RRM Lower Tie Bar

[DangerousDan]

I installed the tie bar from RRM last weekend and wanted to share my install with everyone.

I want to start, however, by telling everyone that this is an excellent mod. It is my first suspension mod and the car feels like it can handle itself now. If you haven't already done anything to the suspension and want better handling, this is the cheap route for sure. I am amazed it makes such a difference.

OK. Now the installation.

You need two 17mm sockets and ratchets to turn them.
oh, and a jack and some jackstands.

Do not loosen any bolts yet!! Read all instructions and understand the process before doing anything. You have been warned.

Your car should be aligned properly before starting this install.

I put this on at the same time I did my motor mounts, so I hade the car supported by jackstands all around.

With the car in the air locate the camber adjustment bolts between the rear tires, they are about a foot or so apart. With some solvent and a wire brush clean both sides of the two bolts off. On the side toward the front of the car you will see hash marks around the outside of the bolt, and a notch at the top of the slot the bolt fits in. These marks determine the camber in your rear wheels and must remain the same as they are when you start this job at the end of it.

Make a mark with a paint stick or take note of the position of the hash marks in relation to the notch. For instance mine was set at +1.5 on the passenger side and -1 on the drivers side (clockwise being positive.)

Next, take your tie bar and adjust to the width of the camber bolts. I did this by placing the tie bar on the bolts where it goes (on the side opposite the hash marks, or simply put the rear of the car) to see if it was too long or too short. I then used two screwdrivers for leverage to turn the tie bar until it fit perfectly onto the bolts.

Make sure you have checked out your correct camber markings and have at least made a note of them. With the suspension unloaded these are definitely going to need to be readjusted after loosening the nuts.

Now loosen and remove the nuts, but leave the bolts in place. You will notice that the hash marks have moved a lot. This is ok as long as you marked where they were.

Place one side of the tie bar on one of the bolts.

Make sure the sticker is facing up, I had to take mine back off so I wouldn't feel like a retard everytime someone got under my car.

With your ratchet on the other bolt turn the bolt until you can slip the tie bar onto it. You will notice if you turn the bolt in one direction it will move towards the center of the car and if you turn it the other way it will move to the outside of the car. You may need a helper to turn the other bolt to get the tie bar to fit properly, but once it is on you can reset the camber adjustment properly.

Replace both nuts and finger tighten. With one ratchet move the bolt to the proper camber position and with the other ratchet tighten the nut. After you tighten it the camber adjustment should not change, even when you are torquing them, but double check it anyway at the end of the job just to make sure it didn't move at all.

The proper torque is 89ft-lb +/- 6 but that means tight to very tight if you don't have a torque wrench. I got one at Harbor Freight Tools for 20USD good up to 150 ft-lb. A good investment for any car enthusiast. The manufacturer recommends your final torquing of the bolts should be done with the suspension loaded, meaning on the ground.

Once you have set your camber back and torqued the nuts properly you are done.

Attached is a diagram of the control arm assembly and I have circled the bolt.

[LancerEvoMR]

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