I'm considering the Skunk2 rear swaybar because of its size, price, and reversable installation. Does it come with any reinforcement hardware? Have you had any problems with it? Thanks in advance.

 

i have it. i've had it over a year and no problems with it. it does come with hardware.

 

how long is it??
18MM??

 

The Skunk2 rear swaybar (21mm) does have mounting hardware, but it isn't reinforcement hardware. Actually the Skunk2 rear swaybar is notorious for subframe tearout and there have been several board members over the last couple of years which have had it damage their subframe (ie. subframe tearout). The reason that the Skunk2 rear swaybar causes subframe tearout is because the swaybar is mounted AWAY from the subframe. This allows the swaybar to exert torque and stress on the subframe and the mounting points.

IMHO, a better choice would be the Type-R 22mm rear swaybar. It is cheaper ($105 for everything) than the Skunk2 and it will not cause subframe tearout and it can also be reversed (ie. returned back to stock form).

 

i have it and have had no problems so far. as far as the tear out you may have some you may not. alot depends on how the car is driven and springrates....

ive also heard that its 22mm but ive always thought it was 21mm. instalation was a breexe too....

 

One of the board members is Gee3 and he has a webpage ( http://www.geocities.com/garylee333/suspension.html ) which talks about the damage the Skunk2 rear swaybar did to his car. Then there is Geeser, not a board member, but he was the first person that I ever heard of that had a swaybar tearout. You can go to his webpage ( http://integra.vtec.net/geeser/swaybar_problems.html ) to read about the damage the Z.speed swaybar did to his subframe. BTW, Skunk2 was formally Z.speed.

HTH.

 

I had this sway bar on my car until I took a turn pretty aggressively and clipped a pothole. It did serious subfrmae damage. I fixed it...now I'm ordering a Comptech.

 

just got lower rear strut bar (Skunk2) for 98 gsr...... will not fit unless i move my abs line underneath subframe. I would have to reweld my brake lines

 

what about the front tie bar??
or somehting like that

 

so the skunk2 bar only comes with brackets but no rear backing plates or reinforcement. i am confused because this pic of on older bar seems to have backing plates... or am i missing something?

http://www.g-speed.com/skunk/swaybars

 

I think the brackets that you are referring to were for Civic which did not come equiped with a stock rear swaybar and didn't have the tackwelded nuts on the inside of the subframe. Also these brackets had to be for new Civics 96+ which have a flat mounting surface on the subframe. The '94-'01 Integras have a "stepped" rear subframe which would not allow the brackets to be used.

 

Bret, I've helped a friend install your kit on his teg and it works great. But I can't understand how it "reinforces." It creates the flat mounting surface - yes, but where is it doing the reinforcement? Also do the brackets sit slightly at an angle because of the use of the lower hole as a bracket mount? It seemed that the brackets were not perpendicular to the horizontal. Also do you know of any cases of tear out with your kit? Thanks a lot.

 

First, a little background information on subframe tearout:

The cause of subframe tearout is when the larger swaybar is mounted AWAY from the subframe. When the swaybar is mounted in this fashion, the swaybar is able to exert torque on the subframe and this stresses (ie. flexing back and forth) the mounting points and eventually causes the mounting points to pull away from the subframe.

As with anything, an increased amount of leverage makes it easier to do work. This is governed by the lever law: force x distance = torque. As distance--or the length of the lever--increases, the resulting amount of torque also increases. (This is why it was easier to move your big brother on the teeter-totter when he moved towards the middle and you stayed out on the end. You enjoyed increased leverage at the end, while he suffered from reduced leverage near the middle.)

The proper way to mount a large swaybar is to mount it DIRECTLY to the subframe (eg. Integra Type-R - see picture below). This prevents the torque and stress on the subframe. Below is a picture which shows the Type-R rear swaybar installed on the my '94 GS-R (notice how it look nearly identical to the Type-R)

Picture of Integra Type-R:


Picture of a non-Type-R Integra with the Type-R rear swaybar installed:


Larger image: http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...d.jpg.orig.jpg


Now with all that being said. Since the Type-R rear swaybar is mounted directly to the subframe utilizing my BSQ Type-R rear swaybar mounting/reinforcement kit, the amount of torque and stress on the subframe and mounting points has been greatly reduced. Any remaining stress would have to be able to flex the mounting points to weaken the them, which cannot be done since the mounting plates (1/8" thick steel) prevent flexing of the subframe sheetmetal. There is also a 1" diameter washer which is used on the backside of the subframe to reinforce the lower mouting point. BTW, the Integra Type-R uses only uses slightly thicker sheetmetal than the non-Type-R Integras and it uses the same tack-welded nut for the mounting points. So no additional reinforcement has been in the Integra Type-R.

The top and bottom mounting points are not exactly perpendicular (they are slightly offset by ~1/8"). But the holes in the mounting plates and bushing brackets are bigger than the mounting bolts, which allows some adjustment to try and get the everything squared up. This has no effect on the performance or reliablity.

I have been using the Type-R rear swaybar for 4+ years and I have ~21 hours of track time and I haven't experienced any problems. I have also been selling my mounting kits for 2.5 years and there have been no reported problems.

 

Type R rear sway bar for $105? and where can u get this?

 

Does it fit with lower tie bars like Neuspeed? If not, where can I get some spacers?

 

I notice you don't have a rear lower tie bar. If you wanted to put one on, could you still put one on because it doesn't look like you have enough room where the control arm bolt is and where the swaybar mounts.

 

where do you get a type r sway bar for only 105?

 

Here's how:

1.) Go to http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.net/...searchpart.jsp and enter the following part numbers to order:

52300-ST7-Z01 rear swaybar
52315-ST7-Z01 swaybar bushing (2 needed)
52308-SS0-000 bushing bracket (2 needed)
52316-ST7-Z00 endlink bushing (2 needed)
52312-ST7-Z00 endlink bushing collar (4 needed) – this part can be reused from the stock swaybar
90175-ST7-Z00 bolt (8x35) (2 needed)
94050-08080 flange nut (8mm) (2 needed)

Cost ~$85 shipped.

2.) Go to http://www.geocities.com/bretq/mounting_kit.html to order Type-R rear swaybar mounting/reinforcement kit (aka BSQ mounting kit). Cost $20 shipped.

Total cost for everything ~$105 shipped.

 

I actually know of 4 tie bars that can be installed in combination with the Type-R rear swaybar and require no modifications or spacers and longer bolts.

Benen:


JIC:


Spoon:


Comptech:



Neuspeed and other rear lower tie bars require a 1/2" and 1/2" longer LCA bolt to prevent the tie bar from contacting the swaybar.

 

Where would I get Energy Suspension front and rear sway bar bushings? I took a look at my front ones, and they are tearing. The front is 14mm right?

 

How about the dc lower tie?Will it work with the R sway bar?

 

You can go to http://www.suspension.com/acura.htm for the ES bushings. It depends on which model (ie. RS, LS, GS, SE, GS-R, Type-R) you have to determine what size front swaybar you have.

 

So to put in the sway bar with the dc tie I would have to get 2 LCA bolts 1/2 inch bigger?

 

Yes, but it requires a 1/2" and 1/2" longer LCA bolt to prevent the tie bar from contacting the swaybar.

 

Thanks BSQ,I will be dropping you a line very soon,this is my next mod.