Poopies

iTrader: (4)

Hi there! If you clicked the link, you must be looking to improve your handling, increase your stability, and woo all the ladies with a newer, beefier rear sway bar! You can find them for pretty cheap online. I found mine here for $55. It's the 21mm bar from an 05/06 RSX Type-S. Not too shabby... thank you Artificial for the part!

Here's what you're gonna need:
-14mm crescent wrench
-5mm hex wrench (preferably on a socket)

-12mm socket wrench
-WD-40 (or other penetrating lube)
-The sway bar and appropriate bushings
-I recommend some gloves.

NOTE: I did NOT replace the end links. I am just doing the bar itself here.

First, we have our old sway bar. Mine is the stock 13mm EX one.


Here are the two side by side... gee, I wonder which one I'm putting back in!


Close up. HEFTY HEFTY HEFTY.... wimpy wimpy wimpy


1.) Jack or lift up the car and take all proper safety precautions. I'm not your dad. Just do it.

2.) Spray all bolts with WD-40 (or whatever you're using)

3.) Use the crescent wrench to hold the nut on the end link, insert the hex wrench into the hole in the center of the bolt and start unscrewing.
***IMPORTANT*** Make sure you loosen the endlinks up by giving the nut a few turns with the crescent wrench itself. This will help you to avoid ruining the hex hole by allowing a freer turning bolt. Trust drhawkinz and me.


4.) Once the nut comes off, you can swivel the endlink down and away from the sway bar. It's easy as pie!


EDIT: Tinypic wanted to be a goddamn butt and not allow me to rotate these two pictures. I apologize for any confusion this might create.

5.) Loosen the 2 bolts holding each center bushing to the chassis. It's easier to remove them last so that the bar doesn't fall down on you!

6.) Repeat steps 3&4.

7.) Remove the center bolts and their bushings and it's off!

8.) Putting the next bar in can be a little confusing. I almost put it in upside down!
This is what you DON'T want to see:


As you can see, once my wheels are on the ground again, the sway bar would get in the way.

This is how it should look:


It's an easy fix; just make sure you install it in the direction that allows the most room above the axle.

9.) LOOSELY bolt the bar to the chassis with the center bushings. This will help in the next step.

10.) Attach the left (driver's side) endlink first. It's the biggest pain in the *** because you have to maneuver around the fuel tank. You might have to jiggle it a bit to get your wrenches out of there when you're done.

11.) Attach the other end link. It's much easier, I assure you.

12.) Tighten the center bushings and take pictures of your work!


It sticks out rearward a bit more compared to the old one.




13.) Take her on a test drive. Try to maneuver as much as possible while under the constraints of the law. Come on, I'm not your mom either.

14.) Jack her up and tighten anything that may have come loose, or turn the bar rightside up if you didn't follow step 8. Enjoy!

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

yeah! one more DIY that can stay on the DIY section!

thanks!

GolNat

iTrader: (7)

nice job!

Poopies

iTrader: (4)

Thanks guys!

drhawkinz

Nice write up! I put on my new sway bar tonight and noticed a better ride just going to the gas station so I'm looking forward to seeing how it handles on the way to work tomorrow.

I think you should put this part in bold as I got excited and didn't follow directions. Stripped the inside of the end link bolt but luckily I have some vice grips so I was able to grab onto it and still get the nut off:

3.) Use the crescent wrench to hold the nut on the end link, insert the hex wrench into the hole in the center of the bolt and start unscrewing.
***IMPORTANT*** Make sure you loosen the endlinks up by giving the nut a few turns with the crescent wrench itself. This will help you to avoid ruining the hex hole by allowing a freer turning bolt.

Poopies

iTrader: (4)

I put it in red letters too! I'm glad I could help, and I hope you enjoy the mod!

Metalzone

Good job!!! This is just what I needed. This is going to be my next project thanks to you…

Now I just need to worry about how am I going to find the sway bar ?

