nene
June 14th, 2006, 19:34
Well, this past weekend I decided to tackle my H-Sport (http://www.h-sport.com/cgi-bin/EDCstore.pl?user_action=detail&catalogno=22827) anti sway bar install. The front of the car won't go on the ramps, so I figured at least I can do the rear one.
Apparently the rear is the worst of the two, so I was up for quite a challenge. Spend about 4 hours last Saturday, putting the car on the ramps, preparing tools and buying some additional ones, lowering rear portion of the exhaust, and unscrewing all the stock sway bar pieces. Well, it took me a while because of all the pictures I wanted to take.
After doing all that, I realized that there is just no way I can remove the stock sway bar from its location, until I lower the exhaust system further. That meant crawling under the car towards the center area, where now I have very low room to work with, and that God my gut is not that large, otherwise there is no way I'd succeed.
I had purchased a couple of jeepers creepers to help me move about under the car. It jus so happens my hair is a bit on the long side, and kept getting stuck on the wheels occasionally. Yep, it hurt! So much hair on this silly head though, there are no major chunks missing. At least that I can see...but how cares, if its in the back of the head, I can't see it, so no worries!
Car was left over the weekend alone, on top of the ramps, and exhaust pipes resting on the jack stands, until I was able to muster enough balls to crawl under the middle of the car, to unscrew 4 bolts.
Well, that day was yesterday. A few more chunks of air lost. I had an American flag bandana on my head, and that too soon was gone, as it failed to work.
At around 5:30pm, I crawl under the car, slide the jeepers creeper towards the center, and place some wood across the center to hold the exhaust as it lowered about 20mm without crushing my face. Bolts are out, and soon I find out that I need to lower it more. Start removing a few pieces of wood, and lowering the jack stands.
All is in good shape, yet the anti sway bar was still giving me trouble. Lowered exhaust a bit more, and finally got enough clearance. A bit of elbow grease (force), along with some tweaking, got the stock anti sway bar off. The new one is a bit thicker, so I had to lower the exhaust yet again, to get the H-Sport in place.
I tried the hard setting, as there are 2 holes in the end so you can chooose soft or hard. One bolt would go in, however the second would not, due to lack of space near the wheel, the size of the bolt, and the angle of the bracket. Hell, who cares, I just went with the soft setting, and was done by 7pm.
That was 1h:30m later. H-Sport rear anti sway bar on, exhaust back on, and car off the ramps.
I was so tired, I did not even bother to go test the car. Today, I have yet to take the beast out too. Will run her some time today or tomorrow and post some experiences of the new settings.
Will do the fronts probably at dealer or indy shop that has a lift.
I am not the most mechanically inclined person. However, I felt I did a pretty decent job installing it, even if it took me a while. This was also my first time doing it or seeing it done.
Directions from Hotchkis were great. They had mentioned that center exhaust section required lowering, and I was trying not to have to do it, and I failed.
Some digits:
H-Sport bar weight: 7.6lbs
H-Sport bar circumference: 8cm/3.25inches
Stock bar weight: 9lbs
Stock bar circumference: 7cm/2.65inches
With a little geometry, you can get the diameter given the circumference. I'm being a little lazzy.
Pix to come. Write up, well, that is up on the air. The booklet that comes with the bars is great. Happy to make copies and fax/email/snail mail it to anyone who wishes to check it out.
Apparently the rear is the worst of the two, so I was up for quite a challenge. Spend about 4 hours last Saturday, putting the car on the ramps, preparing tools and buying some additional ones, lowering rear portion of the exhaust, and unscrewing all the stock sway bar pieces. Well, it took me a while because of all the pictures I wanted to take.
After doing all that, I realized that there is just no way I can remove the stock sway bar from its location, until I lower the exhaust system further. That meant crawling under the car towards the center area, where now I have very low room to work with, and that God my gut is not that large, otherwise there is no way I'd succeed.
I had purchased a couple of jeepers creepers to help me move about under the car. It jus so happens my hair is a bit on the long side, and kept getting stuck on the wheels occasionally. Yep, it hurt! So much hair on this silly head though, there are no major chunks missing. At least that I can see...but how cares, if its in the back of the head, I can't see it, so no worries!
Car was left over the weekend alone, on top of the ramps, and exhaust pipes resting on the jack stands, until I was able to muster enough balls to crawl under the middle of the car, to unscrew 4 bolts.
Well, that day was yesterday. A few more chunks of air lost. I had an American flag bandana on my head, and that too soon was gone, as it failed to work.
At around 5:30pm, I crawl under the car, slide the jeepers creeper towards the center, and place some wood across the center to hold the exhaust as it lowered about 20mm without crushing my face. Bolts are out, and soon I find out that I need to lower it more. Start removing a few pieces of wood, and lowering the jack stands.
All is in good shape, yet the anti sway bar was still giving me trouble. Lowered exhaust a bit more, and finally got enough clearance. A bit of elbow grease (force), along with some tweaking, got the stock anti sway bar off. The new one is a bit thicker, so I had to lower the exhaust yet again, to get the H-Sport in place.
I tried the hard setting, as there are 2 holes in the end so you can chooose soft or hard. One bolt would go in, however the second would not, due to lack of space near the wheel, the size of the bolt, and the angle of the bracket. Hell, who cares, I just went with the soft setting, and was done by 7pm.
That was 1h:30m later. H-Sport rear anti sway bar on, exhaust back on, and car off the ramps.
I was so tired, I did not even bother to go test the car. Today, I have yet to take the beast out too. Will run her some time today or tomorrow and post some experiences of the new settings.
Will do the fronts probably at dealer or indy shop that has a lift.
I am not the most mechanically inclined person. However, I felt I did a pretty decent job installing it, even if it took me a while. This was also my first time doing it or seeing it done.
Directions from Hotchkis were great. They had mentioned that center exhaust section required lowering, and I was trying not to have to do it, and I failed.
Some digits:
H-Sport bar weight: 7.6lbs
H-Sport bar circumference: 8cm/3.25inches
Stock bar weight: 9lbs
Stock bar circumference: 7cm/2.65inches
With a little geometry, you can get the diameter given the circumference. I'm being a little lazzy.
Pix to come. Write up, well, that is up on the air. The booklet that comes with the bars is great. Happy to make copies and fax/email/snail mail it to anyone who wishes to check it out.