Treblig

The car tracks much flatter in turns. If feels like you can take turns at a much quicker pace (responsibly that is ). Keep in mind that I also have the A-Spec suspenders.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

Has anyone ordered, or found any better deals?

sleepinxlionhart

I shot Kaleb an email, still waiting for his reply.

sleepinxlionhart

Actually, at discountacuraparts.com, you can get everything for $63.73, with shipping.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

cool, thanks for the reply.

rtr

Mmmmmmm i beg to differ on this rear sway bar because it should make the back end looser!? I think you guys who have installed this should rethink your speeds. Does it really make you faster though the turns or are you just not going fast enough to notice that the back end is loose in corners?

Some feed back please ? What you guyz think?

sleepinxlionhart

Why would it make it looser? I don't see how it can be..

Ballinger

He's thinking the back end will slide around because it becomes oversprung. That's not the case, however.

Treblig

I would tend to agree. It's a stock piece and it is only a 2mm difference. The car does track flatter and I can take turns a little quicker. The change is subtle, but it's definitely there.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

agreed a stiffer sway would reduce body roll and track flatter meaning more traction.

Thanks for keeping us on our toes.

sleepinxlionhart

Just placed my order at discountacuraparts.com

eVTEC

When you say it will make the back feel loose, it's probably skipping, when the cornering force overcomes the adhesion of the tires while the car is still cornering flat. Another issue might be the bumps or uneveness of the road makes the rear of the car feels switchy due to overly stiff sway bar.

An interesting discussion to read at: http://www.swedishbricks.net/faq/swaybars.html

I recently changed mine and I did not really notice a difference. There are too many variables to factor into thinking the handling is being improved. I have 19" with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 plus H&R Sport Springs on A-Spec struts, and I have not being able to push the limit of my car using these overkill setup. Maybe my tires is so sticky that I can't feel the difference of 2mm.

In any case, it's a decent upgrade for decent price. If the 2009+ are using it for stock, there shouldn't be too much to worry about unless you go aftermarket with, maybe, 22mm+ diameter.

sleepinxlionhart

Did you guys just install it yourselves? I would definitely do it myself except I don't know if the bolts needs to be torqued to a proper setting, and plus, I wouldn't know how to do it myself. If I were to do it myself, I would probably tighten the bolt tight enough, but not over tighten it. Not sure if that's the best way to go about doing that though.

wcoy

Had mine installed at the dealer on Friday, $52 for labor. The rear end definitely is more planted on turn in, less body roll for sure, love it!

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

did they take care of you on the parts?

wcoy

For the most part, if I remember it was $74 for the three parts. It actually came into the dealer the previous week I just haven't had time to go get it installed. Guy said it was the last one in stock in the whole country at the time, overnighted from California for free. Best $126 I've spent on the car. It's not one of those 10hp upgrades that you think you may be able to feel, you can really feel the rear end stay planted in turns.

white05rl

Has anyone done the 09 front sway bar installation in their 05-08? It's hard to imagine that the motor has to be "dropped".

Ballinger

It's "hard to imagine", as in you question that, eh? Well, I'll give you 50 bucks if it's wrong. Easy money, brohan. Haha!

white05rl

LoL, okay I'll see what I can come up with. The new rear bar is on its way. While I'm under the car I'll take a look at the front.

BluNosr2

This is a great thread - now that I am getting more used to my '06 with some seat time on familiar roads, I was looking for a way to reduce a bit of the body roll since the car's handling otherwise is pretty impressive for such a heavy beast that is also supremely comfy. Too bad the front bar is apparently a major install effort, although the rear should hopefully balance the car a bit better since it seems to have a bit of an understeer tendency.

SSjTrunks112O

So you are saying that we could have the '09 Rear Sway Bar with the '05-'08 A-Spec suspension kit on at the same time?

Would this set up still be good with the 17" stock rims or are 18"+ rims necessary??

Treblig

I have it on my '06 RL, so I guess the answer would be yes. I can't speak to your 17" or 18" rims question since I have always had 19's on my car. I would imagine though, that it would make a difference in either case in that the car should handle better than whatever your starting point was.

Chas2

Yes you can do the sway bar mod with A-Spec. 17" stock rims would work fine. As always, tires can make the largest difference of all in handling, and the case for 18's is best because you have the ultimate choice in available rubber...245/45-18 has many more choices (extreme summer to all season touring by many manufacturers) than the stock 245/50-17 tire size. It does not hurt that you have a lower profile tire. 19's and 20's have fewer choices, tend to be more expensive, and heavier overall, which can exact other penalties (not that we will notice it that much in these massively heavy cars)

SSjTrunks112O

Thanks for the info guys! Due to budget concerns, I'd have to stick with the 17" at least for now. If I buy the A-Spec online, would I be able to have it installed at an Acura Dealership? If so, do they sell (can't seem to find it online) & install the '09 Rear sway bar as well?

