Mugen SS DIY and data (long)

[conradb212]

Installing the Mugen Sport Suspension

This is a fairly complete DYI for the Mugen Sports Suspension, with some additional explanation and measurements for those who may not be familiar with it.

Description and data:

The Mugen Sport Suspension for the Acura RSX Type-S (really the Japanese Integra Type-R) consists of complete front and rear replacement struts (springs, matched shocks absorbers and strut assembly). The only other hardware supplied are two cotter pins for the tie-rods and six 14mm flange nuts for the front towers. Installation instructions are in Japanese. Illustrations are straight out of the Acura RSX shop manual. The Mugen SS provides a 35mm (1.4 inch) drop. Spring rates, according to the website I bought them from, are 279 lbs/inch front and 458 lbs/inch rear compared to 207 and 413 for the stock springs. Unlike a coilover, the Mugen SS is not adjustable.

It's been posted that the Mugen SS weighs more than the stock suspension. I weighed all parts with the following result:

Mugen: front 23.7 pounds each, rear 10.4 pounds each. Total 68.2 pounds
Stock: front 22.5 pounds each, rear 11.5 pounds each. Total 68.0 pounds

I ordered mine online from King Motorsport (www.kingmotorsport.com) in Wisconsin. Price was US$1,000 plus US$70 shipping. Delivery was very prompt. The boxes are marked "Sports Sub Kit Showa, Mugen, made in Japan" and are sealed with Mugen tape.

Tools needed are:

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_tools.jpg

- Socket wrench with extensions
- 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, and 22mm nuts
- needle nose pliers
- Torque wrench
- gear puller or similar tool for tie-rod separation (Kragen, US$ 10)
- 14mm wrench, preferably with ratchet
- RSX tire wrench
- jack stands, jack

Without any prior suspension work experience, it took me and a friend about 4-1/2 hours to remove the stock struts and install the Mugen sports suspension. The work can be done by one person, but I strongly recommend having a helper.

Rear strut removal and installation:

Summary: To replace the rear struts you need to jack up the car, remove the wheel, remove a trim piece in the trunk to remove two 14mm nuts that hold the strut, remove the bolt from the bottom of the damper, and install the new strut.

1) Open the hatch, move the seatbacks down, use a screw driver to gently remove two plastic clips (where the red arrows point) that hold a trim piece in place, and bend back the trim piece to get access to the two 14mm flange nuts on top of the strut. Loosen the front nut with a 14mm wrench or nut a bit. Use a 14mm ratched wrench to get to the rear nut and loosen it a bit. Sharp metal there! Be careful not to cut yourself (I did). The rear nut is a pain to get to, but it can be done.

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_rear_trunk_all.jpg

2) Jack up the rear of the car. It's best to have two jacks for this as you'll need the second one to compress the struts. Also, use a jack stand for safety. Remove the wheel.

3) Remove the flange bolt from the bottom of the damper. The bolt may not come out easily. You may have to use the jack to compress the shock or use a screwdriver to get the shock into the right position.

4) Have helper remove the two 14mm flange nuts in the trunk, and the strut will come right out.

5) When installing the Mugen struts, make sure the white dot on top of the Mugen faces towards the center of the car. Inserting the strut is no problem (have the helper put the two nuts on in the trunk, but don't tighten them yet), but getting the holes aligned to insert the flange bolt is a pain (see below). You may have to use the jack again to move compress the shock and align the holes.

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_rear_strut_lineup.jpg

6) Tighten and torque the flange bolt at the bottom and the two flange nuts in the trunk. It's next to impossible to properly torque the nut behind the strut in the trunk, so do your best with a 14mm ratchet wrench.

7) Gently put the trunk liner back in place and tie it down with the two plastic fasteners. All done with the rear. For us it was the more difficult part of the job.

Observation when comparing the Mugen and stock rear struts: The Mugen springs have eight revolutions instead of seven. Stock springs seem a consistent 12mm from top to bottom whereas Mugen springs are about 11mm at the top and reduce to about 7mm at the bottom.

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_rear_strut_comparison.jpg

Front strut removal and installation:

Summary: To replace the front strut assembly you need to jack up the car, remove the wheel, pop open the tie-rod end ball joint, remove bolts that hold brake line and wheel sensors to the stock strut, remove two bolt from the damper, remove three 14mm flange nuts that secure the top of the damper in the engine compartment, gently remove the stock strut, and then install the new strut.

1) After jacking up the front and removing the wheel, you need to pop open the tie-rod ball joint. That is the most delicate operation of the entire installation. The ball joint has a rubber boot which means you can't use a standard tie-rod fork or you'll damage the rubber boot. Honda's manual suggests a special tool that I was unable to find. Instead, I used a gear puller (see middle picture below). Here's how: Remove the cotter pin and loosen the nut from the bottom of the tie-rod. Unscrew it beyond the end of the bolt. Put the gear puller in place. I used a flat piece of metal between the point of the gear puller and the nut. Align it and use a wrench to pull. If all goes well, the tie-rod joint pops loose (shown in third picture below).

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_front_tierod_all.jpg

2) Remove the wheel sensor (10mm nut) and brake line harness (12mm nut).

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_front_remove_nuts.jpg

3) Remove the two bolts that hold the strut in place. The nut is 22mm, the bolt side 19mm. They look intimidating but fortunately the RSX tire wrench fits and they easily open.

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_front_main_bolts.jpg

4) Have assistant remove the three 14mm flange nuts from the top of the damper in the engine compartment. Make sure you hold the strut so that it does not drop and damage the drive shaft rubber boot or rip the brake line. Remove the strut assembly.

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_front_tower_engine.jpg

5) Gently insert the Mugen strut, making sure you don't rip the rubber boot of the drive shaft and that the brake line and wheel sensor cable are in the proper place. Have partner put nuts on top of the damper in the engine compartment.

6) Insert the two large bolts, put the nuts on them, Attach the break line (12mm nut) and wheel sensor (10mm nut).

7) Seat the tie-rod and put the nut back on. Strangely, while it took a lot of force to pop it open, it goes right back in and the nut goes on easily. Don't forget to re-install the cotter pin.

8) Tighten and torque everything. The two big bolts took more torque than my torque wrench could do (101 and 116 lbf-ft). All done.

Observation when comparing the Mugen front strut assembly to the stocks: Mugens have a nice telescope rubber boot whereas stock has a basic cover. Mugen springs do four turns while stocks only have three.

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_front_strut_comparison.jpg

Before and after closeups (here you can clearly see the 1.4 inch drop):

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_before_after.jpg

Took the car for a ride after the install. Everything worked fine, no rattles or noises. Car feels tighter and more controlled but the ride is no less comfortable than with the stocks. Composure in fast turns is vastly improved. Before, the car required constant steering corrections in fast turns. That is completely gone.

I took the car in for an alignment check the morning after the install. Amazingly, camber, cster and toe were all within the Acura specification range. The car would not have needed an alignment at all after the Mugen SS install (needless to say, do one anyway!).

[MJ23FE]

Awesome thread man! Great job on the install. Great pictures! Great instructions. If you could maybe make the comparison pic of the before and after drop a little bit bigger. Awesome job!
-Jalal

[gothate]

Excellent guide, I was considering getting the Mugen as well, although I'm really foggy on a lot of suspension stuff. At least the longer I wait the more money I'll have...
A couple more car shots would be nice, and I can't wait to hear your comparison.

[Rockateer]

Excellent Guide. I had King's install mine at their shop. You are going to love the ride. Get their bars too. Have fun, I sure know I did until I parked it for winter in November. Can't wait for spring!

[BlackNite]

Nice.. just waiting on impressions now :D

[conradb212]

Well, took the car with the Mugen SS on the road this morning. First impressions: the ride is almost like stock, but firmer and more controlled, sort of like I remember from my M3. Huge difference in fast cornering. On a tight highway onramp where the car constantly needed correcting at high speed it now feels like on rails. I always missed the old Honda wishbone suspension which felt so solid and unflappable in tight curves, and with the Mugen SS it feels like having one again. I really love that part of the Mugens.

Stopped by Big O to check the alignment. Amazingly, camber, caster and toe were all within spec range. No alignment necessary at all. So anyone installing the Mugen SS doesn't have to worry about needing camber adjusters and such.

As for the drop, it is definitely 1.4 inches. It can plainly be seen and for me it's just right. I feel my car now has the suspension it should have come with. While the struts and strut assemblies look very much like the stock parts, the springs and dampers are very different and from what I can tell Mugen did a bang-up job in optimizing everything for the RSX.

Below a pic of the car with the Mugen SS installed and a before and after.

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/RSX_after.jpg http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/RSX_b&a1.jpg

[jeffbatt]

Maybe the Mugen steering arms are located at a different angel than stock, as viewed from the top (radial location)? After I installed mine, my front wheels were extremely toed-out.

[BlackNite]

So you have had the Tien SS, JIC and Mugen on your car? Care to give us a comparison on them? Which one you think is worth the money and best performnce/comfort?

[jeffbatt]

As far as Tein SS vs Mugen...

I switched to the Mugens because I'm not autocrossing much these days and I don't really reed the adjustable shocks anymore. That said, I basically just set the Teins to full stiff in back, and half stiff in front and left them there. That was the only place where they really handled well, and changing them much just screwed up the handling. The Teins also were kind of noisy, which I was sick of.

So far, the Mugens don't really seem to be that much softer than the Teins, even though the springs rates, especially in front, are less. The Mugens do not have the impact harshness of the Teins on sharp bumps, though. Handling with the Mugens seems to be as good as the Teins. The Mugens do give you more front body roll than the Teins, but I feel like they also give the front wheels better traction.

The only real downside to the Mugens (vs. Tein) is the lack of front camber plates, but eventually, I may try and see if the Hotchkiss camber plates work with the Mugens. Since they were designed for the stock suspension, I assume they would fit because the Mugens look physically the same as stock. The hotchkiss plates are pretty expensive, though, around $400, I think.

[BlackNite]

Originally posted by jeffbatt
As far as Tein SS vs Mugen...

I switched to the Mugens because I'm not autocrossing much these days and I don't really reed the adjustable shocks anymore. That said, I basically just set the Teins to full stiff in back, and half stiff in front and left them there. That was the only place where they really handled well, and changing them much just screwed up the handling. The Teins also were kind of noisy, which I was sick of.

So far, the Mugens don't really seem to be that much softer than the Teins, even though the springs rates, especially in front, are less. The Mugens do not have the impact harshness of the Teins on sharp bumps, though. Handling with the Mugens seems to be as good as the Teins. The Mugens do give you more front body roll than the Teins, but I feel like they also give the front wheels better traction.

The only real downside to the Mugens (vs. Tein) is the lack of front camber plates, but eventually, I may try and see if the Hotchkiss camber plates work with the Mugens. Since they were designed for the stock suspension, I assume they would fit because the Mugens look physically the same as stock. The hotchkiss plates are pretty expensive, though, around $400, I think.

Thanks.. very informative. I'm in the same boat. I want descent ride comfort and will only auto X very little. I would only lower the car about as it is now (about 1.6" drop around) and the mugens are really close to that. I'm not one for adjusting much either.

So you want more front camber with the mugens over what you can adjust them to standard? I have the Ingals front camber kit for the front (well, rear too) and would want a very little negative camber up front. Are you saying that the camber kit won't work and that I would need camber plates, or that the mugens camber can be adjusted, just not as much as you want? Sorry, the "camber plates" are new to me.

[jeffbatt]

The only reason I would want front camber plates is that I think they are a better method of setting camber than adjustable cam-bolts (like the ingalls kit), easier to adjust with precision.

I'm sure the ingalls kit would work fine with the Mugens, though. Just as well as with the stocks.

[MJ23FE]

Originally posted by BlackNite
Sorry, the "camber plates" are new to me.
Same here. It would be great if you could elaborate on this Jeff.
Great reviews from everyone! Its been a great help!
-Jalal

[GreenBean]

That is a great post, with a boat looad of information. I have been back and forth for the past two months about the Tein Coilovers or the Mugen Susp Kit. And thanks to you I have made up my mind. Mugen it is....

Thanks again:)

[jeffbatt]

Arjayness,

I'm still trying to make my chassis stiffer :) It's a really weird obsession I have with this car.

I e-mailed EM Racing about their C-Pillar bar. They said the prototype was done, but they were not going to sell it because it required cutting the plastic interior trim a bit. They thought most RSX owners wouldn't want to do that because their cars are still relatively new.

I told them that wasn't an issue (i.e. look at all the people who have Mugen rear strut tower bars), but did not get a response.

Honestly, the J's Racing bar is good, but the end brackets are kind of weak. I've been considering making my own end brackets, should be pretty easy, just haven't put the thought into it yet. Also, I got my J's Racing C-Pillar bar powdercoated flat black, and it looks better...a lot more stealth and less ricey.

