S!K
11-12-2008, 06:15 PM
So you want to improve the steering response of your car but you do not want to pay $100+ for those expensive aftermarket tie bars? Well then this is the mod for you. For about $20 and a few hours of your time, you can have that solid feeling rear end that you desire. The installation is fairly simple to complete but if it is your first time completing a mod like this you should probably set aside the good part of an afternoon for the install.
Required Tools and Materials:
1) Drill and a 3/8” bit
2) Jack + Jack-stands
3) 10mm and 14mm sockets
4) Socket wrench
5) Breaking bar [optional]
6) Torque Wrench
7) Measuring tape / Ruler
8) Hacksaw
9) Needle Nose Pliers
10) Flathead screwdriver
11) 27½” x 1” x 1” square bar (1)
12) ½” x 13 Heavy Hex Nut [or ½” spacer] (2)
13) M10 - 1.25 x 120 Partially Threaded GRADE 8 Metric Hex Bolt (2)
14) 3/8”x 1” Washers (2)**
15) Zip ties (2)
Acura Integra Lower Tie Bar Install
Before we begin, please take note that the tutoral for this modification is being installed on a 1995 Integra LS 2dr model with a stock LS rear swaybar. Therefore, please keep in mind that other models and/or years might differ. Also many people have asked me, "Does this mod work with a ITR swaybar using the BSQ kit?" The answer is yes! All you have to do is follow the same instructions but space the tie bar our futher. More about this will appear later in the article...Metals
The most important thing on this project is the type of metal you choose for your bar. The entire purpose of this project is to reduce rear end chassis flex, so choose your metals wisely!
Metal: Weight: Strength:
Hollow Aluminum Bar best poor
Hollow Steel Bar good decent
Solid Aluminum Bar good good
Solid Steel Bar poor best Each metal has its pros and cons, as you can see. Steel is more rigid than aluminum but it is also much heavier. Personally I would recommend a solid aluminum bar because it seems to be the best compromise. However, a hollow steel bar will be the easist to find at a local hardware store.
Where to buy
Just about all the materials needed for the project can be found at any local hardware store (i.e. Orchard Supply, Home Depot, etc.) except solid metal bars and/or M10 - 1.25 x 120 partially threaded GRADE 8 metric hex bolts. In order to find those, you must do some searching.
My advice is to use your phonebook and do some calling around, and if that fails, try the internet. I had to purchase my bolts off the internet from a place called www.nuttycompany.com [link to the bolts]. Unfortunately, www.nuttycompany.com has a $10 minimum charge, so I'd recommend that you order some of your other materials as well if you order your bolts through there.
Ok. Now that you’ve got your bar and all the other materials needed, lets start the work. Most shops sell metal bars by the foot, so it is safe to assume that you need to trim the bar down a couple inches. Go get your measuring tape & hacksaw and cut your bar at exactly 27½” long.
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar2.jpg
Now that your bar is now exactly 27½” long, measure inward 9/16” from each side of the bar. Using a straight edge, make a crosshair mark so you'll have a precise location where you need to drill.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar3.jpg
Using a 3/8" bit, drill a hole on each side of the bar where you marked.
Raise your car up and mount it securely on some jack-stands. Now using a 10mm socket, remove the ABS line brackets from both sides of the sub frame.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar4.jpg
Using your flat head screw driver and your needle nose pliers, bend back the metal folded tabs to release your ABS line. (Please be careful on this step and remember that those are your brake lines. You do not want to damage them in any shape or form!)http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar5.jpg
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar6.jpg
Next, proceed to remove the LCA bolts, which connects the control arms to the sub frame using a 14mm socket.Now that everything is ready to for installation, grab all of your materials and lets begin.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar7.jpg
If you have a stock swaybar...
Simply put a washer onto the bolt, then feed it through one of the drilled holes in the bar, and place the hex nut on the other end (repeat on other side as well). Therefore the order in which the parts install should be: bolt, washer, bar, and then hex nut. If you have a ITR swaybar with the BSQ reinforcement kit...
