27 replies to this topic

[JEM MotorSports]

Lots of driving around today make'n deliveries for my shop.
On the last run, upon returning to the shop, I hit a very small pot hole.
Didn't think anything of it. I heard a small "thud" sound. but thought it was
tools floating around a bare stripped interior....
I was only 2 blocks from my shop.
As I entered the drive way to the complex, I felt the car drive a bit different.
I enter drive ways at an angle. Just a habit from all the lowered cars.

I exit the car and witness a small dime size hump on the hood and the hood looked
as if it were not closed all the way. but only on the driver side.

Pop'd the hood and discovered the following:










Didn't think I'd be using these for an emergency situation. So glad I had them lying around...
These were made to order back in November of 2007 from Cusco in Japan. It took 4 months to recieve.
According to Cusco's records we are the only shop in the U.S. that has ever ordered these....
They were surprised and pleased at the interest.







and now for the pros and cons....

Pros :
Car Handles a bit tighter in turns.
I feel the ground more through the steering wheel. (sounds crazy, I know...)
Total Install time was 30minutes!!! WOW!
(I freaked at first thinking ah crap, now I gotta pull stuff off etc. etc...
The reality was that jacking the car up took longer... LOL!!
The wheels and the shocks were NOT removed from the car. WTF!

Install was super simple. Raise the car, unbolt shocks, unbolt shock mounts, press the shaft of the shocks down (takes some effort),
slide your hand under the wheel well and remove the oem shock mount. ADIOS! replace with CUSCO PILLO BALL MOUNT and back track.
Add the supplied washer to the top of the shock shaft when buttoning 'er up. Done Son!

the cons :
1st is the obvious price... duhhhh... a factory oem honda replacement is about $28
The Cusco pro race spec type are a few hundread bucks... OUCH!

2nd is actually not a con but rather more of a concern. Since I know we have eleminated large RUBBER bushings which absorb lots of unwanted impacts presented by our lovely streets, how long am I expected for these to last since now they are metal on metal, straight bolted to the shock towers.
Hmmmmm...???

I recognize and appreciate that these are for track use and are made for serious drivers... but I realy like how they feel now!

DAMN our f'd up streets... LOL!

One thing I will later photograph and share is the underside of these units which I know realize I forgot to take a pic of...
The underside has adjustability. Silly! I know, why the underside, right? Assuming its to gain access from, once a 1st gen or 3rd gen is lifted
at a tech's shop... IDK.
The underside is actually pretty neat.
There are a series of counter sunk allen head bolts in a circle radius from the center.
the allen head bolts sit on a disk which is counter sunk into the body of the mount.
I didn't attempt to make any adjustments at this time.
I'd rather wait to take it to my alignment guy next week and mess with it there....


All in all, interesting experience I have never shared. I have only witnessed this twice in the past 15 years.
Both cars were rally preped vehicles ( 1 suby WRX and 1 JDM spec Gallant VRT4).
and this happened to them after they lauched several yards in the air and landed hard at ridiculous speeds. (thanks Gravel Pit Crew for that experience!)

anyhow, just wanted to share this info and forewarn others that may experience this.

My tech at the shop stated that, had it not been for the 28mm torsion bars, the damages to the hood would have been much greater.
In other words, If I were rolling with the stock t-bars, my hood may have become swiss cheese. literaly LOL!

If anyones interested in these pillow ball mounts, just hit me up... I have a large order going in to Cusco soon.
may consider doing a Cusco strut bar group buy too... not sure though... will have to see how people respond these days.
group buy only needs 5 people.. down side is all the prices have shot sky rocket high due to import fees. ( Thanks Obama! )

old link for reference on Cusco's importing issues and some cool strut bar pics...
http://www.redpepper...e...20jem&st=15

Edited by JEM MotorSports, 02 October 2010 - 02:23 AM.

[Old School REX]

Wow... scary thought... especially me with my fiberglass hood. Lucky me I have a new set of OEM mounts in my shop. Just need to install.... and find the time to do so...

[anjin]

Nasty happening.

I have a question/observation. It looks like the new mount sits lower than the oem one; which means the shock would have less travel before hitting the mount. If you haven't got some rubber cones in there yet I'd do it soon. Ask me why I know!