[jeffbatt]

Everybody else-

camber plates are usually those aluminum things on the top of coilovers for macpherson struts, where they mount to the shock towers. They have longitudal slots so you can slide the top of the strut in or out to adjust camber. They're the gold-colored things in this pic below.

Many coilovers come with them, i.e. Tein SS and better, JIC's, etc.

[jeffbatt]

On my C-Pillar bar, I just adjusted it so it was as tight as possible in Tension. Trying to spread to similar amounts of compression just bent the brackets down too much.

I'm not sure how much the brackets effect things, though, because the bar is probably only good for transferring loads straight accross, even super-solid mountings might not really change that.

Originally posted by arjayness
yea, i've noticed that the current c-pillar bars have weak ends, j's and alex. i wonder how their setup is if you have to cut interior panels. [/B]

[sjracer]

conradb212: Let me guess, Kragen torque wrench? Haha, ask me how i know. By the way, awesome thread. :thumbsup: Now i expect no more new threads started about this Showa Kit. haha.

arjayness: In that picture you posted comparing the two strut arms, the Mugen arm looks to be angled more towards the outer fender (if you can imagine how the struts would look like installed) compared to the stock strut. From that, it would increase toe-out, but i don't see how that resolves the bumpsteer issue. I have CRAZY bumpsteer with my setup right now using the stock strut housings.
Originally posted by jeffbatt
Arjayness,

I'm still trying to make my chassis stiffer :) It's a really weird obsession I have with this car.
Then get a 4pt race roll bar. No need for all those extra "monkey bars" in your car.

[conradb212]

Originally posted by sjracer
conradb212: Let me guess, Kragen torque wrench? Haha, ask me how i know. By the way, awesome thread. :thumbsup: Now i expect no more new threads started about this Showa Kit. haha.

arjayness: In that picture you posted comparing the two strut arms, the Mugen arm looks to be angled more towards the outer fender (if you can imagine how the struts would look like installed) compared to the stock strut. From that, it would increase toe-out, but i don't see how that resolves the bumpsteer issue. I have CRAZY bumpsteer with my setup right now using the stock strut housings.


Yup, Kragen torque wrench. Now how did you guess? :-) I took that pic of the two strut arms, and I examined and compared those two struts pretty carefully. The Mugen does not angle any differently from the stock strut. However, the springs are quite different.

As for bump steer, I am definitely not an expert on suspension technology or terminology, but if bumpsteer is defined as a change in toe caused by suspension travel or unintended steering input caused by that change, with a resulting need for steering correction, then I, at least through fast curves, now clearly have considerably less bumpsteer with the Mugens.

[sjracer]

Originally posted by conradb212
Yup, Kragen torque wrench. Now how did you guess? :-) I took that pic of the two strut arms, and I examined and compared those two struts pretty carefully. The Mugen does not angle any differently from the stock strut. However, the springs are quite different.

As for bump steer, I am definitely not an expert on suspension technology or terminology, but if bumpsteer is defined as a change in toe caused by suspension travel or unintended steering input caused by that change, with a resulting need for steering correction, then I, at least through fast curves, now clearly have considerably less bumpsteer with the Mugens.
I have the same exact torque wrench in 3/8" and 1/2". I use to work at Kragens 2 years ago.

Bumpsteer is not the change in toe, but the change in steering when you hit a bump or dip on the road. So if you ever enter a corner and hit a little dip, which turns your steering wheel sideways sending you off the road, that's bumpsteer saying "Hi." haha. If Mugen did not change the arm angle at all, more important the arm height, then you will have the same amount of bumpsteer on this Mugen kit as on stock struts with the same amount of drop.

If you have ever driven a front double-wisbone honda, you'll know this wasn't the case. Just another side effect of having a MacPherson front strut setup on a FWD.

[jeffbatt]

Sjracer,

It seem like we disagree on a lot of things, but, no matter what you say, a 4-pt roll bar makes the car into much less of a streetable car. It also requires much more interior modification. I don't really want to go that route. If I wanted to make a race car, I wouldn't have gotten an RSX. I know the roll bar is cheaper, probably stiffer, etc. but I've been pretty successfull making my car stiffer without resorting to that.

You seem very interested in all things suspension. You should join the SCCA SFR region and go to autocrosses. There's always some RSX people there, you might enjoy it.

Originally posted by sjracer

Then get a 4pt race roll bar. No need for all those extra "monkey bars" in your car.

[BlackNite]

Thanks for the camber plate info. I learn something new everyday!

[sjracer]

Originally posted by jeffbatt
Sjracer,

It seem like we disagree on a lot of things, but, no matter what you say, a 4-pt roll bar makes the car into much less of a streetable car. It also requires much more interior modification. I don't really want to go that route. If I wanted to make a race car, I wouldn't have gotten an RSX. I know the roll bar is cheaper, probably stiffer, etc. but I've been pretty successfull making my car stiffer without resorting to that.

You seem very interested in all things suspension. You should join the SCCA SFR region and go to autocrosses. There's always some RSX people there, you might enjoy it.
No, we don't disagree on everything. haha :D Think about this. If you add a C pillar bar to your car, it basically makes the back seats unusable anyways because the bar will be very close to the rear passenger's head. Might as well install a 4pt race roll bar, which will not only further stiffen the rear of your car, but also aid as roll over protection. You know what i'm tying to say?

[MJ23FE]

Originally posted by sjracer
No, we don't disagree on everything. haha :D Think about this. If you add a C pillar bar to your car, it basically makes the back seats unusable anyways because the bar will be very close to the rear passenger's head. Might as well install a 4pt race roll bar, which will not only further stiffen the rear of your car, but also aid as roll over protection. You know what i'm tying to say?
sjracer, i know you have suggested the Autopower roll bar, but which one would you use?
http://www.autopowerindustries.com/
http://www.autopowerindustries.com/Images/Street_Roll_Bar.jpg
Street Roll Bar

Manufactured from 1.750 x .120 ERW tubing.
Most are designed with 4 point mounting.
Rear seats and/or convertible top remain in place.
Mounting hardware with back up plates included.

http://www.autopowerindustries.com/Images/Street-Sport_Roll_Bar.jpg
Street-Sport Roll Bar

Designed for high performance street use.
Tube size 1.750 x .120 DOM mild steel.
Bolt-In Removable horizontal harness.
4 point bolt-in mounting design.
All hardware included for installation.


I know the Street-Sport bar has that horizontal bar in the back which will probably get in the way of any passengers but it does look removeable. Isn't that horizontal where a race harness would be hooked up to?
If you don't like these bars, what else would you suggest for a daily driven car?
-Jalal

[sjracer]

Originally posted by MJ23FE
sjracer, i know you have suggested the Autopower roll bar, but which one would you use?
http://www.autopowerindustries.com/
http://www.autopowerindustries.com/Images/Street_Roll_Bar.jpg
Street Roll Bar

Manufactured from 1.750 x .120 ERW tubing.
Most are designed with 4 point mounting.
Rear seats and/or convertible top remain in place.
Mounting hardware with back up plates included.

http://www.autopowerindustries.com/Images/Street-Sport_Roll_Bar.jpg
Street-Sport Roll Bar

Designed for high performance street use.
Tube size 1.750 x .120 DOM mild steel.
Bolt-In Removable horizontal harness.
4 point bolt-in mounting design.
All hardware included for installation.


I know the Street-Sport bar has that horizontal bar in the back which will probably get in the way of any passengers but it does look removeable. Isn't that horizontal where a race harness would be hooked up to?
If you don't like these bars, what else would you suggest for a daily driven car?
-Jalal
When you install a roll bar, or any sort of metal bar in the rear passenger area, you SHOULD NEVER have anyone sit in the back seats. Seriously, even with the proper THICK HARD padding, people can get killed by the tubes in the back seat.

If i was to buy a roll bar, i would purchase neither of the ones posted up above. Both the bars you have there are street bars. I would purchase a 4pt Race Roll Bar with a welded in diagonal brace and welded in harness brace. Removable bracing does not matter after you install a roll bar because your back seats are left useless, or should be usueless, when it's installed. Also i've heard when installed, even if you have removable bars, they're pretty hard to get out anyways.

I would also spend the extra 40 bucks on DOM tubing. I believe you cannot use ERW tubing anymore for competitive road racing. But they also require a 6pt roll cage of some sort, not a roll bar.

[jeffbatt]

Originally posted by sjracer
If you add a C pillar bar to your car, it basically makes the back seats unusable anyways because the bar will be very close to the rear passenger's head.

Yeah, the C-pillar bar definately makes the rear seat a bit unsafe, but it is still useable if you need it :)

[Havana Joe]

great thread :thumbsup:

it can be used for installing any full suspension replacement.

STICKY!

[sjracer]

Originally posted by conradb212
8) Tighten and torque everything. The two big bolts took more torque than my torque wrench could do (101 and 116 lbf-ft). All done.
One correction. For the stock pinch bolts, they are suppose to be torqued at 76lb-ft, not 101 or 116lb-ft. The higher torque values are for camber correcting front pinch bolts. (See page 18-23 in the Helms.)

The higher torque values are in the pages before the strut removal/install pages. You took the values from the front alignment section of the Helms, which uses front camber bolts.
Originally posted by '99CL Guy
great thread :thumbsup:

it can be used for installing any full suspension replacement.

STICKY!
I agree.

[MJ23FE]

Originally posted by jeffbatt
As far as Tein SS vs Mugen...

I switched to the Mugens because I'm not autocrossing much these days and I don't really reed the adjustable shocks anymore. That said, I basically just set the Teins to full stiff in back, and half stiff in front and left them there. That was the only place where they really handled well, and changing them much just screwed up the handling. The Teins also were kind of noisy, which I was sick of.

So far, the Mugens don't really seem to be that much softer than the Teins, even though the springs rates, especially in front, are less. The Mugens do not have the impact harshness of the Teins on sharp bumps, though. Handling with the Mugens seems to be as good as the Teins. The Mugens do give you more front body roll than the Teins, but I feel like they also give the front wheels better traction.

The only real downside to the Mugens (vs. Tein) is the lack of front camber plates, but eventually, I may try and see if the Hotchkiss camber plates work with the Mugens. Since they were designed for the stock suspension, I assume they would fit because the Mugens look physically the same as stock. The hotchkiss plates are pretty expensive, though, around $400, I think.
Jeff, in your opinion which kit performs better? The Tein SS or the Mugen Sports Suspension? Any coil-over set can be lowered but performance can greatly differ thats why my question is basically centered on performance.
I know you can come back and simply tell me that the Tein's can be adjusted to perform just as good as the Mugen's, but for a daily driven car what do you think would be the winner?
-Jalal

[GreenBean]

I hate to ask this but, How does your RSX feel with the MUgen susp kit on the freeway at @75-110 mph?...I have just a set of Tein Springs and need to upgrade soon. They feel good but man are they nervous. And they make me feel nervous. Like they are jittery or something. I want that NSX smooth at 80-110 if you know what I mean.

[jeffbatt]

If you're not going to track or autocross your car too much, I recommend the Mugens. I'm very happy with them :)

[MJ23FE]

Originally posted by jeffbatt
If you're not going to track or autocross your car too much, I recommend the Mugens. I'm very happy with them :)
Have you tested out the Mugen's on a track of autoX course yet? If you have what were your impressions? Your opinion means alot.
-Jalal

[97 TYPE-R 312]

Great Writeup!! I love my Mugen Sport Suspension!!

-Victor

[jeffbatt]

No autocross on them yet. 50% chance of it this weekend, if so, i'll let you know how they work out.

[MJ23FE]

Originally posted by jeffbatt
No autocross on them yet. 50% chance of it this weekend, if so, i'll let you know how they work out.
That would be great Jeff. Please test it out as best you can so that you can answer any/all questions people have. I know you will give an extensive review. It would be great if you could point out its weaknesses and give your input on how they can be improved on maybe wither other mods.
Thanks again!
-Jalal

[conradb212]

Originally posted by sjracer
One correction. For the stock pinch bolts, they are suppose to be torqued at 76lb-ft, not 101 or 116lb-ft. The higher torque values are for camber correcting front pinch bolts. (See page 18-23 in the Helms.)

The higher torque values are in the pages before the strut removal/install pages. You took the values from the front alignment section of the Helms, which uses front camber bolts.


I don't have the Helms in front of me but you are most likely right. Good thing my Kragen torque wrench only goes up to 80lb-ft, so I torqued them right anyway.

[conradb212]

Originally posted by GreenBean
I hate to ask this but, How does your RSX feel with the MUgen susp kit on the freeway at @75-110 mph?...I have just a set of Tein Springs and need to upgrade soon. They feel good but man are they nervous. And they make me feel nervous. Like they are jittery or something. I want that NSX smooth at 80-110 if you know what I mean.

