Review: CL Type S rear sway bar Other DIY Suspension mod's

[showgunz]

Hey. I just wanted to give you guys some info. on a pretty inexpensive mod. to improve handling on your 6th gen. Accords. I posted this on another forum but I figure it'd help you guys that haven't upgraded the sway bars yet.

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Hey. I finally installed a 2002 Acura CL Type S rear sway bar on my 6th gen. Accord. It fit just fine and except for few mistakes, it was a pretty easy installation. The cost is really cheap at around $50 for everything. The ride is great.

I can take corners at higher speeds without worrying about losing grip. When you have a more balanced car, the tires' performance counts more since the contact patch is greater.

But, since my ride isn't lowered, I still do get a little bit of body roll here and there. That's acceptable since the stock shocks aren't tuned for sporty driving. Also, the car still does tend to understeer so a bigger rear sway bar may eliminate that.

So in a digest: a 19 mm rear sway bar from a 2002 Acura CL Type S made big improvements to my ride handling, but you should look for a bar around 21 mm for a more neutral handling car. Since the CL-S sway bar is 19 mm, I wouldn't go for Neuspeed bars. And I believe the CL-S bars were solid, not hollow like the fronts. So I guess it boils down to spending $50 for moderate improvement in handling vs. $200 (Comptech) for great improvement in handling. I wonder how big the Eibach ones are, but I'm very satisfied with the CL-S sway bars. I'll list prices and part numbers for you guys that I got from ahmotor.com. Email me if you have questions on the installation. Thanks. Later.

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Hey. I tried to find the packing slip for the rear sway bar, but I can't seem to find it now. But anyway, the prices for these are really low at like $50 for the parts, so if you want the bars ASAP I'd go to the local dealer. The part numbers are (from the previous post on this forum at http://www.****************/forums/s...&threadid=69809):

52300-S3M-A01 (Rear Sway bar 19MM SOLID),
52306-S0E-015 (19mm bushing),
52308-S3M-A00 (19mm bracket)

You'll need ONE rear sway bar (of course), TWO bushings, and TWO brackets for each car you want to install. I also bought the bolts (FOUR) but you can use the old ones. Go to www.ahmotor.com and send Andy (or another guy) an email about the prices for these part numbers. He'll reply quick with the prices.

I'm not sure if the Sedans will need the TL-S parts. I'd say that's a safer bet than going with the CL-S parts. Remember, go for the TL Type S or CL Type S as their rear sway bars are bigger than the base TL or CL.

The rear sway bar from the CL Type S is SOLID. You can see the specs. on Acura's web site (http://www.acura.com/model_CL/cl_spec_results.asp). The bar is pretty heavy, but then so is the stock sway bar on the Accords.

I'd get this upgrade if you don't feel like spending $200+ for a rear sway bar upgrade. If cost is no object, then the Comptech bar (which I believe is a 22 mm in the rear) would probably give you the best neutral handling characteristics. Mr. Hyde (he has a TL-S) on this forum upgraded his stock TL-S sway bars to the Comptech's and he said it was a big improvement. Now our Accords are somewhat lighter than the TL's so the improvement should be even higher with the Comptech's.

Installation instructions are mentioned here by craftsman: http://www.****************/forums/s...threadid=69809. Only thing I'd add to this is that you can use a standard Allen key (metric size 5) and put that at the end of the bolt that's holding the sway bar to the endlinks of your rear suspension. This is because the nut and the washer behind it may turn (makes sense since the bar is made to move about while the car is moving). Anyway, email me if you have further questions. Later.

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[UPDATE]: The prices are as follows from www.ahmotor.com:

52300-S3M-A01 (Rear Sway bar 19MM SOLID) $33.20 (you need ONE)
52306-S0E-015 (19mm bushing) $4.45 each (you need TWO)
52308-S3M-A00 (19mm bracket) $3.55 each (you need TWO)
Subtotal (without tax or S/H included): $49.20. I hope this helps you guys! So if you can find a Neuspeed rear sway bar for less than this (with hardware included, of course), I'd get the Neuspeed's! Otherwise, enjoy this "high-value" mod. Happy driving!

[Exaccord01]

excellent review

thanks for taking the time to write this

[showgunz]

Hey. Well, you can change it but it's only a difference of 0.7 mm if your car is 4-cyl. and the same thickness if your car is 6-cyl. And that 0.7 mm difference isn't that significant to notice much and it will give you more understeer.

Bigger front sway = More understeer
Bigger rear sway = Less understeer

So, you get the point. The bigger the bar, the more grip that end will have. But I'd rather have a better neutral handling car than a slightly better front gripping car.

