Can I put a Front Shock Tower Bar in an 09 LX Sedan?

[Megacow]

I see that the EX's have a front shock tower bar that the LX's don't have. So this leads to a number of questions.

Does the bar improve handling? If it does, can I install it in my car?

If I can have it installed, what's a good one to get? Would it void my warranty? And if I had a shop or the dealer install it what's typical labor time or cost for it?

This would be the first real mod I've done for this car unless you count the tires. :P

[accord08201]

the shoch tower bar doesnt make much f a difference......the lx doesnt come with a bar because it is base model....you could add a bar if you wanted to.....check out my headlight overlay....what do u think???

[mhadden]

I wouldn't see why you couldn't install it in your car - the design is universal over the trim lines... I'm not sure if it improved handling (though most "race" cars seem to have them), but I think it provides extra rigidity and doesn't allow as much cowl flex and could possibly prevent mushrooming of the shock towers over times (a very bad problem on non-strut brace equipped E46's).

[dexterdog]

check out my headlight overlay....what do u think???

Ugly and cheap looking IMO.

[Gosha]

Originally Posted by accord08201

the shoch tower bar doesnt make much f a difference......the lx doesnt come with a bar because it is base model....you could add a bar if you wanted to.....check out my headlight overlay....what do u think???

too overdone, too much going on in the front...no my thing

[Edaccord08]

Originally Posted by mhadden

I wouldn't see why you couldn't install it in your car - the design is universal over the trim lines... I'm not sure if it improved handling (though most "race" cars seem to have them), but I think it provides extra rigidity and doesn't allow as much cowl flex and could possibly prevent mushrooming of the shock towers over times (a very bad problem on non-strut brace equipped E46's).

I doubt it would help in mushrooming as the stock brace does not clamp the whole diameter of tower bolts, in fact it doesn't even use any of stock bolts of the upper strut mount.
IMO it just stiffens both towers from some flexing in turns.
As for installing the OEM one, you will have to get EX+ upper strut tower mounts as the LX does not have bolt studs to mount it.
3rd party strut brace that use same 3 mounting bolts at top strut would work.

[Yung_Melo]

Originally Posted by dexterdog

Ugly and cheap looking IMO.

LOL I LOVE THIS PLACE!... Dont ask any questions unless you are ready for an unbiased answer


... which is why I never ask em

[AgentWashington]

I asked this question awhile ago and it was determined, as Edaccord08 has said, that the bolts needed to mount the brace are not present on the LX/LX-P trim levels. Replacing the LX stock bolts would require pretty much taking apart the suspension, so I don't think it would be worth it to get the OEM one.

[Megacow]

Originally Posted by AgentWashington

I asked this question awhile ago and it was determined, as Edaccord08 has said, that the bolts needed to mount the brace are not present on the LX/LX-P trim levels. Replacing the LX stock bolts would require pretty much taking apart the suspension, so I don't think it would be worth it to get the OEM one.

Is there a good third party one that wouldn't cost me a small fortune to have it installed?

[11705]

Originally Posted by Megacow

Is there a good third party one that wouldn't cost me a small fortune to have it installed?

Not yet... 8th gen accords are still "new" to the market.

[needforaccord]

Originally Posted by accord08201

check out my headlight overlay....what do u think???

Hideous, I hope it is only photoshopped to the car. Also, you should open a new thread for that.

[hulksmash]

How do i install the strut bar?

[TheTick247]

Originally Posted by Megacow

Is there a good third party one that wouldn't cost me a small fortune to have it installed?

Ultra racing has one. It costs more than the OEM one, but you can use it with the strut tower bolts you already have.

http://throwdownperformance.com/inde...roducts_id=288

Installation couldn't be easier. Take the 3 nuts off the bolts you seen on top of the strut in your engine bay. Put the bar on with the bolts going through the corresponding holes (there will be extra holes that fit the EX that has more bolts). Reattach & tighten the nuts you removed. If you know how to use a simple wrench, you can do it yourself. Note: there will barely be enough bolt exposed for the nuts to attach securely. Tighten it as best you can, but don't go ape-sh*t on it.

As for the difference, most say it doesn't make that much of a difference, some will disagree & say they notice a big difference. Your experience may vary.

[ricerocket]

Originally Posted by Edaccord08

I doubt it would help in mushrooming as the stock brace does not clamp the whole diameter of tower bolts, in fact it doesn't even use any of stock bolts of the upper strut mount.
IMO it just stiffens both towers from some flexing in turns.
As for installing the OEM one, you will have to get EX+ upper strut tower mounts as the LX does not have bolt studs to mount it.
3rd party strut brace that use same 3 mounting bolts at top strut would work.

In the models with the front strut bar, I thought the top hats on the stock suspension had these bolts built into them? That's why the aftermarket coilovers would have these two extra bolts on the top hats right?

Originally Posted by mobilezen

Not yet... 8th gen accords are still "new" to the market.

TheTick247 said it. Ultra Racing makes one. Mark at Throwdown could give you more info Megacow. Installing it should take no more than 15 minutes. It's just a matter of removing the 3 bolts (for models without the OEM strut tower brace) connecting the struts to the strut towers, putting the bar in and bolting everything back together.

Also, and this is just my opinion, if you're going to do a front strut bar on a model like the LX(P) that doesn't have it from the factory, I would at least upgrade the rear sway bar as well. Since you are adding a brace up front and stiffening the chassis up front, it's going to cause some understeer on our FWD cars. So I'd balance it out a little by adding a slightly thicker rear sway bar or rear strut bar if there even is one. Ultra Racing probably makes that too for all I know. Again, just my theory, take it with a grain of salt or however else you like it.

[Edaccord08]

Originally Posted by ricerocket

In the models with the front strut bar, I thought the top hats on the stock suspension had these bolts built into them? That's why the aftermarket coilovers would have these two extra bolts on the top hats right?



TheTick247 said it. Ultra Racing makes one. Mark at Throwdown could give you more info Megacow. Installing it should take no more than 15 minutes. It's just a matter of removing the 3 bolts (for models without the OEM strut tower brace) connecting the struts to the strut towers, putting the bar in and bolting everything back together.

Also, and this is just my opinion, if you're going to do a front strut bar on a model like the LX(P) that doesn't have it from the factory, I would at least upgrade the rear sway bar as well. Since you are adding a brace up front and stiffening the chassis up front, it's going to cause some understeer on our FWD cars. So I'd balance it out a little by adding a slightly thicker rear sway bar or rear strut bar if there even is one. Ultra Racing probably makes that too for all I know. Again, just my theory, take it with a grain of salt or however else you like it.

Yes , they do the EX+ have like 6 studs to mount to tower and OEM strut tower brace . where the LX/LX-P has only 3 studs for mounting only (nothing for strut brace ) .