I know what you mean...! So far I haven't had the car past 90 with the Mugens. At that speed it is rock-solid. I really have no doubt that it'll be very solid at higher speeds also. I mean, Mugen tuned this spring/shock combo for optimal overall performance on a Type-R.

And thanks all for the "sticky" recommendations. I submitted the pics and text of the post to Chris who might include it in the technical info section of ClubRSX.

[BlackNite]

Bump for a great thread that a lot of noobs should read! :thumbsup:

[conradb212]

Bump for a great thread that a lot of noobs should read! :thumbsup:

Thanks. I actually had a bunch more pictures of the install, but the board only let me post ten. I submitted the whole writeup/pics to Chris so that he can included it in the tech how-to section. That's probably preferable to it being a sticky (can't have too many of those cluttering up the top of each board).

Say, how do you like the Mugen replica front and rear strut bars? Can you feel a difference? (I ordered a front bar from 4caroptions.com and they sent me a rear bar instead. I wonder if I should install it, or return it for a front bar, or get both (a bit heavy)).

[BlackNite]

Cliff notes: They are what I expected based off of what other people have said and I recommend both of them together rather than one or the other. They make the chasis "solid".

LONG POST COMING UP...lol

Funny you ask me that..I just put them on last nite. I haven't been able to really push my car like I want to yet, but there are a few things that I have noticed:

For one, it's almost like I can feel the engine turn over when I first turn the car on. I actually like that feeling. makes the car feel like it's solid. Which is the next thing... the car is much more sturdy and feels like one piece when turning and going over bumps rather than a front end and a back end of a car if that makes any sense.

The car is much more responsive as well. With a couple quick jerks of the steering wheel, the car turns nose in pretty quickly. With these bars in combination with the ITR Rear sway bar, the car has a lot LESS understeer. Taking a long sweeping turn, I can easily ride the inside line of the curve without the car fighting to push away from where I want it to be. I still have much more body roll than I care for, but then again I am back on stock struts and springs since my Mugens are on order. When I put my 18's back on and the Mugen SS, I'm sure my car will be much more stable than it is right now, because stock makes the car feel bouncy around corners and very unstable going 80+ MPH with any bumps. I will add to this review (maybe even make a new thread) when I can push the car more and get more seat time.

[DPark14]

Nice!!! :thumbsup:
I'm going to subscribe to this thread and use it later. I really want the Mugen SS!!!!

[BlackNite]

My Mugens should be here tomorrow!!!!! that means I will be putting them on.. TOMORROW!!!!! I can't have mods sitting around; gotta put them on ASAP.

[conradb212]

My Mugens should be here tomorrow!!!!! that means I will be putting them on.. TOMORROW!!!!! I can't have mods sitting around; gotta put them on ASAP.

BlackNite, looks like you're a veteran, so installing them should be a total piece of cake for you. I pretty much stated everything I had to say in my original DIY post here, but to reiterate.

1) It's a really good idea to have a helper for those moments when two arms just won't do or you have to be both on top and under the car at the same time.

2) That's especially true when you have to force the struts up or down a bit to align them properly with the holes, so the bolts will go through.

3) Most importantly, be very careful with separating the tierods. You don't want to be messing up the thread or ripping a boot. That simple $10 universal Kragen puller worked like a charm for me.

Other than that, though the Mugens look almost like stock, the difference in ride and handling is very, very substantial. And the 1.4 inch drop is just what I wanted. And installing them didn't even require an alignment (though I had it checked anyway). So far, this has been my favorite mod.

[MJ23FE]

I hate to ask this but, How does your RSX feel with the MUgen susp kit on the freeway at @75-110 mph?...I have just a set of Tein Springs and need to upgrade soon. They feel good but man are they nervous. And they make me feel nervous. Like they are jittery or something. I want that NSX smooth at 80-110 if you know what I mean.
When me and my friend drove down to Englishtown this pasy weekend, at one point we were doing a good 90-95mph and the suspension felt very solid and never did it feel loose or out of control at all. Totally controlled and planted to the ground. Its a great setup, i like it alot. Feel's like the suspension came stock from the factory like this because it works amazing all together.
-Jalal

[peazs]

does anyone know how the mugen SS compares with the spoon damper kit?

[BlackNite]

BlackNite, looks like you're a veteran, so installing them should be a total piece of cake for you. I pretty much stated everything I had to say in my original DIY post here, but to reiterate...

Thanks for the tips. I've done this about 4 times already (not kidding; LOL) and I agree with you 100%. I am gana take my car apart and have it sitting on jack stands waiting for the UPS man to get here. I'll start putting it on and by that time, a co-worker and a friend of mine should be over to help me pop the harder parts in. Then I'll go :driving: and then be like :D

No need for me to post install pics cuz we have enough already. I'll just post a after shot with my car and the drop.

[CK03RSX-S]

I should be getting my Mugen SS's tomorrow as well. Been following the UPS tracker since last week. :) Probably won't have time to put them on like BlackNite, until the weekend, but the Twin Loop I ordered at the same time may go on tomorrow night. :)

[DPark14]

This is probably a stupid question but......
Is King Motorsports the only place you can get the Mugen SS online?

[peazs]

from a US dealership, i think it is...
maybe personal sellers have them on ebay?

[BlackNite]

I should be getting my Mugen SS's tomorrow as well. Been following the UPS tracker since last week. :) Probably won't have time to put them on like BlackNite, until the weekend, but the Twin Loop I ordered at the same time may go on tomorrow night. :)


I took my stock rims off and the stock suspension starting at 2:30pm.. this was completed at 3:30 (the trunk panels were already removed from my last 2 suspension swaps :D ); UPS showed up with the new suspension at 3:31 (no joke.. they pulled up as soon as I was done taking the old stuff off). The car was off of jack stands with the new Mugen suspension and my 18's back on by 4:30pm.

Took me 1/2 hr to put my trunk interiror panels back in (5:00PM). The funny thing is; I didn't have any help. I got it all done by myself!!! My friends who were supposed to help me woulda been at my house by 5:30PM after their work, but I was done so soon. The only part I really needed help on was when putting the rear struts in, you have to compress the sock so that it will align with the hole so that you can put the bolt in. I just used my hydrolic jack on the bottom of the spring perch and it poped it righ in! They couldn't belive me when I told them that I was already done and didn't need their help. :p I guess me taking apart the suspension so many times has paid off. I took them for a quick ride taking fast turns and pushing the car and we were like :eek:

Me :love: Mugen

[BlackNite]

from a US dealership, i think it is...
maybe personal sellers have them on ebay?


King is the only "authorised" Mugen distributor in the US. If you buy from anyone else that didn't go through king first, it is either used, stolen or not the real Mugen parts.

[peazs]

:iamwiths:

[firedc5]

nice write up.. but tein still rules

[CK03RSX-S]

I took my stock rims off and the stock suspension starting at 2:30pm.. this was completed at 3:30 (the trunk panels were already removed from my last 2 suspension swaps :D ); UPS showed up with the new suspension at 3:31 (no joke.. they pulled up as soon as I was done taking the old stuff off). The car was off of jack stands with the new Mugen suspension and my 18's back on by 4:30pm.

Took me 1/2 hr to put my trunk interiror panels back in (5:00PM). The funny thing is; I didn't have any help. I got it all done by myself!!! My friends who were supposed to help me woulda been at my house by 5:30PM after their work, but I was done so soon. The only part I really needed help on was when putting the rear struts in, you have to compress the sock so that it will align with the hole so that you can put the bolt in. I just used my hydrolic jack on the bottom of the spring perch and it poped it righ in! They couldn't belive me when I told them that I was already done and didn't need their help. :p I guess me taking apart the suspension so many times has paid off. I took them for a quick ride taking fast turns and pushing the car and we were like :eek:

Me :love: Mugen

Damn BlackNite that was quick. Any interest in doing another Mugen install tomorrow in DE while I'm at work? HA.

Can't wait to get my Mugen's on this weekend and enjoy the :driving:

[BlackNite]

Damn BlackNite that was quick. Any interest in doing another Mugen install tomorrow in DE while I'm at work? HA.

Can't wait to get my Mugen's on this weekend and enjoy the :driving:


LOL.. fly me there! :laughing: Let us know how your install goes. I took it for a nice long :driving: last nite. The ride quality even on my 18's is very tollerable <sp?>

[CK03RSX-S]

Well, all is well with the Mugen SS, Mugen Twin Loop, JDM rear sway, and JDM bodykit. I love how the SS's dropped the car (not slammed) and took it in for alignment today and a little off, but they fixed, and no need for a camber kit.

Install (Mugen SS and TL):

Newb on installing suspension or exhaust and I must say it was very easy. Anyone who can read Japanese can put these things on...HA. I had a helper and like conrad has said, that is a big plus. Front's were very easy, although had a litte trouble with the first tie rod. It just didn't want to pop loose, but eventually got it with a little hammer tap. Also, for those going to do any install under your car where there's potential rust, get some type of loosening spray. Helped a lot on both SS and TL. Rears were a little bit harder because of the damn bolts. Took a little more patience and jack work. Also, sliced up the fingers pretty well without even knowing because of the metal. Watch out. Other than that, applying torque wrench in a few spots was challenging. Overall, however, everthing went a-OK.

The TL exhaust was also pretty straight forward, although I snapped a spring bolt and had to run to Acura to get another one. No big deal and easily fixed. The little O ring on the cat took a little fighting but that came out too. Oh well, all's well on the exhaust too.

Impressions (exhaust first):

Sound is very nice. I would characterize it with "stock-ish" with a little more "rumble" or "bass" sound. Very nice and not too loud at all, but you will notice a difference inside and outside the car. Also, there seems to be a lot better throttle response on the car now, just with the exhaust. I have stock airbox and I can still feel a diff. Butt dyno says at least 20 hp, but probably more like 5-9hp actual. HA. Who cares, fits like a charm, better throttle resp, and great sound.

Mugen SS I haven't really put to a hard test, but you can definately tell a diff. right away. More firm, but not harsh. Reminds me of a 96 M3 I drove one time....which is a good thing. Hardly any bounce in the rear like before and more communicative with the road. Took an on ramp relatively fast and stuck like glue, even with stock wheels/tires. I'll try and do a full review, but there's already been a few that sum it up quite well.

Sorry so long and I'll try to post up some pics soon. Great choice!!! :thumbsup:

[simsim]

Well, all is well with the Mugen SS, Mugen Twin Loop, JDM rear sway, and JDM bodykit. I love how the SS's dropped the car (not slammed) and took it in for alignment today and a little off, but they fixed, and no need for a camber kit.

Install (Mugen SS and TL):

Newb on installing suspension or exhaust and I must say it was very easy. Anyone who can read Japanese can put these things on...HA. I had a helper and like conrad has said, that is a big plus. Front's were very easy, although had a litte trouble with the first tie rod. It just didn't want to pop loose, but eventually got it with a little hammer tap. Also, for those going to do any install under your car where there's potential rust, get some type of loosening spray. Helped a lot on both SS and TL. Rears were a little bit harder because of the damn bolts. Took a little more patience and jack work. Also, sliced up the fingers pretty well without even knowing because of the metal. Watch out. Other than that, applying torque wrench in a few spots was challenging. Overall, however, everthing went a-OK.

The TL exhaust was also pretty straight forward, although I snapped a spring bolt and had to run to Acura to get another one. No big deal and easily fixed. The little O ring on the cat took a little fighting but that came out too. Oh well, all's well on the exhaust too.

Impressions (exhaust first):

Sound is very nice. I would characterize it with "stock-ish" with a little more "rumble" or "bass" sound. Very nice and not too loud at all, but you will notice a difference inside and outside the car. Also, there seems to be a lot better throttle response on the car now, just with the exhaust. I have stock airbox and I can still feel a diff. Butt dyno says at least 20 hp, but probably more like 5-9hp actual. HA. Who cares, fits like a charm, better throttle resp, and great sound.

Mugen SS I haven't really put to a hard test, but you can definately tell a diff. right away. More firm, but not harsh. Reminds me of a 96 M3 I drove one time....which is a good thing. Hardly any bounce in the rear like before and more communicative with the road. Took an on ramp relatively fast and stuck like glue, even with stock wheels/tires. I'll try and do a full review, but there's already been a few that sum it up quite well.

Sorry so long and I'll try to post up some pics soon. Great choice!!! :thumbsup:

dayyum thats 1 good post. thanks! :bow:

[conradb212]

I love how the SS's dropped the car (not slammed) and took it in for alignment today and a little off, but they fixed, and no need for a camber kit.

Mugen SS I haven't really put to a hard test, but you can definately tell a diff. right away. More firm, but not harsh. Reminds me of a 96 M3 I drove one time....which is a good thing. Hardly any bounce in the rear like before and more communicative with the road. Took an on ramp relatively fast and stuck like glue, even with stock wheels/tires. I'll try and do a full review, but there's already been a few that sum it up quite well.
:thumbsup:

Congrats on the install!!!!! Looks like everyone cuts their hands on that sharp piece of exposed metal when undoing the hidden nut behind the tower strut in the trunk. :) I'd have to say the Mugen SS is still my favorite mod. It just transforms the car. Interesting you should mention the 96' M3. I had a 97' M3 for several years and loved how controlled and unflappable the car felt. Ever since installing the Mugen SS, I've been feeling some of the same in my RSX.

