Ebay Special Traction Bar

[bboyzell]

Hi Guys, I know the chance of getting flamed is high but some of you will find this a decent review.

So iv ended up purchasing another ebay item, this time it was a Traction Bar / Cross member

This was after the knowledge of my cracked cross-member that i decided to replace it and after also when i recent got a wheel alignment i the shop recommend not to drive really anywhere with it in its current condition.

After looking on the Net and seeing quiet a few different Brands of Traction Bars (as the Yanks call them)

I came across these 3.

1. ETD & K-Tuned - Identical design.
http://www.xenocron.com/etd-racing-traction-bars-p-443.html

2. Innovative Mount - Best Looking design of the 3
http://www.innovativemounts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=59111

3. Ebay Special :D
Just search "CRX traction bar"


EBAY SPECIAL REVIEW

COST:
The cost of this was around $200 or so including shipping. a much as i wanted the
innovative brand traction bar, it was out of my price range once i factored in postage, and with no local supplier of these parts. net purchase it was for me.

BUILD QUALITY:
Overall I'm pretty happy with it. the tube could have been a fraction more heavier. but compared to the stock cross-member it weighs a bit less. The Kit itself seemed to be missing a few washers, but also since its sold without instructions (advertised no instructions) so i guess it ant too bad, i purchased new washers from the local depo store
http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/7994/kitincludes.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/818/kitincludes.jpg/)

The Mounting Points of the Traction Bar are identical to the tow hooks. here is some pics comparing size. a fraction smaller
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/4594/headsize1.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/headsize1.jpg/) http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/3651/headsize2.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/15/headsize2.jpg/)

INSTALLATION:
The Installation took a little bit of guess work being that it doesn't have instructions and just says professional installation is required.

The Removal of the old cross member was pretty straight forward, other than one bolt that went in to the chassis, needed to angle grind it off.

Just some pictures of the old cross member and also circled is why i replaced it!
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/6973/old1ps.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/684/old1ps.jpg/) http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/1389/old2fj.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/707/old2fj.jpg/) http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/7198/dsci0407medium.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/850/dsci0407medium.jpg/) http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2934/dsci0406medium.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/163/dsci0406medium.jpg/)

Installing the Bar itself was quiet simple, just bolt to where the tow hooks lived.

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/848/frontbar3.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/593/frontbar3.jpg/) http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1862/frontbar2.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/515/frontbar2.jpg/) http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/9371/frontbar1.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/frontbar1.jpg/)

This is where it got a bit tricky, the bolts supplied would have needed me to remove the Drive Shafts to do this, i personally didnt want to do this so i purchased a couple of shorter bolts, the clearance was good with the new bolt. and still threaded in a decent amount

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/4066/arm1w.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/196/arm1w.jpg/) http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/9942/arm2z.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/13/arm2z.jpg/) http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7638/arm3under.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/441/arm3under.jpg/)

Here is it fully bolted up
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4346/frontbar4.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/62/frontbar4.jpg/) http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/6812/completes.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/710/completes.jpg/)

INITIAL THOUGHTS:
The overall installation could have been done in a evening, if they included the correct washers and slightly shorter bolts
also if i didn't have trouble with the removal of the old cross member

On the positive side once installed i was able to Adjust the arms, to a shorter length so they pulled the wheels more towards the front bumper. since i can now do this i can actually pull my passenger wheel forward off the firewall (gone from about a finger distance between the wheel and firewall to 3 fingers)

THOUGHTS AFTER ALIMENT So Just got it aligned yesterday
So far so good, the mechanic mentioned how easy it was to adjust, only complaint is if i WOT in the lower gears it has a slight jerking feeling, but in higher gears is fine.

Since the original Mounting Holes for the X-Member are now free, i think i will consider getting a Brace made to run from the original X-Member location. to strengthen the front end of the crx

BONUS: :rolleyes:

So once the old cross member was removed and we check it out. the crack it had developed was almost more serious than i first thought. and with two of use standing on one side each we snapped it. only thing holding it together was the metal seem.

