Hey guys,

Being bored this weekend I decided to check out something that had been bugging me ever since I saw it. I had the plastic radiator support cover off and I noticed this thing bolted to the inside of the bumper. It has these 2 2X3 inch solid steel blocks about 18 inches apart with a 1/4 inch thick piece of steel connecting them. It's mounted on a rubber mount at either end. It bolts from underneath with 2 14mm nuts. I thought to myself "gee that looks really heavy and like it doesnt do anything". Well I took it off and it is heavy. There is no picture of it in the Helms manual. I wonder if it was added to the 6 speeds to try and get the front end down a bit?
I didn't expect to be able to feel anything from taking it out but I noticed the car rides a lot better now! I know it could be my imagination but when I hit a bump it doesn't crash nearly as hard and it doesn't feel nearly as nose heavy.
Anybody know what this thing is? Do all CLs have it? Somebody else has got to try this. It does feel like the car rides better on the CT/Konis with this thing removed. If you want to take it out just reach through the bumper with a ratchet and extension as it takes a bit to break the bolts loose.

 

Can you see it here ???

 

Item 45 2 BRACKET, FR. BUMPER DYNAMIC DAMPER
Item 44 1 WEIGHT, FR. BUMPER DYNAMIC DAMPER

 

Maybe its for crash protection. What if its for proper activation of the crumple zones. Its there for a reason. Honda/acura doesn't just put shit on because they feel lile wasting money.

 

I took that dumb thing out the first week I got the car. Not sure what it was, but it wasn't hooked up to any sensors, so I figure, lose a couple pounds.

 

Yep that's it. I think it's more of a vibration damper than a crash damper. The mounts are really spongy and it looks like it's built more for wieght than strength.

 

how much lb's is it? 20?30lb at most. i wouldn't wanna risk my life for 20/30 lbs performance. plus if the thing doesn't even move then you aren't even gaining much as most performance gains via weight is by loosing any rotational mass (wheels,pulleys,motor parts..) if its even less than 20/30 lbs then just go on a diet.

im 122lbs 5'9" my CL-s felt fast as shit!!

 

Granted 20lbs isn't much but it will change the weight distribution some when taken from the very front of the car. If you look at it it's pretty obvious it's not for crash protection. It's even labeled as a weight in the parts diagram. (thanks ShawnS) Some NVH engineer probably discovered a resonance in the bumper and added this heavy assembly to dampen it out.

I'll need to remove a lot more to match your race weight!!

 

chad, could you eleborate a little more? if anything, and i'm talking worse case scenario here, what could happen without it?

 

Might get some noise in the front end from whatever vibration this is supposed to dampen. I haven't noticed anything objectionable from removing it.

 

Yeah I saw those things too wiring my fogs. I though they were for crash protection.

 

Mod name = Chad bar.

CT headers
AEM Intake
removed Chad bar

Agreed?

 

 

Interesting... I'll have to check it out on my 01.

But damn.. 20lbs.. you sure got a highly tuned butt dyno to feel that difference!

 

can someone post pics when they do this

 

 

nice avatar Shawn. I just finished watching it last night.

 

I can't put this thing on now, seeing as I have brackets for something else there

 

if your concerned about weight distro, move the battery to the rear, about 35~40lbs you loose off the front. also try adding a sub/amp as this wil make your rear end even heavier.

although putting more weight in the car goes against what your doing- acceleration.

 

Does the TL-S also have this, Chad bar? And, will my bumper oscillate at high speeds with it removed?

 

I guess I can be a guinea pig and find out.

 

Not that concerned with moving weight to the back. It's just that for some reason the car seems to ride better with this weight removed. I wasn't really expecting it to but I noticed it and remembered I had taken that weight off. The fact that it's about 3 feet in front of the centerline of the front wheels means it could have more of an effect on ride quality due to changing the weight distribution.
If I really wanted to put more weight on the back I would just get some platform shoes, slide the seat all the way back and drive ghetto style with my head behind the B-pillar.

 

Doesn't look like there is one on the TL

 

01 5at


I don't see it in this pic... it may just be a 6spd thing.

 

It does show it for the 2002 and 2003 autos. Premium and S both but not on the 2001. What the hell is it?!?!?

 

it must be third gear.

 

Here's a pic...
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...89451835RsBxZS

 

any know know how much this thing weights?

jens any idea what the helll this is?

 

Those are dampers they are designed to counter certain types of vibration although specifically what I am not sure .Removing them is not a safety concern as far as I can see however by removing them you may encounter some sort of vibration or noise .
Jens