[RSX-CT]

I find the trunk panels to be a bitch to get off without breaking anything, is there a secret to getting these off easily? I think I'm going to order mine today.

[MJ23FE]

I find the trunk panels to be a bitch to get off without breaking anything, is there a secret to getting these off easily? I think I'm going to order mine today.
When KevinG and myself were installing the Mugen's on Spent198's car, i had similar troubles when getting to the rear bolts up top. I did not cut my self thankfully, but pulling that panel back to get in there is a pain in the ass. What is the secret to popping it out???
-Jalal

[Stealth_RSX]

thanks for this thread. it's threads like these that make this an awesome site :thumbsup:

is there a thread this informative for a spring install? I guess the only thing that would be different would be sitting the spring, and needing a spring compressor, etc.

[BlackNite]

The secret is to break all the clips except the ones that are connected to the gray platic when you pull it out. That way you only have like 4 clips to press in and it's all good :laughing:

But foreal.. I just got frustrated the first time I was installing my skunk 2 coilovers and just pulled hardcore till it all came out. Only the clips that are molded onto the panels remain and really.. they are the only ones needed to keep it from moving. Line them up, press them in and ur done. Just be sure that when you put it back together that you place all the rubber trim back over the top of the plastic.

And for the record.. I cut my hand the first time I did the suspension install on the dayum rotor metal cover. If you don't bleed after doing a mod in the RSX, you installed it wrong :p

[BlackNite]

thanks for this thread. it's threads like these that make this an awesome site :thumbsup:

is there a thread this informative for a spring install? I guess the only thing that would be different would be sitting the spring, and needing a spring compressor, etc.


Screw the spring compressor.. just turn it till it's on the last thread.. kick it and run!!!! hahaha j/k

[conradb212]

I did not cut my self thankfully, but pulling that panel back to get in there is a pain in the ass. What is the secret to popping it out???
-Jalal

I didn't pop the panel out all the way. I just removed the three clips and pulled it out enough to allow access. One big mistake I made was not also installing a rear strut brace when I installed the Mugen SS. I got the brace a few weeks later and it has been sitting in my garage because I dread removing the panels and undoing those darn hidden nuts again!

[Old Timer]

One big mistake I made was not also installing a rear strut brace when I installed the Mugen SS. I got the brace a few weeks later and it has been sitting in my garage because I dread removing the panels and undoing those darn hidden nuts again!

What kind of rear strut brace did you get? Let us know what kind of results you get in your usual thorough review/DIY. :driving:

So, now that you've totally loaded up your car with mods in a short amount of time, what would you say is the best mod you have made in terms of bang for the buck? Any you could have done without?

Thanks

Old Timer

[conradb212]

What kind of rear strut brace did you get? Let us know what kind of results you get in your usual thorough review/DIY. :driving:

I skimped and got a "Mugen-style" replica AND I goofed by ordering the rear brace instead of the front brace I really wanted (had an eBay moment). I'll post how it works once I'm up to taking the panels out again and putting the dang thing in.

So, now that you've totally loaded up your car with mods in a short amount of time, what would you say is the best mod you have made in terms of bang for the buck? Any you could have done without?


I wouldn't say I totally loaded up the car, but I'll admit that I did things a bit quicker than planned. Interestingly, I didn't put a single mod on my old CRX in the 13 years I owned it, and not a single one on the 97' M3 I had for a few years. This is my first modding experience and I am hooked!

I don't regret any of the mods I've done so far. I really didn't know what to expect from the basic I/H/E (I probably expected more). The best bang for the buck was definitely the Hondata reflash. That transforms the car. However, I also really wanted the 17-inch wheels with decent tires as I was not fond of the stockers. I feel very good about the Mugen SS as it gave my car much more composure. Sometimes I look at how much it all cost and it really adds up, and that's still before the Jackson supercharger I want. Then again, I read that the average new car in the US now costs almost 30k, so I still spent quite a bit less and have a nice car to show for it.

Conrad

[Old Timer]

I skimped and got a "Mugen-style" replica AND I goofed by ordering the rear brace instead of the front brace I really wanted (had an eBay moment). I'll post how it works once I'm up to taking the panels out again and putting the dang thing in.

I have the Neuspeed front tower brace and I have to say I like the way it made the steering feel more connected, with a more immediate response to input. I'm curious about what effect the rear bar has on the whole shebang. Is it even worth it or should I save the money for something else?

I seem to be on a similar upgrade path as you, albeit at a much slower pace. Still on the lust list: Hondata and Mugen SS. Now if the greenbacks would only come in faster!

Keep up the good work! :thumbsup: Maybe I'll see you on the 50 sometime.

Old Timer

[BlackNite]

Believe me.. get the rear strut tower bar. It compliments the front bar very well.

[Old Timer]

Believe me.. get the rear strut tower bar. It compliments the front bar very well.

What does it actually do? Will the already bouncy rear suspension get even bouncier? Is it better to get it before or after getting something like the Mugen SS? :confused:

Thanks!

[MJ23FE]

You guys have got to help us!!!
Spent198 and myself are almost done piecing together his suspenson setup on his car. It is his daily driver and here in North Jersey the roads are horrible.
So far his suspension setup consists of Mugen Sports Suspension & Mugen Front Strut Tower Bar. Tonight we picked up his Toda Exhaust Manifold and Toda 25mm Front Sway (Solid) from the UPS regional shipping facility.
Here is our problem, what rear sway bar should he get to balance out his suspension once the Front 25mm sway is installed? I know that it will give him alot of understeer as is. He wants as balanced/predictable a setup as can be, and so far our search has left us with alot of different answers.
King Motorsports tells us to use the Mugen 25mm Rear Sway, Toda tells us to use the Progress 22mm Rear Sway. Some people say ITR 22mm, and some say Eibach 23mm.
What are we to do??? Please any help would be truely appreciated.
-Jalal

[CK03RSX-S]

I'm no suspension expert, but the Mugen 25mm would probably neutralize the handling of the car, being it's the same diameter as the front. With the smaller ITR or Progress 22m you'll probably still see some understeer, I would guess. Hell, the money already spent on the car....get the Mugen. :D I am now addicted to Mugen after putting in the SS and Twin Loop recently. I might even be stupid enough to get the Mugen airbox. We'll see how sales go on my job the next few months and then decide... :)

[97 TYPE-R 312]

This is probably a stupid question but......
Is King Motorsports the only place you can get the Mugen SS online?

You can buy it from many places online, "as long as they are an authorized KING dealer." I am one, and have sold Mugen products to board members here.

Thanks,
Victor

[Gaijin]

You can buy it from many places online, "as long as they are an authorized KING dealer." I am one, and have sold Mugen products to board members here.

Thanks,
Victor

Would there be any price advantage to buying the Mugen SS from you vs. buying it directly from King?

[Sacrifice]

I'm also currently in the middle of building the suspension, and I had the same question of rear sways. I'm going with the Toda header/sway also, and I chose the Comptech adjustable rear sway. I figure it'll give me the ability to fine tune things once everything is in. Mugen SS, Tanabe underbody brace, DC titanium FSB, Nuespeed RSB (chosen because it's removable for cargo purposes, important to me), Toda front sway, Comptech rear sway. I hope that all the research I've done pays off, and these parts complement one another. Like I said, that's why I picked the Comptech, to give me some adjustability to balance things out.

[bnice3001]

You can buy it from many places online, "as long as they are an authorized KING dealer." I am one, and have sold Mugen products to board members here.

Thanks,
Victor


Can we get the names of some of these places? All I keep coming up with is King...King...King

[RSX Jeff]

Get the Hotchkis rear sway... it's 2-position adjustable so you can tune it to match what you have currently.

[97 TYPE-R 312]

I sell Mugen at the pricing which was agreed upon King and other "King dealers". Anyone else selling below that level would get in trouble with King, lowballing others and King. But that isn't a concern for the consumer. Retail is the key here. An advantage with me (VPR), is that I usually give free shipping.

The important key is to buy from someone you have great service with. Someone that is informative and knows their stuff on the product.

Thanks guys!

-Victor

[BlackNite]

What does it actually do? Will the already bouncy rear suspension get even bouncier? Is it better to get it before or after getting something like the Mugen SS? :confused:

Thanks!


No, this won't effect boucyness in the back. It will help with the rear end flex when cornering though. My rear end with the mugen is eons less bouncy compared to stock and skunk 2 coilovers with stock shocks. There is a underpass that I go under daily with a hump mid way down the ramp. With stock if I was going too fast, the rear end would hop up and bounce a couple times before settling. with skunk 2, it would be a hard thump then hop pretty bad. With mugen, it "thuds" and that's it. I also have two 10's in the back which help keeps the rear end planted as well.

I got my bars (front and rear) installed before the mugen ss.

[CK03RSX-S]

Just to reinforce what conrad said in the DIY, torque wrench IS your friend. I have been experiencing some very annoying sounds from my Mugen SS and Mugen TL exhaust, and I re-torqued everything today and it is MUCH better. There were some bolts that were WAY over-torqued and I think that was causing my problems. Just took her out for a little Sears run and annoying sounds are almost all gone. Let's hope that is the issue for good. We'll see, but I took some of the same roads I took previously with the noises and not a one now.

I guess those torque #'s are there for a reason... :thumbsup:

[Stealth_RSX]

Just to reinforce what conrad said in the DIY, torque wrench IS your friend. I have been experiencing some very annoying sounds from my Mugen SS and Mugen TL exhaust, and I re-torqued everything today and it is MUCH better. There were some bolts that were WAY over-torqued and I think that was causing my problems. Just took her out for a little Sears run and annoying sounds are almost all gone. Let's hope that is the issue for good. We'll see, but I took some of the same roads I took previously with the noises and not a one now.

I guess those torque #'s are there for a reason... :thumbsup:


Can someone post the correct torque specs of the tie rod bolt, control arm, strut tower, etc. Just so I know the correct tightness when I bolt everything back together after a spring install.

[conradb212]

Can someone post the correct torque specs of the tie rod bolt, control arm, strut tower, etc. Just so I know the correct tightness when I bolt everything back together after a spring install.

They are all in the Helms service manual for the RSX. I'll post them when I get home.

[dc5vt]

97 TYPE-R 312, you say that you are a authorized dealer. how much would the mugen ss cost?

[k20adriver]

This is just the info I wanted to get for the Mugen Sport Suspension..Great thread!

[97 TYPE-R 312]

angryface, you have PM

Thanks,
Victor

[pyropete]

conradb212:

Do you feel the drop isnt enough? I mean do you still have a pretty big gap?

I am getting tired of my bumpy stock shock/eibach sportline ride and was looking at getting suspension. Also, I see you are in sac too, so if I paid you can you install mine? :p.. Still debating on the tein and mugen.. I need to see a better side shot to gauge the drop.

[JIRZLEE]

conradb212:

Do you feel the drop isnt enough? I mean do you still have a pretty big gap?

I am getting tired of my bumpy stock shock/eibach sportline ride and was looking at getting suspension. Also, I see you are in sac too, so if I paid you can you install mine? :p.. Still debating on the tein and mugen.. I need to see a better side shot to gauge the drop.

They will have a noticably higher ride height than the sportlines, but if you can get over that they are a perfect street setup in my opinion. Very quiet operating, zero problems, and improved handling. I had goldlines prior to installing the Mugens and it is a bit higher.

[Old Timer]

I had goldlines prior to installing the Mugens and it is a bit higher.
Do you mean the Mugen is higher than the Goldline or the Goldline is higher than the Mugen?

Thanks!

[MJ23FE]

Do you mean the Mugen is higher than the Goldline or the Goldline is higher than the Mugen?

Thanks!
Mugen SS is a 1.3-1.4" drop... i forget exactly, but its perfect IMO. If you have 17's it will look great and with 18's its looks perfect! You will not be disappointed even if you run on stock 16" wheels. Trust me!!!
-Jalal

[iatacs19]

I have to stop reading these kinds of posts, it makes me want to buy the damn Mugen SS...

[JIRZLEE]

Do you mean the Mugen is higher than the Goldline or the Goldline is higher than the Mugen?

Thanks!

Quote:
Originally Posted by JIRZLEE
I had goldlines prior to installing the Mugens and it is [now] a bit higher.

[k20adriver]

Mugen Mugen Mugen......Im solddddddd!!!!

[Azure-S]

Mugen Mugen Mugen......Im solddddddd!!!!
Same here... :D

[fishfiend]

Thanks for the great info! This is why I spend so much time at this site.

