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View Full Version : Progress Sway installed, with pics


rgGolf4
06-12-2003, 06:28 PM
From some help from my brother, I was able to get this installed with not too much of a problem. The toughest part was getting the control arm lined up to accept the bolt. Here are a couple of pics I took of the install.

http://webpages.charter.net/rggolf4/progress1.jpg

A. This is the stock endlink, it is reused for this install.
B. The stock sway bar, we will be removing this
C. Control arm, the brace will be bolted to the chasis and thorugh the control arm

http://webpages.charter.net/rggolf4/progress2.jpg

The arrow is pointing to the nut that must be removed from the endlink. It is tough to get off as the whole thing moves, and the bolt spins inside. At the very end of the bolt, there is a opening for an allen wrench...5mm i believe. Hold the allen wrench in place, while using a 14mm open ended wrench to unscrew the nut. Mine was all gunked up and was hard to turn, but just keep at it. Once the nut is removed, clean it off with some Liquid Wrench. Clean hardware is much easier to work with.

http://webpages.charter.net/rggolf4/progress3.jpg

Once the stock sway bar is removed from the car, you will need to install the brace. You must remove the large bolt holding the control arm(A), I think it was 18mm. DO NOT remove it entirely. If you do, the control arm will shift and its very hard to get back in place. As you are removing the bolt, stick a large screwdriver through the back...following the removal of the stock bolt. A free jack stand or jack is also recommended to hold the control arm in place. Replace the stock bolt with the above Progress hardware (B).

http://webpages.charter.net/rggolf4/progress4.jpg

Now twist and turn the endlink so you can attach the Progress bar (B). Douse the bolt (A) with some WD-40...it makes it much easier to get the nut back on.

http://webpages.charter.net/rggolf4/progress5.jpg

Here it is installed. Also, the Progress instructions did not mention putting the two "stoppers" on. They are put right next to the bushings (wheel side) and tightend with an allen wrench (which was a US size...not metric)It looks good and is a drastic change from stock. Highly recommended!!!
foilpan
06-12-2003, 08:52 PM
ahhh... swaybar goodness... :)

make sure you torque down the bolts to specs. check my last thread about this to see what can happen if they get loose. make sure you use all the washers, too... or get wider, stronger washers.

also, aren't the bolts standard sizes? i was going to use metric, but standard sized sockets and hex wrenches seemed to work fine.

regardless... good show!
EP3_DC5
06-12-2003, 11:00 PM
nice, driving impressions?
rgGolf4
06-13-2003, 05:49 AM
I went for a short drive afterwards, and there is a big difference. The understeer is less pronounced and the back end doesn't get as loose when taking hard turns. It started raining (again) so I had to cut my test short. The Progress bar looks almost twice as large as the stock one, and its pretty heavy. Very solidly built. Great product.
2k2_nbp_egg
06-15-2003, 09:10 AM
Anyone else getting a horrible clunking noise with the progress rear sway? I'm pretty fucking sure it's the bar hitting the exhaust since my car is dropped....and everytime I go over a bump of some sort it makes that same noise. Anyone got any solutions?
ep88
06-15-2003, 04:06 PM
i only hear the clunking noise when i start my engine. :o
glw
06-15-2003, 04:53 PM
Originally posted by 2k2_nbp_egg
Anyone else getting a horrible clunking noise with the progress rear sway? I'm pretty fucking sure it's the bar hitting the exhaust since my car is dropped....and everytime I go over a bump of some sort it makes that same noise. Anyone got any solutions? i had to grind a piece of the lower arm. i marked it in red in this picture...
http://sourcecodegeeks.com/public/civic/images/progressgrind.jpg

check yours by examining your sway bar just above that spot... i used a dremel with a grinding wheel and finshed it up with a flat file and some black spray paint...

my progress rear sway would also hit the stock muffler when i started the engine. i fixed that by getting the magnaflow cat-back system... :)
chakra71
06-15-2003, 06:38 PM
I don't have the sway yet, but i have talked to some people with the sway and they said the clunking was the exhaust hitting the sway. They said if they grabbed the exhaust (when it's cold!) and tug it backwards it should move enough to not clunk the bar.

or you could hammer/cut it or something.

hth
slikz
06-15-2003, 07:06 PM
Make sure you torque it to spec.
http://ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14790
karlo_ep3
10-10-2003, 04:56 AM
Originally posted by 2k2_nbp_egg
Anyone else getting a horrible clunking noise with the progress rear sway? I'm pretty fucking sure it's the bar hitting the exhaust since my car is dropped....and everytime I go over a bump of some sort it makes that same noise. Anyone got any solutions?