[TribalHatch]

sorry to see that happen mark

[badpenny]

I am beginning to wonder if driving across Louisiana didn't do something severe to my car.

[kaymo]

if its anything like mississippi then yes

[JEM MotorSports]

Nasty happening.

I have a question/observation. It looks like the new mount sits lower than the oem one; which means the shock would have less travel before hitting the mount. If you haven't got some rubber cones in there yet I'd do it soon. Ask me why I know!

actually the car sits about .25"+ lower in the front now. (yeepy!) and thats after driving around the block a few times to break them in.
I made no adjustments to the t-bars or the height adjustment bolts. The 28mm T-bars already came notched and were set
over 3 yeasr ago.

From the top side, The mount may appear lower in the photo but in actuality the mount sits higher from the under side.
The rubber portion of the factory's large mount is, over-all, thicker than the Cusco type.
therefore, I gained.... not much. but every bit helps in our cars....

[JEM MotorSports]

sorry to see that happen mark

No worries bro.
Minor set back that only looked worse than it realy is...
30 minute fix....

Thanx!

[DEIVIONCRX]

Were you running the dust covers?

[JEM MotorSports]

Were you running the dust covers?

No, I wasn't running the bottom dust cover.
(the lower bell housing type cover, when it gets old 'n rusty and deteriorates, it rattles around...)

All the factory covers, washers, etc. were on top...

If you notice in the pic, the rubber portion of the factory mount seemed to have
taken a dump internally...

woundering how critical vibration has to do with this too...

Hmmm...

Edited by JEM MotorSports, 02 October 2010 - 09:53 PM.

[WOLFCRX]

I had noticed my car making lots of noise on bumps, I found mine rite before it failed. Very lucky me, I had a few replacement sets in my shop.

[Screech]

No, I wasn't running the bottom dust cover.
(the lower bell housing type cover, when it gets old 'n rusty and deteriorates, it rattles around...)

All the factory covers, washers, etc. were on top...

If you notice in the pic, the rubber portion of the factory mount seemed to have
taken a dump internally...

woundering how critical vibration has to do with this too...

Hmmm...

Well, if you were running the dust cover I doubt this would have happened as the large washer at the top of the dust cover spreads the load over the bottom surface of the mount, instead of it just going into the mount on the collar. My first thought when I saw the pictures was, what happened to the bottom washer. I'd blame this failure on improper installation of the shock.

[agesthreeandup]

thanks for the intel. My car bangs pretty good over many bumps. i am going to have to check out this issue and make sure it does not happen to myself.

[DEIVIONCRX]

Well, if you were running the dust cover I doubt this would have happened as the large washer at the top of the dust cover spreads the load over the bottom surface of the mount, instead of it just going into the mount on the collar. My first thought when I saw the pictures was, what happened to the bottom washer. I'd blame this failure on improper installation of the shock.

Thank you. The point of the dust cover isn't just to protect the shock shaft, that large ass washer in the top keeps this from happening, so if your not going to run the dust cover, remove or find a washer to replace it.

[JEM MotorSports]

Well, if you were running the dust cover I doubt this would have happened as the large washer at the top of the dust cover spreads the load over the bottom surface of the mount, instead of it just going into the mount on the collar. My first thought when I saw the pictures was, what happened to the bottom washer. I'd blame this failure on improper installation of the shock.

Nice try at a bash,...
I'll be sure to fire our tech monday...

We thought so too, at first.

However, look at the factory mount pics.
The 24 year old rubber busted internaly.

It is as if the rubber bushing failed from the inside out.
We had this looked into and it could have possibly been that the factory
mount had a small hair line fracture and simply grew over
time, with all the recent vibration the car is experienceing.
The alignement is slightly off and pulls the car to the right.
It has not been addressed and the front tires are experiencing uneven ware.
The uneven tires have created a bit of a shaking feeling at higher speeds.

The cutt out portion of the rubber mount can be seen in the pics.
You'll notice that it is almost in a "V" like formation cutt..


....kinda curious if this has happened to anyone else here on the boards. ???
Wolf was lucky to catch his in time...
Also, how many here are running their dust covers?

persoanlly I have yet to see a track car with them...

All in all, I'm just gald I was able to document this expereinec for others to share & view... WITH PICS!

Edited by JEM MotorSports, 03 October 2010 - 02:50 PM.