I just ordered my Mugen suspension today. I hope to get it soon.

[Azure-S]

Thanks for the great info! This is why I spend so much time at this site.

I just ordered my Mugen suspension today. I hope to get it soon.
Man, I wish I can order it today. I need to wait a little while :(.

[Jarrett]

with the mugen ss do you also need a camber kit? if so are there some recomendations/reviews of available kits?

[MJ23FE]

with the mugen ss do you also need a camber kit? if so are there some recomendations/reviews of available kits?
You most likely will not need a camber kit. If the camber is off it will be in the rear and it will be very minimal. Check the camber after you get an alignment. If you need to adjust the camber then go with an SPC camber kit. It is the preferred kit on here since it is more beefy then the Ingalls kit.
-Jalal

[Sacrifice]

Just had mine installed two days ago, still working out the bugs, but no camber kit is needed. They were designed that way. Great setup, but the way everyone talks about how they are a "better ride than coilovers" is kinda misleading. This Mugen setup is STIFF. My springs were kind of a loose bumpy stiff, these are more like a firm, tight stiff. BIG difference. But I'm mostly happy, if I could get the sway to stop rattling, I'll be all-the-way happy.

[conradb212]

with the mugen ss do you also need a camber kit? if so are there some recomendations/reviews of available kits?

I did not use a camber kit. The day fter I installed my Mugen SS I had the alignment checked. Everything was fine and within spec. Another advantage of the Mugen SS.

[djdaze]

I did not use a camber kit. The day fter I installed my Mugen SS I had the alignment checked. Everything was fine and within spec. Another advantage of the Mugen SS.


Excellent thread conrad!!! Do you have any more pics of your car? I have a black S with mugenSS as well. From your avatar it looks like you have the type-r kit with 17's and I'm curious how it looks!

thx
-ap

[BlackNite]

Mugen SS is a 1.3-1.4" drop... i forget exactly, but its perfect IMO. If you have 17's it will look great and with 18's its looks perfect! You will not be disappointed even if you run on stock 16" wheels. Trust me!!!
-Jalal

Looks niiiiice with my 18's on. Ground clearance is just right as well. No scraping! I have yet to break my rear end loose going around a corner yet (I could do this easily with stock setup going too fast). :thumbsup:

[MJ23FE]

Spent198's car
Mugen Sport Suspension in both pics
#1 with stockies
http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/i=wMjE5NTA5NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg

#2 with 18" Work Emotion CR Kai's
http://forums.clubrsx.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=93895

Looks great both ways.
We are going to have to reinstall his Mugens on his ABP Type S next week!!!
-Jalal

[SaxinRSX-s]

Nice pics! Thanks for the informative thread. Just got the tracking info for mine. :spin: I'll be using your DIY to install them next weekend. Can't wait.

Out of curiousity, did any of you notice less wheel hop w/ the Mugens???

[conradb212]

Nice pics! Thanks for the informative thread. Just got the tracking info for mine. :spin: I'll be using your DIY to install them next weekend. Can't wait.

Out of curiousity, did any of you notice less wheel hop w/ the Mugens???

I hope you'll have fun. Installing the Mugen SS was no big deal, but have a buddy there, expect a bit of frustration reaching some spots, and some anxiety when you pop open the tierods.

I have had zero wheel hop with the Mugen SS and my 225/45 17s.

And this is how my car looks these days. Having the whole Type R treatment would be nice.


http://www.pencomputing.com/rsx/rsx_mugen_wing.jpg

[Azure-S]

Spent198's car
Mugen Sport Suspension in both pics
#1 with stockies
[IMG]

#2 with 18" Work Emotion CR Kai's
[IMG]

Looks great both ways.
We are going to have to reinstall his Mugens on his ABP Type S next week!!!
-Jalal
Thanks for postin that man. I was just about to ask if anyone had a picture of their car with the Mugen SS and stock rims.

[Jarrett]

it looks great with the stock rims and even better with larger wheels! this is such a great thread. king motorsports should write clubrsx and all you guys a big fat "thank you". maybe even a kick back on some of their sales. im sold, this my next mod. thanks for all the kick-ass info.

[MaRRk]

it looks great with the stock rims and even better with larger wheels! this is such a great thread. king motorsports should write clubrsx and all you guys a big fat "thank you". maybe even a kick back on some of their sales. im sold, this my next mod. thanks for all the kick-ass info.


Indeed. I just ordered mine, the tracking number says I will have the SS in my gruby little hands on April 6th. WhooHoo :thumbsup:

[Jarrett]

Indeed. I just ordered mine, the tracking number says I will have the SS in my gruby little hands on April 6th. WhooHoo :thumbsup:

a congrats is in order. im putting together my funding to hook it up later this week. are you doing the install yourself?

[MaRRk]

I am getting a friend who knows what the hell he's going to help me with it. Should be on next week :thumbsup:

[conradb212]

I am getting a friend who knows what the hell he's going to help me with it. Should be on next week :thumbsup:

How did you make out with the install?

[SaxinRSX-s]

Thanks for your DIY conradb212. It was very useful. I installed mine w/ ApexiTypes help last weekend. Install went very smooth. Took us @ 3hrs.

I just got my car back from Acura yesturday. New tires, tune-up, and 4wheel alignment were performed. After install my alignment was off a bit. What was wierd was I torqued the bolts and Acura told me the front tower bolts were loose. :dontknow: I went verbatim from the helms manual. Well they tightened them and performed the alignment. Everything is in spec. No camber kit needed. No sqeaks, pops, or noises what so ever.

I've driven about 200 miles since yesterday (I work far from home). All I have to say is this setup ROCKS. From just cruising around to blasting down the highway, the car stays planted. I was expecting them to be considerably stiffer than what I experienced. They are very very tolerable. I could drive around w/ this setup all day long(which I did) and not get tired of it. Turning response was greatly improved along w/ body roll. The biggest improvment that I noticed is that the car no longer dives forward or backward under braking and accelerating. W/ stock setup the car would dive pretty bad with just NORMAL driving.

I have to get used to the NEW LIMITS of the car. Taking those highway ramps are really fun now. I'm still going to add a rear bar though. That should help out even more around the bends. I see why this suspension is so popular. It was worth every penny. :thumbsup:

Here's a pic. I like the drop it provides. This was before the new tires. I was actually surprised when I picked my car up and noticed less wheel gap. That just reminded me how bald my old tires were. I'm going to take a few more pics this weekend after I clean her up.

http://forums.clubrsx.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=99499

:driving:

[CK03RSX-S]

Alright Mugen SS owners, I need a little help. I love the SS, but I continue to have a vibration inside the cabin that is driving me nuts because I can't figure out what it is. Now, I re-torqued my MTL and that got rid of some of the vibration, but I swear it is now coming from the SS. I re-torqued some of the suspension, but can still feel/hear the vibrations. The only way I know how to describe it is as if there is like a wind buffetting vibration throughout the car when moving. Yes, the windows are up. HA.

Anyone else experiencing this type of thing or have a clue as to what it might be? Thanks!!!

[conradb212]

Thanks for your DIY conradb212. It was very useful. I installed mine w/ ApexiTypes help last weekend. Install went very smooth. Took us @ 3hrs.

My experience was just like yours. Fairly easy install (a lot easier than putting that darn Hondata intake gasket in), no need for camber plates, no needs for much alignment (none in my case), and a feeling of the car being much more composed. Before the Mugen SS my car needed constant steering corrections in tight fast curves. That is all gone. Also, I really appreciate that I do not have to worry about possibly mismatched shocks and springs, or having to constantly mutz around with adjustments. This is what a good aftermarket setup is all about: put it in and enjoy.

I do have the Mugen rear "strut" brace, only it's not a strut brace. It connects to, and braces, the rear wall behind the strut towers instead. That probably adds good stiffness, but also makes the bar awkwardly sit seveal inches above the trunk floor if you have the rear seatbacks down. I am not willing to do that.

[integra4life]

ok im sold, this will be my suspension replacement for my already bouncy h&r and stock shocks... i dont want to deal with all the adjustments as well and 1.4" drop is just right for me.. and mugen is the brand you could trust when it comes to hondas.

nice write up! im so glad i read this thread, otherwise i would be sold to hayame.

good job.

[MaRRk]

How did you make out with the install?

Great. Took 1 hour and 45 minutes. Car feels planted. Awesome set up, worth the coin.

[Old Timer]

Mugen SS owners: Has anyone ever had any problems with scraping the front bumper or exhaust on driveways, speedbumps, curbs, etc.?

Thanks

[SaxinRSX-s]

Mugen SS owners: Has anyone ever had any problems with scraping the front bumper or exhaust on driveways, speedbumps, curbs, etc.?

Thanks

Not yet. I'm still careful on steep driveways and what not. Then again I was careful while stock.

[CK03RSX-S]

More Mugen SS pics for your enjoyment....with JDM Bodykit...

http://home.comcast.net/~chris1372/03_RSX_-_Side_1-Fix.jpg

With the pooch...and a little peak at the MTL out the back...

http://home.comcast.net/~chris1372/03_RSX_Side_2-Fix.jpg

[Azure-S]

More Mugen SS pics for your enjoyment....with JDM Bodykit...

[IMG]

With the pooch...and a little peak at the MTL out the back...

[IMG]
Hey man, thanks for postin those pics! Now I know for sure about getting the Mugen SS and the ITR kit.

[MJ23FE]

AWESOME DOG!!!
-Jalal

[DC503]

Hmm, might have to check into getting the ITR lip, skirts and rear. Looks good man.

[SaxinRSX-s]

CK03RSX-S, Very tasteful. That JDM kit looks nice. I'm still debating between the JDM and OEM kit(w/o the wing). They both look good, yet subtle. hmmmm.... :thumbsup:

[CK03RSX-S]

Thanks all for the props. Dog appreciates it too. :) I prefer the JDM kit because the front and rear lip's flow a little better.... IMO.

[j1nb0]

just a quick question, im sure it has been answered before if anyone bothers to do it again.

is mugen ss noticeable enough to need a camber kit?

im thinkin bout gettin them soon, thx.

[SaxinRSX-s]

just a quick question, im sure it has been answered before if anyone bothers to do it again.

is mugen ss noticeable enough to need a camber kit?

im thinkin bout gettin them soon, thx.

I've only heard of one Mugen SS owner needing a camber kit while researching this suspension. Mine was within spec along w/ 99% of other Mugen SS owners out there. You should be just fine. :thumbsup:

[DC5YUYU]

how much did u guys pay for the mugen SS???

[conradb212]

just a quick question, im sure it has been answered before if anyone bothers to do it again.

is mugen ss noticeable enough to need a camber kit?

im thinkin bout gettin them soon, thx.

You don't need a camber kit. Heck, I didn't even need an alignment (did have it checked, though).

[RSX-CT]

They are on backorder this week

[Z4_LSVTEC]

I needed an alignment---bad! The camber is minimal (somethin like -.5)and you really don't want 0 camber anyhow.

[Jermyzy]

Just to confirm, the Mugen SS is made for both base and Type-S correct?

[MJ23FE]

Just to confirm, the Mugen SS is made for both base and Type-S correct?
Yes.
-Jalal

[conradb212]

I needed an alignment---bad! The camber is minimal (somethin like -.5)and you really don't want 0 camber anyhow.

It's ALWAYS good to check alignment after you do any suspension work. That's why I took my car for a check the day after I installed the Mugen SS. I didn't need one, but then again, my car was almost new. As for camber adjustment kits, they are inexpensive and not too difficult to install. Actually, for the front you can get special bolts from Acura for a small amount of camber adjustment.

[OWN3D!!1]

Does anyone have the torque specs for all teh nuts and bolts that pertain to this installation? I'm going to be installing TEINS tomorrow and need to know if I need to set these nuts to a specified torque...

[Nadia]

A little help please.
Step #3:
"Remove the flange bolt from the bottom of the damper. The bolt may not come out easily. You may have to use the jack to compress the shock or use a screwdriver to get the shock into the right position."

Do I compress the shock all the way? I am having trouble unbolt the flange bolt. They are very tight.
Thanks.

[CK03RSX-S]

A little help please.
Step #3:
"Remove the flange bolt from the bottom of the damper. The bolt may not come out easily. You may have to use the jack to compress the shock or use a screwdriver to get the shock into the right position."

Do I compress the shock all the way? I am having trouble unbolt the flange bolt. They are very tight.
Thanks.

It's kind of a "trial and error" as far as compression. I had a helper tap the bolt with a hammer as I compressed the shock. When the bolt was at the right spot it came out quickly with the hammer tap. You'll just need to feel it out like that I think.