Poopies

iTrader: (4)

Thanks! You could find one at a junk yard, online, and if you check around the For Sale section. That's where I found mine.

rallyeredem0

so i got my 05 rsx-s sway bar, i painted it red and ready to install it now.
about how long should it take me to install it myself? i dont have access to a lift but i got a few jacks and jack stands, i have all the tools and i can say im pretty experienced with tools to do this, only thing i am concerned about are the endlink bolts

Poopies

iTrader: (4)

Just follow steps 2 and 3 EXACTLY and you should be fine. The whole procedure shouldn't take more than 1/2 hour, or 1 hour if you are trying to do a DIY on it

drhawkinz

i just backed my car onto ramps so i'd have more to work. also took maybe 45min - 60 min. But it was also about 10pm, working with a flood light seems to slow things down. just make sure you do this:

***IMPORTANT*** Make sure you loosen the endlinks up by giving the nut a few turns with the crescent wrench itself. This will help you to avoid ruining the hex hole by allowing a freer turning bolt. Trust drhawkinz and me.

mikey1

if you dont have air tools or a torch, those bolts can be a major biatch, they look simple but in most cases are not, spray them good with oil/WD-40 or whatever and let it soak in for an hour or so.....good luck

rallyeredem0

thanks guys, when i bought the rsx bar the seller shipped it to me with the rsx endlinks attached to it still, i tried taking them off so i can paint it and ruined one of the holes, that was after soaking it in wd40, i ended up grinding off that bolt. i hope mines come off easily though, the rsx ones were covered in surface rust which probably made it harder

mikey1

wishful thinking,

chances are yours will be more difficult,

Poopies

iTrader: (4)

That's how the RSX ones I got were too. Mine were just fine!

187on211

Doing my endlinks atm and i have to say a 14 mm nut to a 5 mm hex is a load of crap. design of the stock endlinks is bs. i am having to cut a slot in the end to get any grip on the bolt.

Poopies

iTrader: (4)

Yeah... that's why I tried to take as much of the stress from the hex hole as I could!

Metalzone

I've been wanting to do this DIY for a while now. I still haven't been able to find the sway bar anywhere >.<

Poopies, if you ever come across another one, PLEASE let me know. Thank you man!

drhawkinz

http://www.ebay.com/itm/02-03-04-05-06-ACURA-RSX-REAR-SWAY-STABILIZER-BAR-OEM-OE-BACK-CAR-2002-2003-3004-/190873531048?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c70f2f2a8&vxp=mtr

Metalzone

Thanks a lot for looking out. I do however want to purchase the 05-06 RSX-S rear sway bar since its thicker.

Poopies

iTrader: (4)

http://estore.honda.com/acura/parts/...=B++29&dl=#005

Part 5
Part 6 x 2
Part 7
Part 8
Reuse your endlinks

Metalzone

Hey!! 1 question

Can I use the RSX end links?

Poopies

iTrader: (4)

Hi!!

Yes.

I remember them being the same size, so you should be good to go. The ones that came with the bar Artificial sent me were in worse shape than mine, and I ruined the hex hole on one of them as a result. The hex tool just obliterated it, so be careful and heed my advice in step 3!

Metalzone

Thanks, I finally got the sway bar after all this time lol
Btw, is it a significant difference in handling? I haven't installed it yet, just wondering. (:

maxtierney

iTrader: (5)

Nice DIY, Poopies.

Just an option, if you don't want the to deal with the hassles of OEM endlinks. Upgrade to spherical/heim joint endlinks. Prices vary from $30 to $100/set, depending on manufacturer. Or build your own.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

I still prefer the endlinks that have threads on both ends, easier to adjust length. Although the rear is easy enough to access

Poopies

iTrader: (4)

To be honest, I have never really pushed my car hard enough to know the difference. I like to think that the increased stability will be there when I need it though.

Thanks! I'm still considering switching my OEM endlinks out, but they're definitely low on my list of priorities right now!

Metalzone

Installed today and noticed a significant difference in handling. Very nice upgrade!! Btw, I used the RSX-S 06 end links but didn't need the hex tool (I was able to put the nut on the end links without it rotating)

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

ah, just for reference, if your captive nut behind the subframe gets loose, use a vise grip...

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/4...-take-out.html

I had to do it because of the Progress anti roll bar reinforcement frame