EK9 front strut bar onto an EK1

[Alvis]

yep, more explanation lads on why you would need to run both?

Which option would be 'adequate' for everyday street driving?

[Tai]

No need to run both,

Best strut bar/chasis brace to get is a solid 3 point ones like :

Carbing
Benen
Password jdm
Rigid ...etc

The Spoon one VT3C is running is useless as it is pivotable.

If you tighened the Spoon at the bit the bracket joins to the bar, you can still force it to move with your bare hands.


And effective bar is one that is fully solid with no weak points and preferably 3 point.

[Alvis]

So, assuming you go with a bar type strut/brace that's not a 3 point (let's assume) you're saying you get one that bolts onto the outer points in the engine bay - ie the holes you have to drill - rather than one on top of the shocks?

[Tai]

You obviously have no idea what Im on about.

Im saying bars connected by a single bolt on each side for the bracket are useless to full solid bars.

go to below link for reference

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ULTRA-RACING-...item230ae43209

[Alvis]

so strut/braces connected by a single bolt on each side (ie not 3 point) are not what you call 'full solid bars'?

[Tai]

Yes, but there are 3 point bars that come with the single bolt connections which are also useless.

Solid meaning no weak points.

One whole piece.

[Alvis]

so without going to a 3 point bar, would something like the Mugen brace be good?


By civica at 2010-11-11

[sw1fty]

e.g. crap brace



see how near the ends there is a bolt that joins the bracket from the strut to the bar?
this is crap because it means under load the bolt allows it to pivot slightly, thereby making it less effective than if it was solid

e.g. good brace



See how it has no adjustability or pivot points? this means its gonna be more solid and allow for less movement.

[Alvis]

right, yep I can see exactly what you mean... sorry i'm a bit of a noob at this atm; but mugen = good brace

[mugen_ctr]

Just a quick one, how do we mount our strut bars on Ek's? theres a solid pipe line that runs next to the strut tops making it impossible to fit on without moving that

[Tai]

Need to move it aside, by removing the gold/zinc coloured bracket

It will be a ight squeeze, but doable.

[Alvis]

Thought i'd fire up some more discussion on this topic with some interesting extracts from a Suspension Secrets article from Whiteline talking about strut/chassis braces and suspension setup in FWDs:


1. Are there any factory front-wheel-drive vehicles that handle extraordinarily well?
The best ones are Honda Civics - they've got lovely geometry. However, they're the easiest ones to stuff up with lowering. They respond very well to better shocks and a rear bar - they respond badly to lowering without some expensive changes to geometry.


2. What should be someone's first FWD suspension mods with a budget of around $500?
A decent wheel alignment, a bigger rear bar and something like a castor kit on the front.


3. Upping the budget to around $1500, what should come next?
I'd have to say quality rubber or shocks, plus the items I mentioned before. As far as the shocks are concerned, when you put a bigger rear bar on, you have the effect of slaving one side to the other. It has to work harder. Straight away that puts OE shocks under stress so they'll wear out sooner. An aftermarket shock should last longer and give better control.

I'd also look at the front swaybar and the bushes, depending on what car it is.


4. Are strut braces truly effective?
One of the great opportunities is chassis stiffness. We no longer refer to just strut braces, we refer to chassis braces - we're introducing more and more braces. A strut brace is only one tool in the whole arsenal.

The lower control arm braces are a huge area for gain. If we do nothing but change that on a front-wheel-drive car, you'll find a huge difference. It's much tighter - but it'll feel like it's understeering more. We often hear the car understeers more when an upper or lower brace is put on.

I say that's good - that means whatever you do now is more directly related. A simple wheel alignment change will usually fix that understeer.

Rear strut braces on front-wheel-drives are one of the killer applications. In other words, if you put a rear bar
on a FWD and then put a rear strut brace on, you'll notice a big difference.


http://www.whiteline.com.au/docs/art...sp_01_0202.pdf


***So, after reading that article it sounds like the suspension/chassis mod list would look something like the following***:
1. Wheel alignment
2. Thicker rear sway bar
3. Front castor kit
4. Quality tyres
5. Quality suspension
6. Front swaybar + bushes
7. Chassis braces (front, rear, control arms)


My first question is - how much understeer would you have compared to stock by fitting a thicker rear sway bar and is this a good thing given FWD tend to understeer to start with anyway?