[RSX-CT]

Mine are finally here, going on first thing tomorrow. My boxes were all messed up and the struts actually went through the box in some points. Hella pissed. The little bag that holds the nuts and cotter pins broke open and fell out of the box. Now I got 6 nuts???? and only 1 new cotter pin. :dontknow:

[CK03RSX-S]

Mine are finally here, going on first thing tomorrow. My boxes were all messed up and the struts actually went through the box in some points. Hella pissed. The little bag that holds the nuts and cotter pins broke open and fell out of the box. Now I got 6 nuts???? and only 1 new cotter pin. :dontknow:

Get on the horn with UPS, that's bullshit. When my Mugen Airbox came a couple weeks ago there was a huge hole in it and I almost went thru the roof. Luckily nothing was f'd up, so I kinda cooled off. Should have got on the horn with UPS myself and bitched them out a little. Woulda made me feel better.

Good luck with the install tomorrow, it's not that hard at all. Let us know how it rides. :thumbsup:

[conradb212]

Mine are finally here, going on first thing tomorrow. My boxes were all messed up and the struts actually went through the box in some points. Hella pissed. The little bag that holds the nuts and cotter pins broke open and fell out of the box. Now I got 6 nuts???? and only 1 new cotter pin. :dontknow:

Bummer. I remember that the bolt-end of my rear struts also had dug holes into their boxes when my setup arrived. I guess they are just so heavy that they easily punch holes into any cardboard box, so Mugen/King might consider securing them a bit better. No damage though. As for nuts and pins, you don't really need ANY of those, they are just replacement for the existing nuts and pins.

The only thing I felt should have been in the box that wasn't there: an English translation of the installation instructions (that's why I ended up writing this DIY post) and a couple of Mugen stickers...

Incidentally, I now have 3,000 miles on my Mugen SS and can't imagine the car without it. A lot of the handling stuff people with stock suspensions complain about I simply don't have with the Mugen SS. And the drop just looks so right. I see a stock RSX and it looks spindly-tall. I see a slammed one and it looks too boy-racer low and a bit silly on a classy car like the RSX. Mugen got it just right.

[SaxinRSX-s]

They deff. need to reinforce those shipping boxes. All four of mine were peeking outside the box on arrival. The cardboard is just not strong enough to keep them inside. I did a quick check and everything was there. I was worried about the screws being damaged. I spun the nuts on to make sure they weren't.

I've had mine now for 1,700 miles and like conrad says " Mugen got it just right". I love this setup. I'm going to order the JDM rear sway as well to tighten up the rear end a little more.

Good luck w/ your install.

[bilingual]

Does anyone have the torque specs for all teh nuts and bolts that pertain to this installation? I'm going to be installing TEINS tomorrow and need to know if I need to set these nuts to a specified torque...
These are the torque specifications that came with the Mugen SS set.

Front top flange 44N.m
Front bottom (damper/knuckle) flange 157N.m (16 x 1.5mm bolt)
Front wheel sensor cord bracket 9.8N.m
Front brake line mounting bracket 22N.m
Tie rod 43N.m (10 x 1.25mm)
Rear top flange 59N.m
Rear bottom nut 61N.m


I hope this helps other installers who does not know the specified torque. At least this was on the Mugen SS instruction.
If anyone is interested, I can try to translate the Mugen SS instruction, but conradb212 got it pretty good. One thing I want to add, maybe I missed it on conradb212 page, is to jack up the suspension so that the weight of the car is on the suspension before tightening the bolts and flanges to torque. Good luck.

[RSX-CT]

Well, went to do install today and hit a big snag. Couldn't break the rear bottom flange bolts so I had to bite the install cost for $200. I had an impact wrench but the person I borrowed it from only gave me english sockets. I needed to get a tire rebalanced and an alignment anyway so I just decided have them do it. Go to get my car back and they told me they couldn't align it b/c they didn't have the specs for the car. I told them I had the helms manual in the car but they wouldn't touch it???? Kinda makes me a little worried, why not just align it? Could they possibly have f'd something up, I don't see how but who knows. So I went down the street to Acura and they are closed on the weekends for service now. Now I have to wait until Thurs. to get the alignment. For the 5mins I rode in the car it feels pretty good but then again I couldn't go past 20mph with traffic around here today.

Oh and CK03RSX-S: Ups claimed they couldn't find my apartment b/c there was no apt. #. My street address is my apartment number and the same UPS driver comes to this complex 2x everyday. Every couple packages I get shipped through UPS ends up getting rotated in the last distribution center for 2-3 days. I asked a friend who works there why this shit happens and he told me they are morons and can't use a simple scan tool there. I'm willing to bet the shuffle is what damaged the shipping boxes.

[CK03RSX-S]

RSX-CT: Congrats. Shoot us a mini-review once you get everything all set up with the alignment, etc. Great choice. Have fun. :thumbsup:

[RSX-CT]

You got it!

[conradb212]

These are the torque specifications that came with the Mugen SS set.

Front top flange 44N.m
Front bottom (damper/knuckle) flange 157N.m (16 x 1.5mm bolt)
Front wheel sensor cord bracket 9.8N.m
Front brake line mounting bracket 22N.m
Tie rod 43N.m (10 x 1.25mm)
Rear top flange 59N.m
Rear bottom nut 61N.m



Good info for those who don't have the Helm. Thanks! When I installed my Mugen SS I tried to be meticulous about torquing everything right (except for the couple where my Kragen wrench didn't go high enough). So far nothing's come loose. :-)

[RSX-CT]

ABout the review, I did it in another thread, so....(copy & paste)

Okay, this will be my 2 day Mugen SS review.

My first impression was how well body roll was diminished in the corners. Second, stability in the corners was much better allowing a lot better control under speed. However I got going down the highway and was initially diappointed with the amount of front end hop. It was as though the pogo effect that was present on the stock suspension seemingly from the rear was now brought up to the front. However after putting in some more time on the highway this afternoon I feel this is just a temporary condition until the suspension settles more. Otherwise, if it continues in the future, I'd say it is a cause of certain road conditions and a slight underdampening in the front. I strongly feel after today that the suspension just needs a little time to settle. In addition, please keep in mind I have yet to get an alignment and I am running 225/50 on stock rims so these conditions could be contributed to other factors.

In short, would I recommend Mugen SS to others looking for a non-adjustable coilover? Absolutely. Some of the high points to stress in the decision would be:
-Increased stability and control in corning (from highway curves to backroad twisties )
-Way less body roll
-Less front end lift under hard acceleration

If there is something I didn't cover or if you have a question please ask.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That was my original review, now I can tell you that the suspension has most defineatly settled and all front end hop has been eliminated. Perfect dampening to spring rate.

[conradb212]

That was my original review, now I can tell you that the suspension has most defineatly settled and all front end hop has been eliminated. Perfect dampening to spring rate.

That's pretty much the same impressions I have of my Mugen SS. It seems to have "settled," though I never did have any wheel hop on my 17-inch 225/45 setup.

In general, one tends to get used to almost any mod almost instantly. To me, the Mugen SS is one of the few mods that continues to make me feel good every time I get in the car. It looks better with the lower stance, and it drives and handles with so much more poise. This is simply the way the Type-S should have been from the start.

[RSX-CT]

That's pretty much the same impressions I have of my Mugen SS. It seems to have "settled," though I never did have any wheel hop on my 17-inch 225/45 setup.

In general, one tends to get used to almost any mod almost instantly. To me, the Mugen SS is one of the few mods that continues to make me feel good every time I get in the car. It looks better with the lower stance, and it drives and handles with so much more poise. This is simply the way the Type-S should have been from the start.

Agreed. Didn't mean to confuse anyone with my review but when I said hop I didn't mean wheel hop. Sorry. I meant a hop of the entire front end from going over road abnormalities. Kinda like a underdampened pogo effect. Which, as I have found, is a symptom of new unsettled struts and now is completely gone. Wheel hop should in theory be diminished under a stiffer suspension, but I have yet to have any whatsoever to comment on severity versus stock.

[HardWired71]

Not to resurrect an old thread but I wanted to say thanks for such an informative thread on the mugen ss.

Guess what I just ordered ;)

[conradb212]

Not to resurrect an old thread but I wanted to say thanks for such an informative thread on the mugen ss.

Guess what I just ordered ;)

Probably not a bad thing to resurrect it if I may say so myself. Chris had wanted to post it somewhere as a sticky or DYI, but never got around to it. I think it contains enough valuable information for both Mugen and general strut/coilover replacement that it should remain to be available to others.

I've now had the Mugen SS for eight months or so and, together with the K-Pro, it is the best investment I have made in my car so far.

[HardWired71]

I am sooo sooo glad to hear that cause I was looking to get something to replace my koni-eibach setup...which is great don't get me wrong but its sitting a little too low for my tastes and i'm not doing auto-x anymore so i don't need the adjustability of the konis. Wanted something like either the progress coilovers or the mugen ss. Based on everyones rave reviews (especially you conrad), I ordered the mugen last night.

[RSX-CT]

I'm still extremely happy with mine as well! Defineatly worth the price!

[HardWired71]

You should hate me though, I was considering buying your stock suspension before the mugen lol...

Seriously you were another one that gave a great review and I thank you!

[OWN3D!!1]

I've had my Tein SS for about 4 months or so and I've had no problems at all. I was really carefull when installing them and followed all the instructions I could fine to the T and can't find one thing wrong with them. One of the best feeling suspensions I've felt in years and would recomend it for everyone.

[RSX-CT]

You should hate me though, I was considering buying your stock suspension before the mugen lol...

Seriously you were another one that gave a great review and I thank you!

It's all good.

[HardWired71]

DAMNIT, just found out that the suspension isn't in yet, still in customs, I won't have it till next Friday :(

[HardWired71]

MUUUUUUUUUUUGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to put these in, sniff sniff they are so beautiful!

[conradb212]

MUUUUUUUUUUUGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to put these in, sniff sniff they are so beautiful!

And you'll find out they are more than just a pretty face. Hey, the Mugen SS is more like Amy Acuff: both High Jump Olympian AND on the cover of Playboy. :)

[HardWired71]

And you'll find out they are more than just a pretty face. Hey, the Mugen SS is more like Amy Acuff: both High Jump Olympian AND on the cover of Playboy. :)

Good thing I read your DIY...about the white dots going to the center, i saw that in japanese and couldn't figure out what the hell that meant. I love you.

LOL J/K

Oh yea, and NO STICKERS?!?!?

[teggei2]

Has any one used a rubber hammer to take out the Tie Rod? I don't feel like buying some tool if another method is possible without spending any money.

[conradb212]

Has any one used a rubber hammer to take out the Tie Rod? I don't feel like buying some tool if another method is possible without spending any money.

People have done it that way without damage, yes. The tool I used (see picture on the first page of this thread) cost only about ten bucks at Kragen, a lot less than a busted tie rod. You always take a chance if you do a job without the proper tools, and only you can know if you want to take that chance.

[HardWired71]

Only 2 months on this suspension and its sold. I MISS YOU MUGEN!!!!

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

stock suspension :shooting:

[peazs]

u selling ur car? :op

[HardWired71]

Yea, soon as I finish selling the parts I took off, the car gets sold.

[aam2u]

i just bought the Mugen SS and havent installed it yet. i was wondering, well i'v heard alot of talk about no need for a camber kit, not even an alignment, but if i dont want uneven or i guess i could say UNSTOCK tirewear am i going to need a camber kit. Either way i am getting an alignment, but i just am not sure if i want and/or need a camber kit, and if so, which camber kit will last the longest, i guess last as goot as stock???

[97 TYPE-R 312]

damn, who said you wouldn't need an alignment? Anytime you uninstall, install suspension, you will throw off the specs, you WILL need an alignment. I recommend SPC's camber kit. It's a strong unit and you won't have any problems with their pieces. I am going to run their piece too. BTW, I still love my Mugen suspension!

-Victor

[conradb212]

i just bought the Mugen SS and havent installed it yet. i was wondering, well i'v heard alot of talk about no need for a camber kit, not even an alignment, but if i dont want uneven or i guess i could say UNSTOCK tirewear am i going to need a camber kit. Either way i am getting an alignment, but i just am not sure if i want and/or need a camber kit, and if so, which camber kit will last the longest, i guess last as goot as stock???

I have the Mugen SS. You do not need a camber kit. However, you always need to check your alignment after suspension work or changes. I had my alignment checked the day after I installed the Mugen SS. Everything was within spec.

[97 TYPE-R 312]

Everything was within spec.


Lucky! :thumbsup:

-Victor

[aam2u]

ok so your saying without the camber kit im not going to get any uneven tire wear that isnt unusual from stock wear?! ha i need to hold onto my tires as long as possible,,, summer tires are fucking expensive!!! :jigglemad

[rokthetruehiphop]

who here is on spec with these. i heard ur just inside the limit by like .01 or .02 sumtin like that.. someone confirm.. subscribed = future owner..

[creep3]

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_rear_trunk_all.jpg

What do those nuts in the seconed picture nead to be torqued to?

