Michael03TLS

Hi there fellow Acura TL Members,

I have a question regarding the rear Eibach Sway bar installation; there seems to be two possibilities in installing this rear sway bar, despite someone else asking this question in another thread and some member saying it can be installed one way only.

Eibach picture link # 1


If you look at Link #1, our member Dchondasport, the first thing to notice is 1) his rear sway bar installed with the "Eibach logo and part number" shown upside down , when we look at the first picture of his rear sway bar installation ( the rear exhaust pipe is of course parallel to the sway bar). The second thing to notice is the 2) parallel gap between the exhaust pipe and the undercarriage of the car; it's installed in such as way that the Eibach bar is not so "high up" towards the undercarriage. This is how the Stock TLS sway bars appears to be installed normally ( it can be seen in the link #2 "Pics of Rear Stock Sway Bar and Eibach Sway Bar on the Car" for further comparisons)

Now, look at the this link:
Eibach picture link #2

Scroll down the pictures where it shows "Pics of Rear Stock Sway Bar and Eibach Sway Bar on the Car". Then click on "enlarge" picture of his rear Eibach sway bar and you see that his 1) Eibach logo and parts number is facing "up",which of course seems normal to be facing up, however notice 2) how the gap, between the exhaust is so much wider and how high up the sway bar is to the undercarriage - it literally is touching the undercarriage.

It seems that the Link #2 installation with the rear sway bar so high up touching the undercarriage causes some rubbing or clunking/thumping noise with the rear sway bar hitting the undercarriage while going over parking bumps and some bumps on the roads while driving; this is what I experienced after installation of the rear sway bars.

It certainly seems that one of the installation jobs is incorrect and I am puzzled . If Link #1 is correct, the "Eibach" logo is upsidedown but the gaps are right ( more like stock). If Link #2 is correct with the "Eibach" logo facing up, then the gaps aren't right and not like stock gaps.
The questions are:

1) Is this normal? Which installation is correct?

2) Which installation pictures do Comptech owners' rear sway bar installation represent? Link #1 or Link #2 , in terms of the gap and whether the rear sway bar touches the undercarriage or not?

Thank you very much for your input ; I just hope I didn't install it incorrectly.

blokhead

Don't know if it is right or not, but mine are installed like pic 1, with the logo upside down. Really the only way it would go on without hitting anything. my .

Bobbydoedoe

my eibach logo for my rear sways are also upside down. I doubt it matters, both sides looks the same with the same bends at the same places

joseph_99tl

hello Micheal.
in response to your PM.
i have the comptech swbars.
there is only 1 way they install.

u have to be careful.
the sway bar when attached and with the suspension wieght on it..
has a preload.
i could not even bolt back on the endlinks with the suspension
hanging.
so that being said..it may install either way...
but it might not be "preloading" the way it should be.

even if you look at the pics you posted.
the upside down bar does not travel as high up along the "frame" as the first photos.
but looks like the stock bar.

i don't know.

i think Eibach are made for lowered cars and therefor has less of an upward bend.

UK TL Type S

My installation looks exactly like the first pic too.

shinybluecls

looking from the rear of the car, the eibach logo should be rightside up

Michael03TLS

Thanks guys for taking a look at the picture links #1 and link #2 and offering the installation responses, which I appreciate very much.

I also talked to an Eibach tech support and he said that the Eibach rear sway bar should not touch the undercarriage at all; so in other words, Link #2 is not correct, and Link #1 picture of the rear Eibach sway bar installation is correct - the rear sway bar lies pretty much exactly half-way between the gap between the undercarriage and rear exhaust.

Thanks for the feedback Joseph_99tl. It's possible that Comptech sway bars might have a slight different bends or designs compared to Eibach rear sway bars. Clearly from those pictures, one of them is wrong. Maybe I should e-mail that dude on Link #2 to tell him, if he's willing to listen. And I also agree that if the rear sway bar is installed so high up near or touching the undercarriage, it might not "preload" right. But thanks again!

Hopefully this thread can clear any doubts and can help someone else who might encounter this problem in the future . Other than that, you've got to love how these damn sway bars make our TL's handle and corner, although we'll need better tires to compliment the sway bars; It is DEFINITELY worth upgrading for anyone who is thinking twice about them and thanks to other members for those other positive posts on sway bars in this forum

TLMugen

I have Eibachs on my car and they appear to be intalled correctly (no undercarriage interference) however my logo is right way up:



Maybe it's luck of the draw whether you get a set of bars that have the logo stenciled right way up or upside down

initialD

do you guys have to change the oe end links or they can be reuse??thanks

TLMugen

You reuse the OE endlinks.

initialD

Thank you, thank you

lodoss22

iTrader: (2)

So which method is correct?

1) Installing the rear sway bar with the Eibach logo faced up? or

2) Installing the rear with the Eibach logo faced upside down?

According to TLMugen, his rear sway bar is faced up, but Michael03TLS seems to suggests that the proper way is for the logo to face upside down.

TLMugen and Michael03TLS, could you please shed some light? How about the others who have installed the Eibach sway bars, how did you do it? I have the Eibach sitting in my garage waiting to be installed properly.

LacViet

I have rear sway from Eibach and its logo is upside down also. The shop has good experience with Honda/Acura cars so I trust their installation.

TLMugen

I guess the main thing is the bar should be in the same position as the stock bar. If it is mounted upside down (whether the logo is upside down or not), the center straight section of the bar will be positioned kind of high and will have really tight clearance to the undercarriage. Look at a car with stock bars and compare its relative position with mine in the picture and you'll see.

Michael03TLS

I agree with TLMugen. It's the "relative position" of the sway bar between the 1) exhaust and 2) undercarriage; it should be right inbetween. The logo does not matter I believe.

Here is my previous PM to Lodoss22 for others to read:

phipark

Why would it matter which way the logo is? The bar is symmetrical.

lodoss22

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, thanks a lot guys. I suppose it all just depends on the clearance that you have between the exhaust and the undercarriage for the rear sway installation, regardless of the Eibach logo facing upside down or right side up.



You are right that the bar is symmetrical, however the depth of the bar is not a perfect 180 degrees. It is not a continuous, straight, flat line.