How-To: '08 TL Type-S Rear Swaybar on '04-'08 TSX

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
   
   
3. Using the 12mm socket on the extension, remove the RSB bushing brackets and fish the RSB out from under the car.
   
4. 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.
   
5. 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.
6. 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.

Updated endlinks for the '04-'05. They are much thicker.

The bushing for the stock bar (15mm) compared to the TLS bar (20mm)


The stock bar compared to the TLS bar.

Winter Tires

A few months back I wrote about wheel and tire sizes, specifically sizing for a winter setup. I sourced a set of '05 Accord EX V6 (16") wheels for use as my winter wheels and verified they fit the TSX without issue. I then replaced the "H" emblem center cap with the appropriate "A" to stay consistent with Acura's badging and just recently mounted a brand new set of Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 winter tires sized at 205/60-16. I haven't gotten to drive in any snow yet so I will wait to write a full review. But as for dry pavement driving, these tires perform about as expected. In comparison to my 225/45-17 ultra high performance all-season tires, the Blizzaks are very "sloppy" and slow to respond. This is due to the combination of soft "spongy" winter compound and increased sidewall length. I was VERY impressed with their low noise characteristic. On the freeway at 80+MPH, the road noise was comparable to my all-season tires, which are very quiet. At a stoplight, I decided to try a hard launch. VSA was noticeably active throughout first gear and at the top of second. This wasn't terribly surprising considering these were not formulated for high torque and temperature scenarios.

In heavy rain, I felt no hydroplaning or understeer. However, in an emergency stop scenario, ABS was activated. This is likely due to the fact that winter tread patterns are designed for snow and ice traction and not water expulsion. This experience left me praising my all-season's since ABS has NEVER kicked in with them.

Close Shaves: It's in the Formulary

For those of you that are sticking to your guns and using a razor to shave (as opposed to the electronic shaver), you may want to consider that you might be using a shaving cream with an inferior formulation, or worse: soap.

Just recently, I was given a bottle (tube) of Anthony Logistics for Men shaving cream from my fiance. Compared to my Edge Gel, this stuff was expensive. After using it once, I could feel why, but that got me to thinking about the formulary; something I do often due to my experience in the personal care industry. First, here are the first four ingredient listed for each of the shaving products:

Anthony Logisitics for Men Shaving Cream:

1. Stearic acid
2. Lauric acid
3. Myristic acid
4. Palmitic Acid

Edge Shave Gel:

1. Water
2. Palmitic acid
3. Triethanolamine (TEA)
4. Stearic Acid

The first thing one should note is that water isn't even in the top four ingredients listed for the Anthony product, whereas it is #1 in the Edge product. This equates to the Anthony product having a much higher concentration of fatty acids (lubricants). Therefore, it can effectively create a much more effective barrier with higher slip on your skin. Due to the high water content and TEA inside the Edge product, it foams (lathers) completely when rubbed on the skin. This effectively disperses microscopic air bubbles throughout, thus the would-be barrier actually puts air between your razor and your face, reducing slip. Similarly, the low water content and lack of TEA inside the Anthony product translates to a lather of a much smaller degree. When you rub the Anthony product on your skin, it spreads a thin and silky film of fatty acids without (much) air interdispersed. This effectively allows the razors to glide with nothing more than a nice barrier of silky lubricant between them and your face.

How does this affect closeness and burn? The answer is rather transparent. If a razor can glide freely over your skin, it can cut the hair without perturbing the topology of the skin. It effectively contacts the hair and skin at a constant angle, giving a precise and close shave. If the razor is binding up on your skin, its topology is changing, thus allowing for more fluxuations in distance between your skin, hair, and blade, as well as in the angle at which the blade contacts your hair and skin. Such binding causes irritation as well as increases the distance from your skin at which the blade cuts the hair. Why do you think razor manufacturers put the "aloe strip" on your razor? That strip helps increase slip between the razor cartridge (housing) and your skin, whereas the shaving cream increases slip between your skin and the blades.

I've been using the Anthony product for a month now and I can say from day one, that the shaves are closer and my skin is much less irritated as compared to using the Edge product. The major drawback of the Anthony product is the price. But, considering how great my face feels when I'm done, I can overlook that detail. Buy a tube and give it a try.

