Well I ordered the bar a few weeks ago and finally got down to installing it. The installation was pretty straight forward and extremely easy. You just remove the two stock tow hooks, front tranny mount as well as the center bar that connects the front crossmember to the frame and its ready to install.
I was pretty impressed with the overall build quality of the piece. Its significantly lighter than the stock piece.
After installing the bar, I jacked the car up with the jack under the tubular frame piece and I could see about a 1/4 inch travel. I wasn’t too happen with that. There really isn’t anywhere else I could think of jacking the car up (not on the oil pan since thats almost made out of nothing) and the tranny, but I usually always jacked up on the stock crossmember.
The front tranny motor mount also isn’t avail after this bar installation. With that said I definately need to buy the aftermarket motor mounts. I can feel the motor moving alot now with my stock bushings filled with polyurethane.
I don’t feel any difference at all, but I bought the bar mainly because I didn’t want to notch my stock crossmember for the 4-1 header that I have.
Personally I think the stock piece is just as good, just a little heavier. The bar is about maybe a half inch to a inch lower than stock.
So after 2 days with the bar, I started to hear alot of noise. It sounded like the bearing from the passenger front wheel. I was getting really worried because it sounded REALLY BAD.
The next day I tried to move the wheel to see if there was any play in the wheel but nada. Then I remembered that I thought it was wierd how the bushings going in the bar didn’t really fit all to well because of the metal space in between. Notice how in the pic the metal washer is far from the actual innovative bar.
I then took it all off and cut about a 1/4 of an inch from the metal pipe spacers. (pic below) This time the stock bushings fit in the space alot better and it felt like I was tightening something and not just tightening the metal spacer.
I put it all back together and the noise went away…for a little bit. Found out that the axle has a metal/rubber thing on it that kept hitting the front fork, causing the awful noise.
All in all, I still think that the metal spacers need to be cut down since they don’t let you tighten the traction bars going to the front suspension.
So my review: (1 being lowest, 5 being highest)
price - 2 (for what it is, not worth it)
fitment - 5
adjustments - (3, innovative should provide the smaller metal spacers instead of me having to cut my stock ones, esp. for the price.) overall - 3
It just doesn’t do much besides give you clearance for 4-1 headers. Other than that, I wouldn’t really waste the time/money/effort. It is significantly lighter than stock, but its also a little weaker too. Definately don’t jack the car up using the bar. Would be nice to see this redesigned so the middle is reinforced a bit more. I would like that the side pieces didn’t have the hole for water and other dirt to go in too. Maybe even a solid piece of metal instead of the hollow piece would make a huge difference. Then that would strengthen the bar alot more and they could even use a smaller bar.
You will also need to buy upgraded motor mounts because my engine rocks back and forth with the stock mounts and not having that front mount. another 250ish so I can buy the innovative motor mounts now. Clever how they did that.
No problem. I’m trying to put up as many reviews as possible since this info is really valuable. I was trying to find a review before I bought and didn’t find much, well also considering that the bar is brand new for our cars.
Thanks for confirming that, probably looks like the Full race or Z-10 might be worth the extra money for others, or just sticking to the stock crossmember.
Isn’t there something designed into the bar to hold a mount for the front? i remember something sticking out in the middle of the bar that looked like it was for the mount?
I just got off the phone earlier with innovative mounts and the front mount is still utilized (I asked specifically about it), and that was word straight from the company. I ordered one through them and only had to pay $230 shipped. not bad but I wil post pics when I get it and a comparison to the Place racing one I already have.
Personally I wouldn’t use that front mount. The bar is too weak, imo, overtime to withstand the pressures of the engine rocking back and forth. I just ordered innovatives motor mounts but need to put the tranny and rear on. I just don’t trust the bar to install the front brace considering how much it flexed when I jacked the car up.
most of these aftermarket bars tell you not to jack it at that point. why would you put all the weight of the front end on that bar? when i had the stock bar, i still never did that. full-race guys, do u still use the crossmember as a jacking point?
to be honest, if your looking for a jacking point, use the sides, near the front wheel wells. it works for me, and if your engine is rocking back and forth, it’s time for those mounts witch was a good option in your case.
I always used that area for jacking up the car when the stock bar was on it. Where else would I if trying to put a jackstand under the stock locations?
At full throttle the engine will rock, and alot more without that front mount.
Question, if the Innovative bar isn’t strong enough to use to jack the car up with, what makes you think it’s strong enough to tie the framerails together, and prevent flex etc?
I don’t know why but I think all the aftermarket bars for our cars can’t be used as a jacking point. I don’t know if Z10 is but that would be the beefiest bar out for the DA.
As for the front mount, I looked at it the other day, and it will NOT let the front mount fit. Its too far away I believe, but I couldn’t find the front mount to compare it with.
And with the front bar not being jacked on, the bar is strong enough to deal with the compression, if much, from the chassis, just not strong enough for the vertical forces, which won’t naturally occur imo.
I have this bar too and had the same problem with the motor mount being too far away. The problem is that there is a seperate bracket that innovative sells that you are supposed to use.
These brackets are currently on backorder, when last I checked. I swapped the stock cross member back for the meantime.
Regarding the review of this part, I would like to add that the ground clearance is a bit worse than stock but theres tons of room for some bad assed headers. (I will be using this with some JDM ITR headers in the future.)
I still don’t understand why the make the front bar part a drop down piece and nor straight across at the level of the radius bars. Yes, it would mean more metal, and gusset work, but it would be higher, would clear the ground, and be stronger.
I’m not buying this. I’m also not buying because from what two of you have said you need to buy an additional piece from them to get the front mount to work, a piece they don’t have. WTF crap is that.
I’ll just notch the stock crossmember and have it rewelded as needed. Maybe not cost less, but it’ll at least fit right.
I received this crossmember yesturday and finally installed it but before I did, I did a brief comparison with the Place racing one that I already had. this bar seems pretty strong compared to the place racing one that I have.
as far as fitment, it was good, no need to cut my bushings to the radius arms. everything fit just fine, and as far as the mount goes, I don’t know where you guys are buying these, but your getting jerked over. my bar has brackets for the front mount and my front mount is intact, $230 shipped straight from innovative, and if you look on the website it will say it there too.
my overall comparison with my PR is I can see where the 2 resemble each other but I can see where innovative made theres a bit stronger. my main concern was where the radius arms connect to the crossmember, because that’s where my PR crossmember started to develop a crack. the innovative bar is braced from the top and side which that’s where most of the failures came from on the PR’s, being that it was only braced on the top.
overall I’m happy with the innovative bar. the bar itself is strong but I wouldn’t use it to jack on.
I’m sorry I would have taken pics but I’m missing the cards for my dig-cam—girl took them
smokin’ : when you get some cards, get a pic, want to see a clear one. Also, are the radius arms in the EXACT same location as stock, not bent or moved to a different degree?