What were the troubles? Basically, if you don't use an allen wrench (a.k.a. hex key), the bolt will rotate and rotate and won't come off. You will need to take an allen wrench in one hand holding the bolt down; with the other hand loosening/tightening the bolt. Another possible problem may be from rust. I didn't have any rust so that was ok.

Yeah, just order one sway bar, two bushings, and two brackets. You can't use the old bushings and brackets unless if you shave them or do something to make the thicker CL Type S bar fit. I like getting thorough answers when I have questions so I like giving thorough answers so that you guys can make a good decision.

Remember, the Comptech bar or even the Neuspeed RACE bar will give you better performance. But they cost a whole lot more than the CL-S/TL-S bar. Later.

[Exaccord01]

moderator should put this thread as a sticky


showgunz thanks

[4BangingCord]

where can i get the two bushing and brakets?

Can i get them at the Acura dealershop?

thanks man

[showgunz]

Hey. Yeah, dealership, ahmotor.com, or other Acura wholesale parts web sites. Later.

[4BangingCord]

So does all the bushers and etc come as a whole kit or...

do i have to buy extra part??


thanks much..

[nitelyfe]

Hey... Showgunz knows what hes talking about. He helped me out when I got mine and I'm greatfull. The CL-S sway is DOPE AS FUCK for how much it costs. I recomend getting it from ahmotors.com instead of the dealer. You'll save about $10-$15. One thing I got to add is, it took the dealer I went through over a month to get all the parts. The dude said that supposedly the CL-S stuff is on major back order. He could be lying through his teeth though. Just be prepared for back order ish. Worth it though.

[showgunz]

Hey. Thanks, nitelyfe. Haha, I think I started a notorious thread on CAI whistling. It got too many people in arguments. I didn't mean for that to happen, man...

Anyway, 4BangingCord, you have to buy the parts individually from the part numbers listed above. There's no kit put together since they were made and designed for the CL-S/TL-S originally.

Buy:

ONE 52300-S3M-A01 (Rear Sway bar 19MM SOLID)

TWO 52306-S0E-015 (19mm bushing)

TWO 52308-S3M-A00 (19mm bracket)

And follow the directions above or ask the guys who have them installed for questions. It's pretty easy to install. Later.

[Exaccord01]

Showgunz one more thing could you post the link for the installation ... I did a search and couldn't find a thing ....

thanks again

[showgunz]

Hey. It's not hard, but first off... do you even know how to identify the sway bar when you see it? If you don't, just look for the bar that looks just like the CL-S/TL-S bar you have in your hands. Then go to the ends of the sway bar. You'll see that they're linked to endlinks on the suspension.

In order to unbolt the old bar, you will need to take the bolt off. In some cases, the bolt will come right off on one side. If it doesn't, you'll need to apply some counter-torque so that the bolt doesn't just go round and round and not come off. They go round and round because they're made to swivel and move according to your vehicle's movements when you're driving. Use an allen wrench size no. 5 and put that on the face of the bolt. With that in place with one hand, use your other hand with a 12 or 14 mm (I forgot which one) open-end wrench and unbolt it. Do this for the other side.

THEN, unbolt the bracket bolts. These are the easiest. But do these last. Take care of the endbolts first. Once you have the car on a jack/lift and see the bar, it becomes self-explanatory. Just take off the bolts.

CAUTION: Do not drive your car for awhile before doing the installation. Your exhaust pipe(s) and other hot items are right around the bar and will easily burn/scald you if you don't let it cool down. Use wheel stops to prevent the car from rolling. And always use JACK STANDS! Later.

P.S. AV6.com has a nice installation on Comptech bars, which would be same as this bar without the need to apply lube to the bushings. Email me for the link as I think SHO will **** the link.

[souljad9]

Originally posted by nitelyfe
One thing I got to add is, it took the dealer I went through over a month to get all the parts.

I got that too, the dealer got the brackets and bushing, but the bar was on a "national" backorder. He even put an emergency request putting in a vin# off a cl-s on the lot to try and get one in sooner. I gave up after a month and ordered a suspension techniques.

[Exaccord01]

"The bar and the brackets are in stock, but the bushings are on national backorder with no availablity date.
Andy!"


showgunz you know anyother place where I can try to get those brackets ?:


should I get what they have?

[souljad9]

i have a feeling its backordered because all of us accord owners are buying them all.......

[Exaccord01]

Originally posted by souljad9
i have a feeling its backordered because all of us accord owners are buying them all.......

I agree
funny shit LOL!