Finally got my front strut bar from Ultra Racing Canada and decided when I got it that the stark white color it comes in was a '**** naw' and quickly painted it to the same color as the rest of the car. While I was doing that, I figured I'd paint the engine cover since it was a boring all black instead of the nice two-tone previous model years get and the engine damper itself. I guess it makes it pretty easy to see which parts are new in my engine bay if I keep this theme up.
(IMG:http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5717/p1000264.jpg)
Okay, let's get this show started. First off, there are
NO problems using the Ultra Racing front strut bar and the engine damper together on the same bolt. I know people with the DC Sports (official Hyundai part) strut bar had to slot their bars to make room, but you can put the bracket for the damper under the strut bar and still have enough of the bolt to screw the nut down on nice and tight without running out of thread on the bolt. I'm also fairly positive you can make it sit on top of the strut bar too, I just haven't bothered trying it yet. I may fiddle with it later though for kicks.
However, you
WILL NEED TO GET LONGER BOLTS FOR THE DAMPER to make it fit. I repeat, you
WILL NEED TO GET LONGER BOLTS FOR THE DAMPER to make it fit! So before you get started, take one of those two bolts you get from the NRG damper kit down to your local automotive supply shop (Canadian Tire, NAPA, whatever) and talk to whoever you have to talk to to get the same size and grade bolt (8.8), just half an inch to an inch longer.
Note: the longer bolts that you need to buy only applies to those of you who plan on getting the Ultra Racing front strut bar. For those of you who don't have a strut bar or won't be getting one, the bolts that come with it will be just fine. And for those of you who have other brands of strut bars, I'm entirely not sure what you'll need. You're kind of on your own for that.
Also keep in mind that I did all this with an '09 Hyundai Accent Sport. Things may vary with older/newer/American/International Accents.
What you'll get with the NRG engine damper is a box with:
- the damper
- 4 black rubber pieces (you don't need these)
- 4 brackets; two long pieces, two short pieces. These are not extras, you may need to use two shorts to make it fit in your bay, or two longs, or a long and a short, etc
- 2 bolts (you'll be replacing these)
- 2 nuts
- 4 washers
The tools you'll need are:
- one 17mm wrench
- one 17mm socket + ratchet (1/4 or 3/8" up to you)
- one 12mm socket + extention bar for whatever size ratchet you use
- one 22mm wrench (it's not a perfect fit but it'll do the job)
- optional: one gearwrench 12mm (if you have one, you may want to use it, otherwise don't worry about it)
Now, you've popped your hood and you're staring your engine in the face, confused and possibly even a little scared. Or not. Anyway, you'll be looking for your engine mount in the left part of your engine bay. It's in this picture, it's the part that the bracket is bolted on to.
(IMG:http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/3549/p1000262.jpg)
Where the bracket is bolted on to, you may find a black cylindrical weight. Within it is a 12mm bolt, you'll want to use your extension bar here and unbolt it. Lay the weight away or do whatever you want to do with it. No longer needed. Now, within this area, look at the area between the mount and the closest bolt on the strut tower. (In my first picture, the strut towers are the towers that the strut bar is attached to). Look for anything that might get in the way of the damper. For me, the biggest problem was one of the metal lines getting in the way.
So for you '09ers, I've saved you the fiddling time. Unscrew the nut for the strut bolt you'll be attaching the bracket to. Take the two small brackets and place one upwards and towards the back on the strut bolt, like how I have pictured here:
(IMG:http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6546/p1000263n.jpg)
And then place the second one upwards and to the left like I have pictured here:
(IMG:http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/3549/p1000262.jpg)
Screw the nut in place on the top bracket finger tight and then the bolt from the weight to keep the brackets more or less in place but not tightened. Put one washer on one of those
longer bolts you bought - you DID buy those bolts right? - and thread it through the damper + bracket. Put another washer and then screw the nut in finger tight. Do the same for the top bracket.
Now, before you tighten everything really good, inspect the area around the damper. Make sure that it's not going to touch or interfere with any parts around it. You definitely do not want it rubbing up against anything it's not supposed to. If it doesn't, then keep playing with brackets and positioning until you make it work without hitting anything. Once you're good to go, tighten the two brackets in place with your 12mm. And then use your 17mm wrench to hold one nut on the damper in place while using the socket+ratchet to tighten the night. Tighten it
tight. Do it for both. Wait! You're not done yet! Remember that 22mm wrench? Use it and the 17mm wrench and tighten the damper itself. I did not do this the first time I installed it and the damper literally vibrated itself to pieces. Very necessary that you do this!
Once you're done, it's done. If you want, keep the tools you used in your trunk just in case you need to tighten it (you'll know, believe me, you'll hear it) or if you want to take it off for whatever reason.
Speaking of trunks, look what I found in mine today after visiting the salvage yard...
(IMG:http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/804/p1000261i.jpg)
Looks like that taillight project I wanted to try is a go 200 bucks later. Picked up a free projector from an FX35 too. One more and the headlight retrofit is a go too (IMG:
style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
This post has been edited by Naky: Sep 25 2009, 07:57 PM
Engine Damper Install + Front Strut Bar, Meant to do this a long time ago since I promised to.
Sep 25 2009, 06:18 PM
