The Cusco Rear Strut Bar...Installed with DIY PICS
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Washington DC
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The Cusco Rear Strut Bar...Installed with DIY PICS
This thing is hardcore. It's 1.75" thick with 1/4" thick end plates. Bolts to the towers and the frame of the car. Mine just came in from Japan, Japanese writing everywhere, the directions say "For use in Japan only"... hehehe.
It's raining, otherwise I'd put it in right now. But it'll have to wait. Rest asured, there will be a DIY when it goes in. It was $173 from RSXMotorsports.com, plus a 2-3 week wait to get it from Japan.
Greg from Hondawerx is going to start carrying these things soon... so I'm kinda the guinea pig for everyone on whether this will fit the Civic or not (its a DC5 part).
DIY below.
It's raining, otherwise I'd put it in right now. But it'll have to wait. Rest asured, there will be a DIY when it goes in. It was $173 from RSXMotorsports.com, plus a 2-3 week wait to get it from Japan.
Greg from Hondawerx is going to start carrying these things soon... so I'm kinda the guinea pig for everyone on whether this will fit the Civic or not (its a DC5 part).
DIY below.
Last edited by Boilermaker1; Apr 29, 2003 at 05:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,151
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From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 I got lucky 
the holes in the rail behind the seat are 3/8"... as are the holes in the bar. the only problem is that rail is stamped and is really thin. What I'll probably do is get some inserts made to thread into the holes and use 1/4" bolts with some big washers. I'll have to play with it a little bit, but I should be able to get it bolted to the frame with no major problems.
the holes in the rail behind the seat are 3/8"... as are the holes in the bar. the only problem is that rail is stamped and is really thin. What I'll probably do is get some inserts made to thread into the holes and use 1/4" bolts with some big washers. I'll have to play with it a little bit, but I should be able to get it bolted to the frame with no major problems. 
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,151
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From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 Installed... here's your DIY.
You need:
18 mm socket
14mm deep socket
8mm allen wrench
Torque wrench
2 3/8" T nuts (5/16" ID)
Bolts that fit the T-nuts you bought
Washers AND lock washers that fit the bolts you just bought
The socket that fits the bolts you just bought
Metal Epoxy
Here goes....
Open the trunk, pop the back seats, pull out the access panels on the sides of the seats and peel the lining in the trunk back.
Get your 14mm deep socket out and remove the bolts for the strut towers (2 on each side). For the back one, get a 6" extension and drop the wrench through the access panel on the side of the back seat... it gives the wrench much more travel than trying to work around the strut, so it comes out faster.
Once they're out, get the new bar. Mine came assembled, but take it apart. The 8mm allen and the 18mm socket remove the bolts for the ends.
Now... the frame mounts... if you've noticed, there is 2 holes on each end of the bar that runs along the bottom of the trunk. You're using the bigger ones for this. On the left side, this is a piece of cake. Mix up some epoxy, and slobber it all over the T nut... push it in the hole and let it dry (it should fit in with no play). Now the right side... if you've noticed, there is a metal cover over a wire harness... rip it off. Underneath is a surprise.... something is welded in the hole that you need to use. It only covers up half the hole, but I don't know what it is... so I left it alone for the moment. Once I figure out what it is, I'll do something about it.
Once the epoxy dries, you can put the bar ends in. Bolt the frame mount in first. Use the washer, then the lock washer then the bolt. Do not tighten. Now put the strut tower bolts on but just put them on a few turns.... not tight. do this for both sides, leaving the right side frame mount alone for the moment unless you feel like cutting the hole clear. Fit the bar in between the ends, put the bolts back in and don't tighten those either. Put the right side in first, then tighten down the left frame mount before you put the bar in. Make sure the lock washer snaps.
Left
Right
Now start cranking everything down in this order (if you don't, you'll have problems):
Tighten the tower bolts hand tight.
Bar ends, hand tight
Using a socket tighten the tower bolts until they start to seat... do not crank them on hard.
Now tighten the bar ends. It's a little tight clearance, so make sure the wrench doesn't slip... you don't want to strip the nut.
Torque the tower bolts down. 33 is the magic number.
You're done. Polish it up, stand back, marvel at your work and go show it off.
After all it's JDM, and your friends don't have one
Took about 1.5 hours, but it can probably be done faster. Its not hard, but requires a little flexability to do.
Sank yoo verry much.
You need:
18 mm socket
14mm deep socket
8mm allen wrench
Torque wrench
2 3/8" T nuts (5/16" ID)
Bolts that fit the T-nuts you bought
Washers AND lock washers that fit the bolts you just bought
The socket that fits the bolts you just bought
Metal Epoxy
Here goes....
Open the trunk, pop the back seats, pull out the access panels on the sides of the seats and peel the lining in the trunk back.
Get your 14mm deep socket out and remove the bolts for the strut towers (2 on each side). For the back one, get a 6" extension and drop the wrench through the access panel on the side of the back seat... it gives the wrench much more travel than trying to work around the strut, so it comes out faster.
Once they're out, get the new bar. Mine came assembled, but take it apart. The 8mm allen and the 18mm socket remove the bolts for the ends.