Use two hex nuts (not just one) plus one additional washer to space out the bar far enough to clear the ITR swaybar. Therefore the order in which the parts install should be: bolt, washer, bar, hex nut, hex nut, and then another washer.
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar8.jpg
As you can see, the stock LCA bolts have a pointed tip before the threads begin. The purpose of having that pointed tip on the LCA bolt is so it would make it easier to feed the bolts through the sub frame and the control arms. Unfortunately, most hex bolts don’t come like this (as did mine) so this procedure might be a little frustrating. You are going to have to align the holes of the control arms with the sub frame (on both sides) as close as possible to get the bolt to slide through. This may take a while but my advice to you is to just keep playing with it. Eventually it will go through. As a tip, you might want to try using a jack to help align the control arms as you feed the bolt through.
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar9.jpg
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar10.jpg
Once you’ve got the bolt fed all the way through, proceed to tighten and torque the bolt down to stock specifications (40lbs/ft). Get a pair of zip ties and securely attach your ABS lines to the tie bar. The zip ties do not need to be really tight, their purpose is to only prevent the ABS lines from sagging down, so don’t get excessive on them.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar11.jpg
You're done! Continue to the next page to see the final completed pictures of this modification installed on my car with a stock, as well as an upgraded ITR swaybar... This mod on my integra with the stock swaybar.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar12.jpg
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar13.jpg
This mod on my integra with the ITR swaybar + BSQ reinforcement kit.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar14.jpg
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar15.jpg
If you have any questions/problems about this project, please conduct a search using "diy tie bar" as your keywords. If that fails to produce anything useful, post a new thread in the Projects/DIY forum and then send me a PM notifing my of your thread. There, in your new thread, I (or maybe someone else) will answer your question. Please don't ask me your question/problem directly. I would rather perfer a thread so that others who have the same question/problem as you will be able to find our discussion with a search. Thanks.
Good luck, and may the force be with you!
***Please note that the washer(s) shown in some of the pictures are not the correct size washers. Be sure to go by what the directions say and use 3/8”x 1” Washers. Sorry for the potential confusion.***
Required Tools and Materials:
1) Drill and a 3/8” bit
2) Jack + Jack-stands
3) 10mm and 14mm sockets
4) Socket wrench
5) Breaking bar [optional]
6) Torque Wrench
7) Measuring tape / Ruler
8) Hacksaw
9) Needle Nose Pliers
10) Flathead screwdriver
11) 27½” x 1” x 1” square bar (1)
12) ½” x 13 Heavy Hex Nut [or ½” spacer] (2)
13) M10 - 1.25 x 120 Partially Threaded GRADE 8 Metric Hex Bolt (2)
14) 3/8”x 1” Washers (2)**
15) Zip ties (2)
Acura Integra Lower Tie Bar Install
Before we begin, please take note that the tutoral for this modification is being installed on a 1995 Integra LS 2dr model with a stock LS rear swaybar. Therefore, please keep in mind that other models and/or years might differ. Also many people have asked me, "Does this mod work with a ITR swaybar using the BSQ kit?" The answer is yes! All you have to do is follow the same instructions but space the tie bar our futher. More about this will appear later in the article...Metals
The most important thing on this project is the type of metal you choose for your bar. The entire purpose of this project is to reduce rear end chassis flex, so choose your metals wisely!
Metal: Weight: Strength:
Hollow Aluminum Bar best poor
Hollow Steel Bar good decent
Solid Aluminum Bar good good
Solid Steel Bar poor best Each metal has its pros and cons, as you can see. Steel is more rigid than aluminum but it is also much heavier. Personally I would recommend a solid aluminum bar because it seems to be the best compromise. However, a hollow steel bar will be the easist to find at a local hardware store.
Where to buy
Just about all the materials needed for the project can be found at any local hardware store (i.e. Orchard Supply, Home Depot, etc.) except solid metal bars and/or M10 - 1.25 x 120 partially threaded GRADE 8 metric hex bolts. In order to find those, you must do some searching.