Same thing happens to me. After dropping it with S-techs clunking and creaking is now rampant and more horrible! I checked other threads and people say the sway bar hits the muffler but when I checked mine the sway bar hits the exhaust pipe 2 - 3 inches away from the muffler (I know this coz I saw rub marks on the pipe). I dunno, is it possible that I installed the bar improperly? I was contemplating on pinching the exhaust pipe a little to make more room for the motion of the sway bar. I read that magnaflow exhausts clear the bar pretty well. But for now I don't have funds for that.:(
Hatch, Si Hatch
10-10-2003, 05:05 AM
Just make sure that you didn't install the bar upside down. There have been a few people on here(including me) that have installed their rear sway bars wrong, whether it be Progress or some other it is entirely possible. If you are getting alot of clunking noises and a rough/bouncy ride, it is probably upside down. It may not be just hitting the exhaust, it may also be hitting the control arm, and in some cases literally sitting on it when the car isn't jacked up. Peek under your car, if the bar is really close to the control arm, you might have it wrong.
karlo_ep3
10-10-2003, 05:33 AM
Originally posted by Hatch, Si Hatch
Just make sure that you didn't install the bar upside down. There have been a few people on here(including me) that have installed their rear sway bars wrong, whether it be Progress or some other it is entirely possible. If you are getting alot of clunking noises and a rough/bouncy ride, it is probably upside down. It may not be just hitting the exhaust, it may also be hitting the control arm, and in some cases literally sitting on it when the car isn't jacked up. Peek under your car, if the bar is really close to the control arm, you might have it wrong.

Hey Hatch! Followed your advice. Looked under the car and think the bar was installed properly. It clears the control arm (3 - 4 inches clearance). All I get is clunking and creaking but not a rough/bouncy ride. Thanks for the info!
karlo_ep3
10-10-2003, 05:38 AM
Originally posted by glw

check yours by examining your sway bar just above that spot... i used a dremel with a grinding wheel and finshed it up with a flat file and some black spray paint...

my progress rear sway would also hit the stock muffler when i started the engine. i fixed that by getting the magnaflow cat-back system... :)

Hey glw, just wanted to ask if you were at stock height or dropped with the magnaflow. Thanks.
glw
10-10-2003, 06:30 PM
Originally posted by karlo_ep3
Hey glw, just wanted to ask if you were at stock height or dropped with the magnaflow. Thanks. i'm on eibach sportlines.

also my rear sway was installed upside down by the shop. that's why it was hitting my control arms. after i had it reinstalled correctly there is plenty of clearance. rgGolf4 - yours looks upside down as well... you may want to check it! if it is switch it - it'll ride better (considerably less rough) and you may even bust an endlink (i did).
Driftin SI
11-18-2003, 12:51 PM
Originally posted by 2k2_nbp_egg
Anyone else getting a horrible clunking noise with the progress rear sway? I'm pretty fucking sure it's the bar hitting the exhaust since my car is dropped....and everytime I go over a bump of some sort it makes that same noise. Anyone got any solutions?

I installed mine a couple days ago and I just started to get it as well. The bar is installed correctly so I'm not sure what it could be hitting, there is plenty of room between it and the exhaust (magnaflow).
Driftin SI
11-21-2003, 02:05 PM
I got the noise figured out, one of the nuts on the endlink loosened itself up and was making noise, all better now.
HondaMan
12-05-2003, 09:24 PM
Nice write up...mlkelley68 and I just installed his Progress rear anti-roll bar system and just wanted to add when dealing with the control arms...the screw driver better be the exact same diameter as the bolt holes (very large screw driver). Other wise, the holes will not line up easily...if they don't line up easily, jack up that side's suspension (load the suspension) up...provided you already have the car on jack stands. So, by jacking up that side's suspension it really helps line up these control arm bolt holes.