Everyday Engineering: March 2011

One of the "best bang for your buck" suspension mods you can do is to upgrade the stock 15mm rear swaybar (RSB) to something thicker. Almost everyone that has upgraded their RSB has said that it was their favorite upgrade. The reason being that it doesn't change the ride quality but SIGNIFICANTLY reduces chassis roll while turning, increases stability by keeping the tires planted, and ultimately making for a much more fun driving experience. There are two very popular RSBs out there; one from Progressive Auto Group and one from Comptech, both of which are 22mm solid bars. There are a few others but these are the most popular. However, if you're like me, you prefer the idea of upgrading your machine with factory parts. After finding out the TL Type-S (TLS) has a 20mm solid RSB, and realizing that the suspensions on the TL, Accord, and TSX are VERY similar, I decided the TLS RSB would be my perfect upgrade. The install went very smooth and I couldn't be happier with the performance. Here's how I did it.

Parts:

1x '08 TLS RSB p/n 52300-SEP-A11 $34
2x '08 TLS RSB Bushings p/n 52306-SEP-A11 $1.14
2x '08 TLS RSB Bushing Holder p/n 52308-S3M-A00 $0.85
4x '08 TLS RSB Bushing Holder Bolt p/n 93402-08016-08 $0.68
2x Self-locking nut (endlink-RSB nut) p/n 90212-SA5-003 $0.38

It is probably a good idea to replace the swaybar endlinks while you're in there. If you have an '04 or '05 TSX, the original endlinks have been preceded by a thicker design. The updated p/n 06523-S84-A00 is for both (L/R) endlinks and two self-locking nuts. If you're not replacing the endlinks, not recommended, you must still replace the self-locking nuts.

Tools Required:

5mm allen wrench
14mm socket
14mm open-ended wrench
12mm socket
8" extension
Socket wrench
Breaker bar
Hammer or mallet
Vice grips

Difficulty: Medium

Installation:

First thing first. You will need to jack up the car and you will be working underneath it. BE SAFE and support the car with jack stands! Once the car is up on stands and the wheels are off, start removing the RSB.
If you're replacing the endlinks, which I recommend, disconnect the endlinks from the rear knuckles. If you're not replacing the endlinks, disconnect the endlinks from the RSB. Spray the threads with some WD40 and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, using the 14mm socket and breaker bar, break the endlink nut free. Once it spins, remove the breaker bar and put your 14mm wrench on the nut. Insert the allen wrench into the endlink pin to hold the joint and remove the nut. If the inside of the pin strips out, you can hold the pin with vice grips from the back side of the bracket.
Using the 12mm socket on the extension, remove the RSB bushing brackets and fish the RSB out from under the car.
Lubricate the inside of the new RSB bushings and put them on the bar. The new bar is shaped a bit different than the OEM bar so here comes the real info. The new bar will mount to the car with the bar dipping towards the ground. If the "dip" section is facing up, you have to flip the bar over. Now, using the new RSB brackets, mount the bar to the chassis. In the center of the car, there is an exhaust hanger that is used on single-sided exhaust Accords in Japan and Europe. This hanger will, just barely, interfere with the new RSB so it must be bent. Attach the vice grips to the hanger and pry such that the hanger gets bent down. You only need to bend it about 5-10mm for the bar to clear. If you think you bent it enough, swing the RSB up and check for interference. This picture is of the bar in a "relaxed" position not attached to the endlinks.

This picture is of the RSB swung fully forward in a fully "compressed" situation. You can see that it does not interfere and has just a few mm of clearance.
Now, if you are replacing the endlinks, attach them to the knuckle. If you have an '04-'05 and are using the updated links, the link with the red mark goes on the left (driver's side) and blue goes on the right. Else, the link with the white mark goes on the left and the yellow mark goes on the right. Now, attach the RSB to the endlinks and tighten the new self-locking nuts slightly. Place a jack under the knuckle and jack it up until the cars weight compresses the suspension. Torque all of the nuts.
Put the wheels on and let the car down. Drive around for five minutes and let everything settle properly. Then, jack up the car and re-torque everything.