Racingbrake and Duralast Brake Setup Review

Brake Setup:

• RacingBrake ET500 brake pads (4 corners) ~$164
• RacingBrake stainless-steel brake lines (4 corners)~$110
• Duralast front rotors ~$100
• Rotora slotted rear rotors ~$100

Preface:

If you've read my post below regarding Rotora, you'd know that they produce low-quality parts with a poor warranty. The reason I am running Rotora rear rotors is due to the fact that I had so much trouble getting a refund for the defective front set, I was forced to keep the rear set and reduce my out-of-pocket expenses. Due to the amazing 2-year/unlimited mileage full-replacement warranty on the Duralast rotors, they were a no-brainer.

Review:

I have been using this setup now for over 1K miles so everything is broken-in, and I've had the opportunity to test the setup in many different conditions and scenarios. Also, I installed the stainless-steel lines about 500 miles after I installed the pads/rotors, so I was able to fully distinguish their contribution.

First, I will review the pad/rotor setup. Initial braking response was very poor. After proper bed-in, response was much better. However, it wasn't until the rotors were fully broken-in before the setup really came to life. Cold braking is very similar to OEM. After about 2-3 stoplights, braking response is drastically improved. High-speed braking is where this setup really shines. Exiting the freeway (85mph->30), there is NO fade and a linear increase in braking power is exhibited as the pads and rotors heat up. Even in extreme 80mph->0 traffic situations, I have yet to experience ANY brake fade. Similarly, no brake fade is exhibited while driving twisty up- and downhill mountain roads. As for noise, I have yet to hear any squealing whatsoever. Similarly, dust is not much of an issue, which is strange considering how aggressive these pads are. They are not as aggressive as Axxis ULTs but they don't chew rotors up nearly as much or dust nearly as much.

Upgrading the OEM rubber brake lines to stainless-steel is a must for any driving enthusiast. I didn't think they'd make as much of a difference as they did; I was very impressed. The install is messy and bleeding the lines can be a bit of a hassle, but if you're committed, you can get the install done and wheels on in a few hours. The stainless lines really firmed the pedal significantly and made braking effort much more predictable, especially during heavy braking scenarios.

I would recommend RacingBrake stainless-steel lines from Heeltoe Auto for a few reasons. First, they are very cost effective for a full set. Second, Heeltoe works directly with RacingBrake and offers unprecedented customer service. Needless to say, if you have any issues with your products, which you won't, Marcus at Heeltoe will personally take responsibility and fix it.

Overall Impression:

This setup cost me a grand total of ~$474 and it was worth every penny. Consistent and predictable braking effort, ZERO fade, low dust, no noise. Besides going with a BBK, this is probably one of the best brake upgrades for the TSX.

Not Really Engineering Related: DIY Iced Coffee

As the title suggests, this isn't really engineering related, unless of course you plan to scale this up to full production. Nonetheless, if you like or love iced coffee, but hate paying >$4 at your coffee shop for an oversweetened glass, you need this DIY. I originally acquired this recipe from GQ in Summer '09 so I can't take all the credit but I perfected it after making many batches.

Initial Impression: Easy enough, nothing can go wrong!

Tools Required: 32oz. (unbreakable) French Press, coffee scoop, butter knife, coarse ground coffee.

Difficulty: Very Easy

1. Put ~14 scoops of coffee into French Press. I use whole bean Dark Espresso and grind it coarse. I use the unbreakable French Press by Bonjour because the glass ones seem to break way too easy and are expensive to replace.
2. Fill the Press with cold (filtered) water and stir with the butter knife to wet all the grounds.
3. Place the French Press lid but don't press the plunger.
4. Let stand at room temperature for at least 12 hours. To assist with the diffusion (solid-liquid extraction) process, it is good to stir the mixture every hour for the first 3 hours. When the coffee gets saturated with water, it will begin to sink. The longer you leave it brew, the stronger the product will be. I usually shoot for about 12-18 hours.
5. Press the plunger, and pour the coffee into a pitcher. Mix it 1:1 with cold (filtered) water and place the pitcher in the fridge.
6. Serve with ice and (soy or almond) milk. You can sweeten it too if you desire but I can't stand sweet iced coffee.