[CK03RSX-S]

The Mugen instructions show 59 Nm for those nuts. I think that's about 43.5 lb ft. torqued. Make sure you install correctly. Actually, that picture looks like the rears are installed incorrectly. That white dot, I think, should be facing towards the center of the car, if I'm not mistaken.

[MikeD]

So would these mugen ss fit an base 05? and are they good for everyday driving.

[Abstraction]

they'll fit any rsx, and theyre fine as daily drivers.... i took mine off for winter.. but i loved em in the summer.

[creep3]

The Mugen instructions show 59 Nm for those nuts. I think that's about 43.5 lb ft. torqued. Make sure you install correctly. Actually, that picture looks like the rears are installed incorrectly. That white dot, I think, should be facing towards the center of the car, if I'm not mistaken.

Thanks i appreciate the help.

[conradb212]

The Mugen instructions show 59 Nm for those nuts. I think that's about 43.5 lb ft. torqued. Make sure you install correctly. Actually, that picture looks like the rears are installed incorrectly. That white dot, I think, should be facing towards the center of the car, if I'm not mistaken.

They're installed correctly. That was one project where I took my time and made triple certain I did everything exactly right. My reward so far has been a year of terrific handling with the Mugen SS which remains one of my favorite mods. I'd get it again in a hearbeat.

[creep3]

Awsome i cant wate till i get mine on.They will be going on this sunday and ill be installing them myself.Hopefully everything goes smooth.

[CK03RSX-S]

They're installed correctly. That was one project where I took my time and made triple certain I did everything exactly right. My reward so far has been a year of terrific handling with the Mugen SS which remains one of my favorite mods. I'd get it again in a hearbeat.

Well, conrad, if I would have checked the pic and knew it was yours, I wouldn't have questioned it...after all, I followed your instructions. :thumbsup:

[Abstraction]

Awsome i cant wate till i get mine on.They will be going on this sunday and ill be installing them myself.Hopefully everything goes smooth.

the install is very straight forward, you shouldn't have any trouble... it helps to have a second person handy when you do the front just to make sure that you dont' disconnect the inner cv joint.. just have someone hold the rotor assembly while you swap the suspension.

it's snowing outside in toronto now.. but i can't wait till i put them back on. i love the feel of the mugen ss :) and it's a fun DIY install too. i've done it a couple times now. it really does help to have good tools :)

[creep3]

im doing the install and im wondering how much torque the tie rod ball joint takes.

[conradb212]

im doing the install and im wondering how much torque the tie rod ball joint takes.

54 Nm (=40 lbft) for the 12 mm nut that secures the tie rod end to the steering arm.

[creep3]

Thanks for the help this thread really helped me out.And the install was not bad at all.Well it was a little time consuming though.But what i did was follow the pictures that came with the instructions which are in japanese.Also i went by the newton meters on those instructions.Would that cause a problem.If it would could you please help me out with all the torque specs.I just nead it for the rear bottom.And for the front.Thanks

[conradb212]

Thanks for the help this thread really helped me out.And the install was not bad at all.Well it was a little time consuming though.But what i did was follow the pictures that came with the instructions which are in japanese.Also i went by the newton meters on those instructions.Would that cause a problem.If it would could you please help me out with all the torque specs.I just nead it for the rear bottom.And for the front.Thanks

The conversion from Newton meter to ft lb is as follows: 1 Nm = 0.73756 ft lb. Tell me what all specs you need and I'll see if I can find them.

[creep3]

I nead the torque for the bottom of the rear dampers.Also for the two lines up front.And for the two large bolts up front.And the three bolts in the engine bay.Thanks for the help.

[conradb212]

I nead the torque for the bottom of the rear dampers.Also for the two lines up front.And for the two large bolts up front.And the three bolts in the engine bay.Thanks for the help.

The bottom of the rear dampers (i.e. the bolt that secures the bottom of the damper to the axle) is 45 ft lb.

The two large damper pinch bolts in the front that secure the strut to the axle: the top one needs 101 lb ft and the bottom one 116 ft lb.

The three nuts that hold each struts in the engine compartment are 33 lb ft.

By "the two lines" you probably mean wheel sensor harness bracket and the brake hose bracket. They are not very critical. The smaller (wheel sensor) needs 7.2 ft lb and the larger one (brake hose) 16 ft lb.

I got these values, btw, from the Helms Service Manual. Wouldn't enter the garage without it.

[creep3]

Thanks so much man.Where can i buy a helms service manual.Also did you install your fujitsubo power getter on your own.If you did was it a easy install like a intake or the mugen ss.

[conradb212]

Thanks so much man.Where can i buy a helms service manual.Also did you install your fujitsubo power getter on your own.If you did was it a easy install like a intake or the mugen ss.

You can get the Helms manual from http://www.helminc.com. It costs $70 or so and is worth every penny several times over.

Yes, I installed the Powergetter myself. That was extremely simple. i think it took me less than half an hour, with the help of a friend (which is always good).

[Abstraction]

yeah, exhaust installs are very straightfoward it's 5 bolts and you're done.... it's good to have a helper or at least something to keep the exhaust from scraping across the ground while you're working on it.

[creep3]

Awsome looks like the fujitsubo power getter is next to go on.Do any of those bolts need to be torqued or just tightend.Well i think im going to buy that helms manual now.Thanks again this website has done so much for me.

[Abstraction]

i'm sure there's a torque spec for them, i just air gunned them on on a low setting..... haha

[creep3]

Thats somthing else that i really need to buy.Do you know if their are electric ones on the market.

[creep3]

Ok after driving with the mugen ss for about two days ive got to say its my favorite mod.The control is awsome and makes me more confident about taking curves at higher speeds.Also i wanted to add that since i had no gear puller or even a similar tool i had to find another way to loosen the tie rod ball joint.What i did was loosen everything below but left the three bolts holding the strut up.I then hit the bottom of the screw upwards.But be sure to leave the nut on when doing this or you can strip the screw and that would blow.Then it just popped out with no damage.This is just a way to do it withought a gear puller and i dont recommend doing it unless your comfortable doing it.

[conradb212]

Ok after driving with the mugen ss for about two days ive got to say its my favorite mod.The control is awsome and makes me more confident about taking curves at higher speeds.Also i wanted to add that since i had no gear puller or even a similar tool i had to find another way to loosen the tie rod ball joint.What i did was loosen everything below but left the three bolts holding the strut up.I then hit the bottom of the screw upwards.But be sure to leave the nut on when doing this or you can strip the screw and that would blow.Then it just popped out with no damage.This is just a way to do it withought a gear puller and i dont recommend doing it unless your comfortable doing it.

That's exactly how I felt. The Mugen SS is just the perfect suspension mod for people who do not want or need the adjustability of coilovers. In addition, the Mugen is so similar to the stock struts that it fits perfectly into the overall dynamic design of this car. And the roughly 1.5 inch lowering feels just right to me. The car neither looks like a 4WD anymore, nor does it look slammed.

As for breaking loose the tie rod ball joint, the method you described works, though there is a chance for damage. In general, I recommend some sort of suitable gear puller tool. The one I used (shown in my original post) cost ten bucks at Kragen. Even if I never use it again it was worth it.

I should mention that it's been a year since I installed the Mugen, and it continues to thrill me every time I ride my car. The only other suspension mods I installed were a Comptech sway bar and chassis brace in the rear and their Titanium tower brace in the front. They are icing on the Mugen cake.

[Abstraction]

lol, don't hit the anything on the tie rod end, just hit the steering arm that the tie rod end connects to.. a few good whacks with a hammer should break it loose. that's how i always do it.. never damamged anything, never had any problems :)

[creep3]

Oh well it came out like that too no damage.Thats what a mechanic freind of mine showed me.I had to do that since it was sunday and the only gear puller i found was at sears, for 50 bucks.I also have front and rear cusco tower bars and a dc lower tie bar.Will i notice more control with sway bars also?

[Abstraction]

i alwayss found that sway bars have more noticable effect than strut/tie bars. i have a jdm rear sway and love it.

[eric_r_ho]

That was the most amazing thread I've ever seen on a DIY. I've done about 6-7 spring/coilover installs and I've never seen it explained so well. Good for you bro, represent the god damn californians

[conradb212]

That was the most amazing thread I've ever seen on a DIY. I've done about 6-7 spring/coilover installs and I've never seen it explained so well. Good for you bro, represent the god damn californians

Thanks! I actually had a bunch more pictures to illustrate some of the more dofficult areas, but the software allows only so many per post. I think at some point TypeS Jay said he was going to add the Mugen SS DIY to the official How-To section here, but I don't think he got around to it.

[03K20A2]

the only other thing i would change would be to make sure that you grease the top mount. your guide was a huge help though when i installed my progress coilovers.

[not your Type]

Bump for a great thread that should never be lost :thumbsup:

I'm probably ordering Mugen SS this week. Can someone post a pic of an 02-04 that's been settled for more than a couple months?

Would the SS ride height be considered the same as Pro-Kit springs or slightly higher or lower?

[Abstraction]

do it! i jsut took them out to shannonville today.. they handle pretty damn nice

and as far as ride height.. similar in the back, slightly lower in the front. PM me your email addy and i'll send you some pics tomorrow NYT

[not your Type]

PM sent... thanks! I basically ordered these yesterday, just waiting for an ETA.

I know the 02-05 coilovers are the same kit, but I've heard for 05 Mugen made the SS a little stiffer... anyone have a source on this?

[HARLEYCHUNG]

Those look sweet

[jjwalker]

For those who did their own install, did you have to buy new cotter pins or did they come with the suspension kit?

[Red 5]

For those who did their own install, did you have to buy new cotter pins or did they come with the suspension kit?

Yes, the Mugen SS comes with a pair of new cotter pins.

[jjwalker]

I'm getting ready to install my a-spec suspension.

After viewing several self installation threads I noticed none of them mentioned the following: Please see attached photos. These are screen captures of the installation instructions from an 04 A-Spec Suspension kit.

For those of you who installed your suspension did you do these steps?

Thanks

http://www.jamesoh.com/suspension/1.gif
http://www.jamesoh.com/suspension/2.gif
http://www.jamesoh.com/suspension/3.gif

[caeavesRSX-S]

This write up has helped a lot of people. Including me many moons ago!!

[conradb212]

For those of you who installed your suspension did you do these steps?

I didn't do any of them. When I installed my Mugen SS back in January of 2004 or so, all we had were the original Mugen instructions (and my Japanese is a bit rusty) and the notoriously dry Helms. However, my car's been running and handling great ever since, so I guess no harm was done.

[jjwalker]

Thanks guys for the input.

[btdevine]

Can I get some feedback from people have had the Mugen SS installed for 1+ years? I'm hoping to order some, but want them to last a long time. Has anyone noticed diminighing ride quality/performance?
Also, do coilovers tend to sag, as some sport springs do?

[RSX-CT]

Mine have been on for over a year, and they are still like they were after break-in. No lie, they are top quality.

[caeavesRSX-S]

30,000 miles so far and still love them. The only reason to not get them is if you want a slammed look to your car because the ss will leave some wheel gap. The quality and ride is still amazing though.

[Troof.]

hopefully they settle a little more because it could go a little lower to me

[btdevine]

Right now I have the comptech springs on stock struts, and I think that's about a 1.4" drop. I think the Mugen SS is about the same. Either way, though, I'm much more about improving the ride, rather than the look if it.

[rix 05 type-s]

ten months on mugen s/s, rides just like outta box!!!! :thumbsup:

[Caje]

This is comming back from the dead but, the manual this comes with says to tighten the damper binch bolts and nuts to 157Nm. Helms says to do it 103Nm. Which should I do?

[sneekydc5]

thanks alot man... this thread help me alot...

[puma]

Tie rod ends are real tough to remove without the right tool. I used a tie rod end/pitman arm puller with a 1-1/8" opening and they popped right off. PT performance tool makes one.

[caeavesRSX-S]

Keep this awesome thread alive.

[Dub3]

i did that not too long ago

[Red 5]

I've put about 25000 kms and 6 HPDEs on my Mugen SS, they're still fine.

[jeffrs82]

:thumbsup: wow, this thread is awesome. I'm also getting the mugen ss soon, i'll post pics when i order them in a couple weeks. I've read a lot about our suspension that we can't lower the rsx more than 1.5" or else, we'll be messing up our suspension dynamics. anyway, i live here in NYC, which has a lot of potholes, snow/salt on winter. i know a guy with tein ss-p for 2 years, and he's fine, but i'm going with the mugen ss. can't beat the r&d on the mugen ss for our cars, after all it's mugen. i might have this installed at a shop though since i'm not gonna do this myself. right now i have eibach prokit with stock shocks, not good, popping noises when i turn the wheel.
i have one question for you guys, are there any popping noises on the mugens? i don't think it will be the case but had to ask since it's really annoying. thanks guys.. btw - good diy.. :thumbsup:

[ebisu8]

i like mine!