Lastly, what would be considered a good price/good dealership in the Long Island/Metro NY area?

Thanks again in advance!

Chas2

Just as you plan to buy the A-Spec on line, you can find the bar and two bushings on line easily at www.acuraoemparts.com (Del Rey Acura).

You can order it by phone, email or PM from one of our sponsors (though I would not pay email or PM!). I used Kaleb at Hansel Acura. You can use Rob of Lynnwood Acura, Tim of Acura of Peoria, etc.

The dealer will order it for you, but probably at full retail, but ask them for a quote, you may be surprised by a reasonable deal.

Your dealer will probably install A-Spec and the bar, but If you find an independent that you trust, as I did, that may be the way to go, especially if you give him the DIY instructions and pictures on this site. The official Acura install instructions are a little more complex than necessary.

My install cost was $150. Dealer quoted $800 to install. YMMV

SSjTrunks112O

It was $150 to install at your independent versus 800 from a dealer?!? Wow!

I can't find the Rear Sway Bar on acuraoemparts.com either. Is there another name I should be looking for it under? Thanks again!

Chas2

Look under rear lower arm.

http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...All&vinsrch=no

I think you should check with the sponsors on pricing however

SSjTrunks112O

I see a few of them that say that, do you know the part # off hand (sorry so many questions)?

Chas2

Look at the link...it takes you to the part

SSjTrunks112O

Thanks, got it. The '09 rear sway bar & the 2 bushings are all I need right?

Chas2

Theoretically, I suppose the links or the nuts could be in bad shape, but most have not had any issues with having to replace those...

SSjTrunks112O

Ordered the parts from Clint for $65 shipped in addition to the A-Spec Suspension, should get it this week!

I have a nearly new '08 RL Tech that still has mileage in the 4 figures, so I don't think I will be needing the links or nuts correct?

Does anyone know of any decent priced Acura dealers in the LI/NYC area? I heard you have to get it installed at one in order to get a warranty on the parts.

Tiago_RL

You owe me 50 bucks. My service manual says you have to drop the subframe in the front,not the motor.Sway bar is bolted to subframe and has to be removed in order to replace the bar and bushings.Alignment must be done after everything is put back together. I also checked with an acura technician today. 4 hours labour and thats with alignment.

ichi d

4hrs = 400+ dollars at the dealer, is it really worth the money?

alfadoctor

What is the deal with the front bar and the sub frame? Is it such that you have to drop the sub frame to gain access or it just won't come out with out dropping it?

I would think that installing a rear bar with out compensation in the front with an equal part/ie installing them as a pair would create an over steer condition, but that might be masked by the rear differential moving the power around to compensate. Am I over complicating this?

I would be in on the group buy!

Tiago_RL

No it's not work the 400 bucks but any other shop can do this for you for half that cost.I dont think this sway bar upgrade will do much for our cars.I have an 05 Rl A-spec and I like it the way it is. These are luxury cars not a touring car to take to the circuit on weekends,there too heavy and underpowered for that.To me this sway bar upgrade is just a waste of money.As for the subframe question, it has to be dropped in order to remove the sway bar.There's no other way around it.

Chas2

I think that many feel this car has heavy understeer dialed in, and the feeling is a thicker rear bar would make the handling slightly closer to neutral.

Interestingly, the front bar of the 2005-2008 is a 29 mm solid bar, while 2009+ is an almost identical diameter 30 mm hollow bar with a 6.5 mm wall thickness. Hollow bars have an advantage in that you can more easily fine tune the stiffness by playing with the wall thickness while saving weight on the order of 25 to 30%

Somebody has to do the math, but clearly there is a weight savings and depending on the wall engineering, the hollow bar can also be stiffer than the previous solid bar, so for the 2009 MMC, the Acura engineers were clearly listening to the criticisms that the suspension needed to be less luxo cruiser and more controlled....

23109VC

Has anyone put the front bar in?

sounds like the rear bar is cheap/easy and a great thing to do... but what about the front?

can an indie shop do it for a couple hundred bucks? or are you looking at huge $$ even there? if it were cheap enough to get it in - this would be worthwhile as you'd get better cornering, less body roll, with ZERO impact on the ride quality...


my rear bar is ordered....

Ballinger

Okay..back from my break from the online world! Do you have the new sway on? Give us your review?

23109VC

my car is at the dealer rightn ow having the bar installed! I had some other small issues to deal with at hte same time. my drivers side windshield trim the thing that goes up along the apillar on the outside of the car...that lines the windshield came loose and they are fixing it. i also had them listen to and try to diagnose a rattle fromthe engine bay and that low speed whine at 30mph... i'm also doing that brake recall....

i may get the car back from all this stuff today or tomorrow. i'll be anxious to see how it feels once I get it back.

i've been zipping around in a TSX V6 loaner while htey have my car.... fun little car!