theirs?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Pompiuses &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">To test how stiff the bar is I tried to put som weight on it by standing on it, and it bent very easily.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

YOU WHAT!!!!!!

Whooaa....

just install it in the car like the pictures in the instructions say so and your straight . Its real so your good to go

 

i have both fronts n rears.. i've stood on the front when its on the car doesn't bend, sat on the rear while cleaning the trunk didn't bend because their bolted on the suspension

 

That bar is 100% genuine.

 

i don't know that is the right way to test your bar by standing on top of it. you're putting on shear stress on top of the bar. you suppose to applied forces from both ends.


Modified by Rahxephon at 6:23 AM 10/19/2005

 

From what I recall, the Mugen bar was deceptively light weight. And judging from the hardware and the quaility of the welds, I'd say that's the read deal.

 

Ask yourself:

If I was going to design a shock tower bar, would I design it to be strong to a parrallel force or a perpendicular force?

I forget my engineering and wish I could explain it better, but basically, put the bar on your car and drive it.

 

Hmm...before I installed my Password strut bars, I put almost all of my weight on them (~180lbs.) to get an idea of the structural integrity, and they didn't flex at all, and they're just as light as the Mugen pieces. :shrugs:

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Pompiuses &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> It feels completely hollow inside...
]</TD></TR></TABLE>

Were you under the impression that it's not supposed to be hollow?

 

The bar was not designed to have stress on the top. Think about when the bar is on the car and force is applied where is it being applied at?

 

Geez! If you're wanting to test the strength of a bar, apply forces in the direction it was designed to take. This bar is used in a compression application. Since when do tower bars ever see shear forces applied????

Obviously if you even knew what the bar was designed for you wouldn't be such a knuckle head standing on it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Pompiuses &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Did I get the real deal, or did I get a replica? I did not think it was supposed to be this light... It feels completely hollow inside...
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Neither the front nor rear ones are solid.
You've got the real thing!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ebelp &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hmm...before I installed my Password strut bars, I put almost all of my weight on them (~180lbs.) to get an idea of the structural integrity, and they didn't flex at all, and they're just as light as the Mugen pieces. :shrugs:</TD></TR></TABLE>

I had Password bars and thought they were great for the money. Mugen, Cusco, Spoon, etc. while all good bars; don't work any better than a Password or other low budget bar. Although the Ebay bars definetly are a waste of money.

 

They are in fact hollow, and relatively light. Just by looking at the quality of the welds I can tell that it is definitely a genuine Mugen bar.

 

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

I had Password bars and thought they were great for the money. Mugen, Cusco, Spoon, etc. while all good bars; don't work any better than a Password or other low budget bar. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Why?

 

That is the real deal. The bar is designed to resist tension and compression loads not bending stress.

 

Look at those welds

 

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

I know I'll catch alot of flack for this, but its just a damn bar. Yes we all care about our cars and want the best product. But in the grand scheme set up I would rather stick with the factory bars and invest the money in track time behind the wheel.

Alot of companies put a good amount of R&D work into these strut bars in order to create a great product and they are useful but overall I don't see how they make THAT big of difference when you're on the track over the stock bars that ITR's come with.

 

The US ITR doesn't come with a rear USTB, and the OEM JDM ones aren't really available any more.

 

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

I know I'll catch alot of flack for this, but its just a damn bar. Yes we all care about our cars and want the best product. But in the grand scheme set up I would rather stick with the factory bars and invest the money in track time behind the wheel.

Alot of companies put a good amount of R&D work into these strut bars in order to create a great product and they are useful but overall I don't see how they make THAT big of difference when you're on the track over the stock bars that ITR's come with.</TD></TR></TABLE>

well... each to his own....