[ChadB]

subscribe and back from the dead.
Don't know why this is in Wheels & Tires...should be sticky in DIY

[xkpal3x89]

so much fucking work

[RSX-CT]

I've been on these for 2+ years, they still work perfectly!

[dlim4381]

Huh..I took my rsx to the dealer to get an alignment and was told that I needed a camber kit for the rear. It doesn't sound like anyone else has had this problem.

[Baby_Capone]

I just bought my Mugen from someone and didn't get any instructions for the install. I was planning on using this install guide but was wondering if there is anything else I need to keep an eye on when I do this install. Like the white dot for the rear was one thing I saw. Anything else?

Also, when you got an alignment, what settings were used? So when I go get my alignment it will be correct.

Thanks for the torque specs too.

[SilverS-STL]

conradb212-

Thanks for the writeup. This is an old thread but I came back to it throughout the day for reference. Everything went smooth except for one mutha f$%@n bolt that kicked my ass:firemad: . Now time to check the alignment.

If anyone is thinking about getting the Mugen SS, it is worth it. The car now handles like a go-kart with a comfortable ride :vtec:

[ADAMS~K20Z]

Quick Help

Im trying to uninstall my rear shocks. The bottom bolt but the thing just turns and turns. It doesn't come out... Only half way and i can't pull it out??? Help

[RSX-Served]

Bringing the thread back again to say thanks to the TS. Installed my Mugen SS fronts over the weekend and this thread (along with the A-Spec suspension instructions) was very helpful. Sounds like the rears are going to be a little tougher this coming weekend, but I'm up for the challenge. :thumbsup:

[conradb212]

Bringing the thread back again to say thanks to the TS. Installed my Mugen SS fronts over the weekend and this thread (along with the A-Spec suspension instructions) was very helpful. Sounds like the rears are going to be a little tougher this coming weekend, but I'm up for the challenge. :thumbsup:

Man, I can't believe I wrote that FAQ over four years ago!!! Time sure flies. Anyway, I am glad it helped. I certainly never regretted buying and installing the Mugen SS. Over time it settled a bit, which is fine by me as now it has just the right amount of drop.

[D-REW]

nice DIY. im amazed since you have no experience, you got everything perfect!

[BLUEGILL]

Sorry for bumping old thread but I need some help here... I just bought a used mugen ss for very very good price but it didn't come with instruction. I'm a japanese and have no problem reading them. Will someone please send me some sort of pdf file kind of instruction to me? Or will the install be straight forward if I follow this DIY?

[RSX-Served]

Sorry for bumping old thread but I need some help here... I just bought a used mugen ss for very very good price but it didn't come with instruction. I'm a japanese and have no problem reading them. Will someone please send me some sort of pdf file kind of instruction to me? Or will the install be straight forward if I follow this DIY?

This is a great DIY. It should be all you need. I used it to install the fronts along with the Acura A-Spec suspension instructions (which I have in .pdf format). Let me know if you want me to send them to you.

[caeavesRSX-S]

Bump to keep from getting pruned

[conradb212]

Bump to keep from getting pruned

Thanks. Well, it's almost six years later and I still have and love the Mugen SS on my 04 RSX.

[NewRSX02]

Hey, awesome write-up. I'm thoroughly reading this to prepare for my install on the weekend. I had a couple questions though.

1. You said for the rears the white dots had to be facing towards the middle, but according to this picture, they look like they're pointing towards the outside? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

http://www.pencomputing.com/images/rsx/mugenss_rear_trunk_all.jpg

2. For aligning the hole of the bottom of the rear strut assembly, how did you incorporate using a jack? Looking at the bracket, it doesn't look like you can simply place a jack under the coil and jack it up so the holes alight cause the bottom of the bracket would just stop the jack.

3. What size gear puller did you use? The cheapest one I found was $10 and it had a range of 3" and capacity of 1 ton. Is that enough? Looks like it's roughly the size of my hand (slightly smaller).

Thanks!

[NewRSX02]

The Mugen instructions show 59 Nm for those nuts. I think that's about 43.5 lb ft. torqued. Make sure you install correctly. Actually, that picture looks like the rears are installed incorrectly. That white dot, I think, should be facing towards the center of the car, if I'm not mistaken.

They're installed correctly. That was one project where I took my time and made triple certain I did everything exactly right. My reward so far has been a year of terrific handling with the Mugen SS which remains one of my favorite mods. I'd get it again in a hearbeat.

From your instructions conradb212:

"5) When installing the Mugen struts, make sure the white dot on top of the Mugen faces towards the center of the car. Inserting the strut is no problem (have the helper put the two nuts on in the trunk, but don't tighten them yet), but getting the holes aligned to insert the flange bolt is a pain (see below). You may have to use the jack again to move compress the shock and align the holes."

I'm quite confused at this point. :confused:

You mention that the white dot should be pointed towards the center of the car, but in the picture it appears to be pointing towards the outside. However, you still claim that they're installed correctly. So...which way is correct? Having the dot point outwards or inwards? :noes:

Seems like the OP hasn't logged on for about a month. Can anyone shed some light into this issue? I'm doing the install tomorrow and want to be as thorough as possible in understanding these things to save time. Thanks!

[azht87]

i just want to chime in this thread real quick... first of all thanks to the OP for creating this write-up because I did my install last weekend based on it. the only difference is that i installed an ITR rear sway at the same time, so some of my impressions will obviously be related to both upgrades being installed simultaneously and not just impressions of the Mugen SS alone.

first off i would like to stress just how important it is to use a tie rod extractor or "arm puller" when removing the tie rod ends from the shock tower. doing so without the proper tools (and trying to hammer it out) can result in damage to the threads towards the bottom where the hammer would strike to get it out... which may prevent you from getting the nut back on when everything is ready to be put back together.

then - you may have to try and find a creative way to thread the nut back onto bent up threads and wind up tearing your tie rod boot with a pair of vice grips. it sucks and is not worth the drive to auto-zone and $12 refundable rental fee to pick up one of these http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/accessories/accessoriesShelf.jsp?categoryDisplayName=Tools&fromType=accessories&fromString=search&parentId=6-10&filterByKeyWord=tie+rod+puller&currentPage=1&navValue=101264&categoryNValue=100006&fromWhere=&itemId=1264-10&displayName=Pitman+Arm+Puller ask me how i know this and i will tell you that it it is infinitely easier to do this install with one than without one. either way - if you fuck up like i did - it is not the end of the world. you just have to learn a $36.50x2 lesson from the local honda dealership parts department to buy new tie rod ends.

my second caution is to make sure that you have a jack stand to hold up the rotor assembly in the front once you remove the old shock towers... otherwise it will flop down and place stress on your axles and axle boots.

thirdly, accessing your rear shock tower can be a funny experience if you are used to owning earlier Hondas. if you are confused at first glance - look at this picture and imagine it being directly behind your rear seats:

http://reviews.turbometal.com/wp-content/uploads/acura-rsx-rear-strut-bar-installation-3-600x450.jpg

everything else about the install is cake. with regards to many of the questions being raised in here - i do not even know if it is possible to install your shocks backwards or anything like that. i pretty much ignored all of the markings and such on the top of the shocks. due to the shape and angle of the mounting holes/bolts - there is only one way for each to go in and you can't accidentally put the left on the right. unlike most aftermarket set-ups, ours comes completely pre-assembled so all of the tricky guess work has been done for us. when you are holding the shock in your hands in front of your car you will know what i mean.


after installing everything, i drove casually for 2 days and then went to get an alignment at Sears Auto Care. nothing fancy - just to get everything as close to factory spec as possible. the Sears tech had no problem aligning both the front and rear without a camber kit of any kind.

after alignment - the best way for me to describe this set-up is that the car feels more planted. like before i was walking around with straight legs and now i have a shortstop stance... more poised and confident. i feel flatter to the ground, (even though it's only 1.5'' of drop) steering response has greatly improved, and i can take freeway ramps at higher speeds.

looks wise - no your car will not be slammed. if you want "no finger gap" - stop reading right now because this is not the set-up for you. it has dropped my car to about 2 fingers in the front and 1 finger in the back of space. i have wider than normal rims, so the the lower the offset the better this set-up will look IMO.

while the ride is stiffer, i would actually go out of my way to say it is in fact more comfortable than stock for 2 reasons. one - the rebound rate is higher so when you hit potholes and uneven pavement you will be "back to normal" faster after impact. you feel sharper, shorter bumps rather than softer, longer bumps. to me - this is more comfortable. two - speedbumps are easier in this set-up than stock IMO. you are not going to be low enough to have trouble taking speed bumps head on, and the stiffness of the setup makes for less bounciness while getting up and over.

[NewRSX02]

i just want to chime in this thread real quick... first of all thanks to the OP for creating this write-up because I did my install last weekend based on it. the only difference is that i installed an ITR rear sway at the same time, so some of my impressions will obviously be related to both upgrades being installed simultaneously and not just impressions of the Mugen SS alone.

first off i would like to stress just how important it is to use a tie rod extractor or "arm puller" when removing the tie rod ends from the shock tower. doing so without the proper tools (and trying to hammer it out) can result in damage to the threads towards the bottom where the hammer would strike to get it out... which may prevent you from getting the nut back on when everything is ready to be put back together.

then - you may have to try and find a creative way to thread the nut back onto bent up threads and wind up tearing your tie rod boot with a pair of vice grips. it sucks and is not worth the drive to auto-zone and $12 refundable rental fee to pick up one of these http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/accessories/accessoriesShelf.jsp?categoryDisplayName=Tools&fromType=accessories&fromString=search&parentId=6-10&filterByKeyWord=tie+rod+puller&currentPage=1&navValue=101264&categoryNValue=100006&fromWhere=&itemId=1264-10&displayName=Pitman+Arm+Puller ask me how i know this and i will tell you that it it is infinitely easier to do this install with one than without one. either way - if you fuck up like i did - it is not the end of the world. you just have to learn a $36.50x2 lesson from the local honda dealership parts department to buy new tie rod ends.

my second caution is to make sure that you have a jack stand to hold up the rotor assembly in the front once you remove the old shock towers... otherwise it will flop down and place stress on your axles and axle boots.

thirdly, accessing your rear shock tower can be a funny experience if you are used to owning earlier Hondas. if you are confused at first glance - look at this picture and imagine it being directly behind your rear seats:

http://reviews.turbometal.com/wp-content/uploads/acura-rsx-rear-strut-bar-installation-3-600x450.jpg

everything else about the install is cake. with regards to many of the questions being raised in here - i do not even know if it is possible to install your shocks backwards or anything like that. i pretty much ignored all of the markings and such on the top of the shocks. due to the shape and angle of the mounting holes/bolts - there is only one way for each to go in and you can't accidentally put the left on the right. unlike most aftermarket set-ups, ours comes completely pre-assembled so all of the tricky guess work has been done for us. when you are holding the shock in your hands in front of your car you will know what i mean.


after installing everything, i drove casually for 2 days and then went to get an alignment at Sears Auto Care. nothing fancy - just to get everything as close to factory spec as possible. the Sears tech had no problem aligning both the front and rear without a camber kit of any kind.

after alignment - the best way for me to describe this set-up is that the car feels more planted. like before i was walking around with straight legs and now i have a shortstop stance... more poised and confident. i feel flatter to the ground, (even though it's only 1.5'' of drop) steering response has greatly improved, and i can take freeway ramps at higher speeds.

looks wise - no your car will not be slammed. if you want "no finger gap" - stop reading right now because this is not the set-up for you. it has dropped my car to about 2 fingers in the front and 1 finger in the back of space. i have wider than normal rims, so the the lower the offset the better this set-up will look IMO.

while the ride is stiffer, i would actually go out of my way to say it is in fact more comfortable than stock for 2 reasons. one - the rebound rate is higher so when you hit potholes and uneven pavement you will be "back to normal" faster after impact. you feel sharper, shorter bumps rather than softer, longer bumps. to me - this is more comfortable. two - speedbumps are easier in this set-up than stock IMO. you are not going to be low enough to have trouble taking speed bumps head on, and the stiffness of the setup makes for less bounciness while getting up and over.

Great feedback. I completely agree with everything you mentioned here. I installed mine just a few days ago and this DIY literally walked me through every step. Great job OP. :bow:

Question for you though (the person I quoted): You said that you installed your ITR rear sway bar as well. I had my ITR rear sway on prior to installing these coilovers and they were causing a ruckus in the back - knocking noises every single time I make LEFT turns. After I installed the Mugen SS, nothing changed. I'm currently using Hotchkis endlinks and Energy Suspension bushings/brackets with the bar. Can you tell me if your bar is causing any noises? And if not, what endlinks are you using and how did you set yours up? Thanks!

[lemonhead228]

Well I bought the mugen ss from a member but it only comes with the shocks.
I have the tien s springs on my car right now wit stock shocks but my front 2 are blown.
Would it be safe if I put the tiens on the mugens?