Tire Sizes

Every day there are questions regarding what different tire sizes are safe to run. The rule of thumb for the TSX is that the VSA and ABS will not be affected if the new tire size is within +/-2% of the stock circumference. This can be confusing for those that aren't math savvy so I put together a simple spreadsheet to do the calculations. The stock size is 215/50-17 but since this is a spreadsheet, it is not TSX specific and therefore you can use it for whatever car you have by changing the stock size cells. What the spreadsheet won't tell you is whether or not the tire size you wish to run on your wheels will actually work. For instance, the '04-'08 TSX factory wheels are 7" wide. The maximum tire width you can run is 225mm and even then, they may be very difficult to seat. After I bought my TSX, I decided I wanted a slightly wider and lower profile tire so I went with a 225/45-17. The circumference is 1.9% smaller than stock. A better match would be a 235/45-17 but 235mm is too wide for the stock 7" wheel. Get my point?

I found this spreadsheet to be particularly useful when sizing up/down wheels for summer/winter specific tires. For instance, a winter tire is best on a 16" wheel, so what size tire do I need to buy? Consult the spreadsheet!

The spreadsheet can be downloaded here.

Update: I picked up a set of 2005 Accord V6 Sedan (16") wheels for a great price. I tossed some Acura center caps on them and they look great. They're going to be a perfect winter setup. I threw them on the front and verified that they clear the brakes etc. It's pretty tight but they fit and will work on the TSX with no issues.

Rotora: Why to NEVER buy.

Buying a product that meets your expectations is enough for some people to give a company a good review. The fact of the matter is, when you buy a product that "works" out-of-the box, you never actually get to deal with the manufacturer. Recently, I purchased a set of front and rear slotted rotors for my '05 TSX. My experience has opened my eyes, not only to an inferior product, but also to a backwards management style that ensures failure.

Upon receipt of the rotors, they were visually flawless. I took note of their short warranty (2wk/500mile) and was immediately questioning the quality of the product. Installation went smoothly; the rotors met OE design specifications exactly. I didn't even make it down the driveway before I noticed MAJOR pedal pulsation. Pressing the brake pedal while at speeds of 50mph or higher resulted in violent steering shudders and surging. After thorough inspection, I determined that BOTH the front rotors were out of spec. The rears were flawless.

The distributor (Excelerate Performance) told me I would have to submit a warranty claim with Rotora. In another blog entry, I will address this issue. I was immediately displeased with Rotora's (lack of) customer service. An hour and a half after they were supposed to be open, a customer service rep finally answers the phone. After explaining the situation, his response was "our rotors leave the facility flawless, you installed them improperly." After articulating to the rep why he was incorrect, his next response was "it must be your hubs, try replacing those." Being a (PhD candidate) engineer, I called him out on his lack of knowledge. His final response was to call back later when a tech would be in, but he wasn't sure when that was.

I finally got a hold of a tech and he seemed much more helpful. I suggested he ship me a new front set and I'd send the defective ones back. A day later I get a response "management wants to verify they are defective before they send out any product." Now, this I can understand when they are standing to lose thousands over a false warranty claim for a BBK but for $200 rotors? After a week of arguing, they agreed to charge my credit card for the product and refund me once they receive mine. I responded telling them to invoice me (for legal reasons). Three days passed and no invoice was received. I received a call saying that they were no longer going to work this matter out and no matter what, I needed to send the defective product to them for their verification.

I ended up buying new Duralast rotors from Autozone for less than half the price and a 2yr unlimited mile full replacement warranty. After installing these, I haven't had the slightest hint of surging, pulsation, or vibration. These rotors are smooth as butter. I submitted a chargeback claim to my CC and will receive my money back shortly.

In short, Rotora is so arrogant that they are unwilling to accept that their product is susceptible to manufacturing defects. They put 100% of the cost and blame back on the customer and are unwilling to honor their otherwise vague "warranty". I have heard other stories of the exact same problem and after others' sent their rotors in, Rotora claimed they were in spec and wouldn't send out new parts. The practice of putting all fault on the customer will bring your company to its knees, once the public becomes informed of your practices. They are willing to kill their relationship with a customer over a few hundred dollars. In my opinion, they are a total scam and should be completely avoided. If their products were truly superior, they would have a warranty that reflects that belief.

Save your money, NEVER BUY ROTORA.

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