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/9426/stuff3t.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/811/stuff3t.jpg/) http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/8936/stuff21.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/842/stuff21.jpg/) http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/3173/stuff22.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/853/stuff22.jpg/)

[tiksie]

Good DIY.

I would have personally purchased replacement bolts/nuts in high tensile to be safe. Can never be sure with those ebay parts.

[markismaximus]

is your sig correct for your car/engine? B16A 88-crx?

What header are you using? I'm surprised at how bad that clearance was with the stock cross member

[Jccck]

I have a Traction Bar on my CB7, made by ESP (ExplicitSpeedPerformance)
Very well known for their Trac' Bars, Strut Braces and Engine Mounts.. And they have some good reviews.

They did an article to show why not to buy the 'eBay Special' which included everything from low strength fasteners, cheap and low grade Steel used in the Bar itself, and the joints which were prone to wear out quickly.

All up shipped i think the Trac' Bar cost me ~$500?
Incredibly easy to install, everything lined up.. And mine actually uses the standard Crossmember holes, not the Tow Point ones.

My new 'Traction Bar' was almost twice the weight of the standard one (Not including the arms, which were lighter than the standard radius arms)
How heavy was yours? Just to give you an idea of how thick the material used is.

[bboyzell]

is your sig correct for your car/engine? B16A 88-crx?

What header are you using? I'm surprised at how bad that clearance was with the stock cross member

I'm unsure what headers they are, but they are 4-2-1 style.



My new 'Traction Bar' was almost twice the weight of the standard one (Not including the arms, which were lighter than the standard radius arms)
How heavy was yours? Just to give you an idea of how thick the material used is.

The Weight of the Traction bar itself was around the same weight as the factory x-member, possibly a fraction lighter than the factory x-member

[Jccck]

The Weight of the Traction bar itself was around the same weight as the factory x-member, possibly a fraction lighter than the factory x-member

Well that's a little worrying.
The front crossmember is very light for it's size, and as you found out.. It isn't exactly tough lol.

Keep an eye on the joints, make sure they don't develop any play.

I don't understand the jerking feeling you get in the lower gears though.. My Trac' Bar feels almost as smooth as standard, and wheelspin is flawless.. No wheel hop at all.

[markismaximus]

The front crossmember is very light for it's size, and as you found out.. It isn't exactly tough lol.

Its light because of its construction type. As apposed to a massive chunk of straight steel, it uses the shape of the pressed sheetmetal to be both light and rigid.

I could probably guarantee the OEM cross member is stronger, whilst still being lighter than anything aftermarket. You can't really say its not tough because it cracked after it had been butchered.

[Touge Tom]

Keep an eye on the joints, make sure they don't develop any play.

i had a traction bar/radius kit, on my DA9 from avid racing, that i bought from JDM Yard for $500. it developed heaps of play in the radius rod's within a few week's. i quickly pissed it off and went back to OEM. think 'bout it? its all solid part's. eventually with the twisting forces on the chassis. it will inevitably gain play in the ball joints at either end of the radius rod's. as it's not supported by the rubber bushes supplied by the OEM design.

just my experience.

[Jccck]

i had a traction bar/radius kit, on my DA9 from avid racing, that i bought from JDM Yard for $500. it developed heaps of play in the radius rod's within a few week's. i quickly pissed it off and went back to OEM. think 'bout it? its all solid part's. eventually with the twisting forces on the chassis. it will inevitably gain play in the ball joints at either end of the radius rod's. as it's not supported by the rubber bushes supplied by the OEM design.

just my experience.

Obviously the 'rigid' design is more harsh than the OEM's version.
And ofcourse your average piece of china garbage isn't going to hold up to it.
Quality products last, and mine seems to be fine after 2000k's of spirited driving.

Some extreme 4x4's, offroad buggies, etc use similar joints on their suspension because they don't limit suspension travel, and because they take a pounding and don't wear out.
I think a bit of hard cornering and the occasional pothole aren't going to worry them.

