I also found that Cusco makes tunable rear struts for the I2. I am assuming these do not require you to change the springs so the car height will not be altered.
The struts are height adjustable. Also it may be these struts are for the front and rear. The front appears to be adjustabe by up to 55mm downward from the nominal position. The rear starts at -30mm down to 70mm. So it appears from what I can understand that the rear will be lowered. Perhaps someone else can figure this out!
I wouldnt mind buying one, front sway or front strut tie bar. The rear of our cars have seperate springs and shocks. I dont think the rear can be fitted with struts.
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I mispoke when I said the rear of the I2 has struts, as you correctly point at they are shocks. However, if I am reading the Cusco description they are replacing front and rear struts/shocks with adjustable heaight replacements.
It is a bit cryptic as all the show in the photos are a single pair. Yet in the description they say that both the front and rear are adjustable. Very confusing. Since the price is just under 1800 US dollars, I would imagine both the front and rear are covered.
The front bars are more interesting to me as the price for both is around $180 US.
What do you think of these? I imagine they are tuned for the I2 to work with their own rear sway bar. I expect this will be compatible with the Progress tech 19mm rear sway bar we have on our cars. I don't read Japanese but it appears their bar may be a tad thinner than the Progress ones (16 vs. 19). I think there is a photo of their rear sway bar for the I2 is at http://www.cusco.co.jp/PDF/2011_catalog_pdf/117.pdf
Given that their sway bar is thinner than the one from ProgressTech, I would expect that the Cusco front bars will make our car have a bit more oversteer if used with the 19mm one from PT as opposedded to theirs. This might work out very well. If you are and others are interested in getting the parts we can put together a quantity order and get a US distributor to handle the shipment. I am assuming the US and Japanese models have the same mounting hardware and positions.
I contacted the Cusco importer which is based in Huntington Beach, CA. Apparently, the parts are available for sale. Some are in stock in the US. Others will be coming soon or can be ordered from Japan. Here is the email I received from them
"Thank you for your interest in CUSCO products. These parts are all available in the US.
We do have the part # 376 475 A Honda Insight Lower Arm Bar in stock in the US.
As for the #376 540 A Honda Insight Strut Bar, we will have to get them ordered from Japan. The ETA on these are late May.
The Sway Bars, #386 311 A24 fronts are going to have to be on order, the rears #386 311 B16 we do have in stock in the US.
Please refer to one of our authorized dealers for purchase, attached document.
Thank you, and please let us know if you have any more questions.
CUSCO USA"
Is there anyone interested in these parts? I am seriously considering ordering the 2 front bars (one is in stock the other should be available in May).
I wouldnt mind buying one, front sway or front strut tie bar. The rear of our cars have seperate springs and shocks. I dont think the rear can be fitted with struts.
Cobb,
I just got of the phone with a fellow from Cusco USA (Yuki) who was very helpful tel:714-907-0033. Here is what Cusco offers for the I2:
front
3 parts - 1) a front sway bar that replaces the existing one on the car , #386 311 A24 (24mm) price $334. 2) front strut/tower bar #376 540A price $200 3) lower arm bar 376 475A price $100
the later 2 parts do not replace existing components
rear
Rear sway bar 386 311 B16 price $334
In addition they have front and rear coilovers for the I2 with adjustable height 376-60ECBA price $2000 (for both)
I looked at 117.pdf, that is not an insight in the photo.
I saw the coil overs, those look correct.
I saw the front tower support and rear control arm brace that goes under the belly pan.
Didnt see the front sways. Maybe I over looked something?
The front sway bar was not in any of the links I provided. The information on the sway bar came directly from the Cusco USA rep in a phone conversation(I gave the contact name and phone). Also one of the photos as you point out was not an Insight, as there were several cares listed on that page. Cusco USA states they have the 3 bars for the front and one rear sway bar for the I2. Some of these parts are already available through their dealer network, others could be brought in from Japan by them. Some of the bars are just recently released. I believe a number of these components are same for the CRZ.
I tried to find out if individuals could buy directly from the distributor. But it appears you need to go through one of their dealers. I have a lift of their dealers in PDF format. I would be interested in getting some of the front components (not the coilovers at this time), as I already have a rear sway bar. As I mentioned the rear sway bar for the I2 is thinner than the one ProgressTech. I assuming that the front bars from Cusco will be compatible with the thicker rear sway bar from PT. Perhaps someone would like to be the first to try the Cusco parts or several of us could put together an order. Maybe this would lower the cost of the parts.
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Cusco rear sway bar and bars for front of I2