My advice is to use your phonebook and do some calling around, and if that fails, try the internet. I had to purchase my bolts off the internet from a place called www.nuttycompany.com [link to the bolts]. Unfortunately, www.nuttycompany.com has a $10 minimum charge, so I'd recommend that you order some of your other materials as well if you order your bolts through there.
Ok. Now that you’ve got your bar and all the other materials needed, lets start the work. Most shops sell metal bars by the foot, so it is safe to assume that you need to trim the bar down a couple inches. Go get your measuring tape & hacksaw and cut your bar at exactly 27½” long.
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar2.jpg
Now that your bar is now exactly 27½” long, measure inward 9/16” from each side of the bar. Using a straight edge, make a crosshair mark so you'll have a precise location where you need to drill.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar3.jpg
Using a 3/8" bit, drill a hole on each side of the bar where you marked.
Raise your car up and mount it securely on some jack-stands. Now using a 10mm socket, remove the ABS line brackets from both sides of the sub frame.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar4.jpg
Using your flat head screw driver and your needle nose pliers, bend back the metal folded tabs to release your ABS line. (Please be careful on this step and remember that those are your brake lines. You do not want to damage them in any shape or form!)http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar5.jpg
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar6.jpg
Next, proceed to remove the LCA bolts, which connects the control arms to the sub frame using a 14mm socket.Now that everything is ready to for installation, grab all of your materials and lets begin.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar7.jpg
If you have a stock swaybar...
Simply put a washer onto the bolt, then feed it through one of the drilled holes in the bar, and place the hex nut on the other end (repeat on other side as well). Therefore the order in which the parts install should be: bolt, washer, bar, and then hex nut. If you have a ITR swaybar with the BSQ reinforcement kit...
Use two hex nuts (not just one) plus one additional washer to space out the bar far enough to clear the ITR swaybar. Therefore the order in which the parts install should be: bolt, washer, bar, hex nut, hex nut, and then another washer.
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar8.jpg
As you can see, the stock LCA bolts have a pointed tip before the threads begin. The purpose of having that pointed tip on the LCA bolt is so it would make it easier to feed the bolts through the sub frame and the control arms. Unfortunately, most hex bolts don’t come like this (as did mine) so this procedure might be a little frustrating. You are going to have to align the holes of the control arms with the sub frame (on both sides) as close as possible to get the bolt to slide through. This may take a while but my advice to you is to just keep playing with it. Eventually it will go through. As a tip, you might want to try using a jack to help align the control arms as you feed the bolt through.
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar9.jpg
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar10.jpg
Once you’ve got the bolt fed all the way through, proceed to tighten and torque the bolt down to stock specifications (40lbs/ft). Get a pair of zip ties and securely attach your ABS lines to the tie bar. The zip ties do not need to be really tight, their purpose is to only prevent the ABS lines from sagging down, so don’t get excessive on them.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar11.jpg
You're done! Continue to the next page to see the final completed pictures of this modification installed on my car with a stock, as well as an upgraded ITR swaybar... This mod on my integra with the stock swaybar.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar12.jpg
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar13.jpg
This mod on my integra with the ITR swaybar + BSQ reinforcement kit.http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar14.jpg
http://www.importmodifications.com/images/acuraintegra/lowertiebar/tiebar15.jpg
If you have any questions/problems about this project, please conduct a search using "diy tie bar" as your keywords. If that fails to produce anything useful, post a new thread in the Projects/DIY forum and then send me a PM notifing my of your thread. There, in your new thread, I (or maybe someone else) will answer your question. Please don't ask me your question/problem directly. I would rather perfer a thread so that others who have the same question/problem as you will be able to find our discussion with a search. Thanks.
Good luck, and may the force be with you!
***Please note that the washer(s) shown in some of the pictures are not the correct size washers. Be sure to go by what the directions say and use 3/8”x 1” Washers. Sorry for the potential confusion.***