Ctrld-Kaos

Any one have these installed? I've heard alot of good reviews on them and I was wondering if they stand up to all the hype. Are they worth the 170 bucks? Is the ride change as dramatic as everyone has been saying? If so I'm going to pick up a set when I order my new suspension setup.

CivicSiRacer

I don't know if it's worth the $170. It's like 4 metal pieces that probably cost $20 to make. I cannot use them though since they are illegal for my SCCA class.

Ctrld-Kaos

i just looked on their site, i was wrong they are 140.. i was looking at the design of the locks and it looks like there is a decent amount of machining involved. that normally wouldnt be a problem, but i no longer have access to a machine shop anymore. . I dont plan on doing autoX so i dont have to worry about the rules and regs u have to adhear to for racing. i think it may be worth the $$ if the product lives up to its claims.

bizkit

I've heard nothing but good things about these frame locks as well. I don't have them installed on my car though, just spreading the good word.

CivicSiRacer

The only bad thing I can forsee is if you get into an accident. How is the car going to crumple or react in an accident? Will the front reinforcement bar turn into a missile and impale you?

Ctrld-Kaos

i dont forsee getting impailed by the locks.... they would have to go through the engine and the firewall. really there isnt much to kit hardware wise nothing that i can see as dangerous if one were to get into an accident.

chimchim

I have them on my 97 civic EX sedan and they feel about as effective as a front strut bar: aka not much. I can't complain because they cost as much as a strut bar.

Anyways, my curiosity got the better of me so that's why I got them (on sale, group buy). The way they go on, and the way they are shaped, doesn't seem like it would suddenly cause the chassis to get shoved up your nose. Korbach says they designed them so that in a front collision, they would crumple. Yes, it's still stiffer than stock, so that's more dangerous but it's not clear how much more. Early airbag deployment is a concern but so far has not been discovered as an issue.

I've read all those people talking about "dramatic difference" and I have NO IDEA WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT. The frame locks seem to have made turn in more precise, nothing else. I like the effect on turn in, which is the only reason why I keep them on. But I still feel all the bumps.

They help stiffen the chassis a little against certain forces and that's all it feels like it improves. My car modifications had the goal of making the car more fun to drive, which pretty much was all about street handling. Since I still have stock rubber bushings, I feel that the rubber bushings are the weak link in my chassis compliance and therefore the frame locks were a stronger link further up the chain.

Think of it as a strut bar. I think it's the same category, so set your expectations accordingly.

BTW, here are my car handling mods:
- 15" '99 Si rims
- 195/55/15 yokohama ES100
- H&R OE sport springs with KYB AGX shocks set at 2/4 and 4/8
- '99 Si rear 13mm sway bar with ES sway bar bushings
- washer trick (1 washer thick) to fix rear camber
- type R replica front strut bar