Now... the frame mounts... if you've noticed, there is 2 holes on each end of the bar that runs along the bottom of the trunk. You're using the bigger ones for this. On the left side, this is a piece of cake. Mix up some epoxy, and slobber it all over the T nut... push it in the hole and let it dry (it should fit in with no play). Now the right side... if you've noticed, there is a metal cover over a wire harness... rip it off. Underneath is a surprise.... something is welded in the hole that you need to use. It only covers up half the hole, but I don't know what it is... so I left it alone for the moment. Once I figure out what it is, I'll do something about it.
Once the epoxy dries, you can put the bar ends in. Bolt the frame mount in first. Use the washer, then the lock washer then the bolt. Do not tighten. Now put the strut tower bolts on but just put them on a few turns.... not tight. do this for both sides, leaving the right side frame mount alone for the moment unless you feel like cutting the hole clear. Fit the bar in between the ends, put the bolts back in and don't tighten those either. Put the right side in first, then tighten down the left frame mount before you put the bar in. Make sure the lock washer snaps.
Left
Right
Now start cranking everything down in this order (if you don't, you'll have problems):
Tighten the tower bolts hand tight.
Bar ends, hand tight
Using a socket tighten the tower bolts until they start to seat... do not crank them on hard.
Now tighten the bar ends. It's a little tight clearance, so make sure the wrench doesn't slip... you don't want to strip the nut.
Torque the tower bolts down. 33 is the magic number.
You're done. Polish it up, stand back, marvel at your work and go show it off.
After all it's JDM, and your friends don't have one
Took about 1.5 hours, but it can probably be done faster. Its not hard, but requires a little flexability to do.
Sank yoo verry much.
Last edited by Boilermaker1; Apr 29, 2003 at 07:22 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,151
Likes: 3
From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 Oh yeah... the difference.... noticable. The rear feels much more stable and doesn't want to "float" around corners any more. Clearly a well designed piece, well worth the price and the wait.
Registered!!
iTrader: (6)
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,007
Likes: 1
From: Columbus, Ohio, US
Rep Power: 0 Looks damn nice, good DIY Boilermaker.
Anyone with a generic rear upper bar: could YOU feel a difference? I'm wondering if the difference Boilermaker felt was due to the strut towers being tied together, or if it was the body mounts that made the difference.
Anyone with a generic rear upper bar: could YOU feel a difference? I'm wondering if the difference Boilermaker felt was due to the strut towers being tied together, or if it was the body mounts that made the difference.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,151
Likes: 3
From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 The expensive JDM bars (Mugen, Spoon, Cusco, whoever else makes DC5 Bars) are gonna blow the generic ones out of the water. There's no comparison. The bolts that hold the Cusco bar together are thicker than the bolts that hold the struts into the car. I know for a fact that the stiffness has nothing to do with the frame mounts because I only have one side bolted to the frame. Its just shear size and stiffness that makes them better. The el-cheapo bars are not 1.75" thick. The cheapies don't have 1/4" end plates... but the Spoon and Cusco bars do. The Mugen bar is a totally different design... I'm not sure it will work in the Civics without some serious creativity, it doesn't bolt to the towers. When this is bolted in and torqued down, you can tap it with a finger nail and it will ping. Its that stiff and that tight. I've seen the generic ones... and they look it... which is why I went big.
Registered!!
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 240
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From: Baltimore, Maryland, US
Rep Power: 0 Originally posted by CapYoda
Neuspeed has one.
it ties the point where mugen ties.
Neuspeed has one.
it ties the point where mugen ties.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,151
Likes: 3
From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 Here is the Neuspeed bar you all speak of... also an RSX part
It requires the expansion drilling of holes in the bulkhead on the RSX. I could not peel the carpet back far enough to see up there to see if we had them, so I don't know if we could use it. You will also completely lose the trunk pass through with it. MSRP $199.
It requires the expansion drilling of holes in the bulkhead on the RSX. I could not peel the carpet back far enough to see up there to see if we had them, so I don't know if we could use it. You will also completely lose the trunk pass through with it. MSRP $199.
I emailed neuspeed yesterday and this is the response.
Our engineering department is working on a rear upper tie bar right now, but we will not be releasing this item until early summer. We are still testing the prototype at this time. Regarding the RSX rear upper tie bar, no, it will not fit your vehicle.
For product information, ordering procedures, or a dealer near you, please feel free to give our sales staff a call at (800)423-3623 or (805)388-7171 or you may fax them at (805)388-0030. Thank you for your inquiry!
Best regards,
Danny
www.neuspeed.com
Our engineering department is working on a rear upper tie bar right now, but we will not be releasing this item until early summer. We are still testing the prototype at this time. Regarding the RSX rear upper tie bar, no, it will not fit your vehicle.
For product information, ordering procedures, or a dealer near you, please feel free to give our sales staff a call at (800)423-3623 or (805)388-7171 or you may fax them at (805)388-0030. Thank you for your inquiry!
Best regards,
Danny
www.neuspeed.com
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,857
Likes: 0
From: Gaithersburg, MD
Rep Power: 412 Originally posted by BlessedAggie
Almost looks just like the one the sale at pep boys
Almost looks just like the one the sale at pep boys
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