That said, i can't vouch for the quality of the joints on my ESP Trac' Bar until i've done many more KM's.
Reviews are great, and i see many on CB7Tuner have used and loved them.
It's not the design of a solid radius/trac' bar system that is the flaw.. The only flaw is having bad parts.

[Touge Tom]

Obviously the 'rigid' design is more harsh than the OEM's version.
And ofcourse your average piece of china garbage isn't going to hold up to it.
Quality products last, and mine seems to be fine after 2000k's of spirited driving.

Some extreme 4x4's, offroad buggies, etc use similar joints on their suspension because they don't limit suspension travel, and because they take a pounding and don't wear out.
I think a bit of hard cornering and the occasional pothole aren't going to worry them.

That said, i can't vouch for the quality of the joints on my ESP Trac' Bar until i've done many more KM's.
Reviews are great, and i see many on CB7Tuner have used and loved them.
It's not the design of a solid radius/trac' bar system that is the flaw.. The only flaw is having bad parts.

please write the review when you gotta replace the ball joints on the radius rod's, and @ what klm's?

[ericl33]

I noticed the 1 bolt mounting on the control arms as opposed to the stock 2 bolt.

doesn't look good in my book.

[Jccck]

I noticed the 1 bolt mounting on the control arms as opposed to the stock 2 bolt.

doesn't look good in my book.

The ESP Trac' Bar uses one bolt to mount the Joint, and the second Bolt mounts a brace which is also attached with the first bolt.
So it sorta acts to mount the Joint from top and bottom.. Seems like a decent solution in my books.
I don't know if the other brands do this.


please write the review when you gotta replace the ball joints on the radius rod's, and @ what klm's?

A few threads on CB7Tuner seemed to suggest the owners were still happy years after installation.
So i'm going to take that as a big thumbs up.
Buy legit products, don't get let down.

[bboyzell]

The ESP Trac' Bar uses one bolt to mount the Joint, and the second Bolt mounts a brace which is also attached with the first bolt.
So it sorta acts to mount the Joint from top and bottom.. Seems like a decent solution in my books.
I don't know if the other brands do this.


Similar to the photo i have taken?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/196/arm1w.jpg/

[Jccck]

Similar to the photo i have taken?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/196/arm1w.jpg/

Yep the same style of thing, except the spacer and the top plate are one piece (Welded together).

[cbauto]

bump.

[bboyzell]

UPDATE!:
So its been a few years since i had this installed

I have since removed this off my car, after i discovered the twisting of the traction bar has cracked my tow hook mounts
This is after around 2+ Years of being installed and used on the weekends.

If i was to buy the ebay special again i would first get the tow hook locations welded/braced up more, i will let the repair job speak for itself as to what the level of damage was done

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz15/bboyzell/7_zpsc8amgzuu.jpg (http://s809.photobucket.com/user/bboyzell/media/7_zpsc8amgzuu.jpg.html)

This is with the ebay special traction bar, see where i have sprayed paint over the weld (left hand side)
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz15/bboyzell/8_zpsrmrudgu7.jpg (http://s809.photobucket.com/user/bboyzell/media/8_zpsrmrudgu7.jpg.html)

This is where i needed to weld around due to the stress/damage from the traction bar being mounted on the tow hooks (and it being on a 25yr+ old car)
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz15/bboyzell/9_zps8a7chwxz.jpg (http://s809.photobucket.com/user/bboyzell/media/9_zps8a7chwxz.jpg.html)


i have now installed a Innovative Reversion 2 Traction bar for a EF CRX But it mounted up perfectly fine to my ED9 CRX
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz15/bboyzell/10_zpsnmelcbtm.jpg (http://s809.photobucket.com/user/bboyzell/media/10_zpsnmelcbtm.jpg.html)

[markismaximus]

Nice work on the follow up review mate, always good to get some feedback a few years on