First of all I wanna say hi to everyone. HI! I have been lurking in here for like a year. I wanted my first post to be good so here we go... I saw the posts in the Integra forum about a DIY trunk brace and wanted to do it. Well it doesn't work quite the same for our lowly accords. I devised my own method that integrates the rear tow hook attachments and the bolts securing the bar. On paper this method seems better since the bar is bolting directly to the framerails and does not use 13 washers as spacers. I can't believe how much of a difference this brace has made in my car. I would say it is at least as effective as my front upper strut bar. My car no longer creaks when going at angles up driveways, it also feels alot more solid in turns and over bumps. YOU WILL feel the difference.

BTW my car is a 97 coupe EX: neuspeed race, koni yellow, ST swaybars, front strut and now my supa koo DIY trunk brace. I think this will work on 4 drs and probably other generations as well.

1. Parts needed;
2 bolts- 3/8–16x6 (inches long)
2 nuts- 3/8-16 hex
6 washers- whatever will work
1 Aluminum bar- 4 ft long ( “1 inch aluminum box beam”)
Drill and drill bits




2. Remove trunk floormat/wood and side lining. When you pull the plastic tabs to remove the lining, pay attention to the location of the ones on the floor, these are the holes that the bolts will go through (sort of).


3. Get underneath car and use a 14mm socket to remove both left and right tow-hooks. There are two bolts securing each of the tow-hooks, the holes closest to the rear bumper are the ones that you will be using to bolt your bar down.


4. Still underneath car, find a drill bit that is the same thickness as the bolts you bought. Use this bit to ream out the threads that previously held the 14mm bolts. ONLY ream out the two holes, one on each side, closest to your rear bumper.


[Modified by powerofdreams8, 3:27 AM 1/23/2003]


[Modified by powerofdreams8, 3:31 AM 1/23/2003]

 

5. If you look from in the trunk through the holes that held the lining down, you will notice that the freshly reamed holes do not quite match up. You will have to “stretch” these holes so that your bolts can be perfectly vertical. I found that the holes needed to be moved about ¼ inch both back (towards the bumper) and ¼ inch out (towards the wheels). LOOK for yourself though, do what you think. I suggest that you use an awl and hammer to dent where your new hole needs to be, then use a small drill bit to get it started. Once the hole is started, use the same drill bit you used to ream out the 14mm bolt holes to punch through. Your drill will most likely fall into the OEM hole as you are drilling. If this happens you can put the drill in the OEM hole and press the drill sideways to work your way into the new hole. The bolt should now be able to drop straight through and come out on the bottom of the framerail.


6. At this point, you should make measurements yourself but I will tell you what mine were. From in the trunk, my two bolts were 43 and ¼ inches apart. The bar is 48 inches long so I took the difference between 48 and 43 and ¼ and halved it. This is the distance you will need to in from each side of the bar. I had to measure 2.375 inches in, on each side of the bar. Use the same awl, small bit, and large bit method to drill through the box aluminum.


7. Use the diagram to see how everything goes together. The new bolts not only secure your trunk bar, but also replace one of the OEM 14mm bolts that holds your tow hook on.






[Modified by powerofdreams8, 3:30 AM 1/23/2003]


[Modified by powerofdreams8, 3:31 AM 1/23/2003]

 

figures...he probably goes to Baylor....
jk man fix up your links.

 

sounds interesting. and the pictures are right, but imagestation is currently down in order to better serve us in the future.

 

worked for me - sounds like a good idea powerofdreams - we will have to do this on my hatchback...

 

if pushed hard that setup will bend and/or elongate the holes, unless I am picturing the red X's a different way in my head

I do admire the time and ingenuity though

 

Sorry the pics are working off and on. Imagestation sucks. I realize that you can't see the pictures, but i don't think that the framerail hole is going to elogate. Up top , yes that hole could, but not as long as the bottom of the bolt is through the boss in the framerail. If you get under there and look at the hole that the bolt is through you would understand. I could, however, see the bar bending. It feels very sturdy though and the difference in handling is very apparent. Thanks for your response urbanlegend...

 

blah! n20 bottle and battery is in the way!! good idea though

 

haha same here.

powerofdreams8, welcome, this is the kinda threads we like to see here.
remember to read the guidelines still though.

 

intresting

 

thanks a lot, looks like i may have another summer project in the works. at least this one's cheap unlike the 2-pot brake conversion (i know i know it's only about $300 but remember i have about $3000-3500 planned for h22 swap)

 

not a bad idea. how about moving a little more towards the back of the trunk?
like on the itr's.

anyone?

 

very very interesting...



About the damaging the holes comment... is there any way to strengthen the frame around the holes so the bolts wont ruin anything under stress???


[Modified by TypeSH, 10:16 AM 1/23/2003]

 

like i said, get under your car and look at the holes that those tow-hooks bolt in to. They are not just holes, they have 2 inches of thread going through the framerail. I don't think it would EVER be posible to bend or elogate those framerail holes. I suppose you could have someone cut a plate and weld it up over the holes... I originally wanted to put it more towards the back like the type-r but there is no good place on the accord, plus, i think this works beter since it goes straight through the framerails. If anybody does this please inform me of your results.

 

Looks good Too damn cold to be f-ing with the car right now, but in the spring...

welcome to the board

 

can you still fit a spare under the bar? i would think yes since it's bolted over the recessed section of the floor. it sucks we can't fit another one under the car around the gas tank and exhaust, then it would box it in completely. do you have a rear upper strut bar? did this do more than that? thanks for the help.

 

this will not do more than an upper strut bar considering the purpose behind these bars to transfer weight more evenly from wheel to wheel. The car does not flex nearly as much where this bar sits as where a rear strut bar does. also a rear strut bar transfer the weight directly down on the wheel, where you want it

 

Your so full of ****

 

yes spare tire still fits. BTW You could also put the trunk lining back in before bolting the bar in place and then just lay the trunk mat on top. For those of you who want it to look pretty...


[Modified by powerofdreams8, 5:22 PM 1/23/2003]

 

Excellent post

 

i noticed you used 3/8 bolts, are the stock ones M10x1.25 pitch? (i assume since they are 14mm heads?) Would using longer bolts that are the same size as stock make this easier (cut out the drilling) part? plus i think retaining the stock threads would be nice should I want to ever take this off.

 

Excellent writeup unfortuanlly, it won't help to much.. X brace the rear would be much better, across the spare tire well, and another X up to the strut towers..

 

*clap* *clap*

 

how do you tihnk it does not work - it looks like it would work just as effectively as a rear strut bar...as for you non belivers - go try it on your car first - then if you dont feel a difference then come back and tell us..otherwise you can feel a difference...promise

 

here's a damn good question. did you put it compression the way you have to with the strut tower bars. if so, how?