Was working on my hatch today and ordering new upper bushings from HardRace (to replace ES which have loosened/deformed) and I am pondering what vital purpose it serves to have them tied together like that?

 

perhaps...to keep them from being lost in the box during shipping ??

 

it's really just a matter of consistency, and keeping everything lined up properly for when you install them into the car. without the strap it's easy to have them get installed at an angle or twisted, which screws everything up and drastically reduces the life of the bushings

 

To keep from deforming the sheet metal.

 

its on strut bar. best I can explain it.

 

I think it's an inherent design improvement similar to everything else on the EG/DC chassis versus EK. The mounting points are different (up top instead of on the sides of the fender wells), stiffener of the sheet metal to keep the arm from flexing in on itself, and much easily serviceable to reuse the metal arm itself. The EK was definitely designed with cost savings in mind since it features a ton of stamped metal parts and "one time use unless pressing the bearings out" designs.

 

yeah i've wondered about this myself, why its even there.

its really just a spacer. and you dont need the two spacers to be bridged in one piece. theres no real strength added compared to the chassis once its installed. in fact its better to just cut the middle part off because as is it prevents removing the knuckle without removing the shock/springs. its a lot easier to take the upper control arm off without it being bridged.

you do want it tho. just taking it off changes the camber curves. having said that, it is a **** you can turn when trying to tune and adjust static and dynamic camber with OEM parts.... just saying.