Progress RSB for '09 Sport Due Out in 3 Wks.

[manxman]

I just got off the phone with Joey at Progress and received the above info. This bar will also fit '09 Base Fits, and Joey seems to think that it will work to cure the handling deficiencies of the Base.

I agree with him that it will fit on the car, but disagree that it will be effective on the Base. The new bar is intended to work in conjunction with the existing factory RSB that comes on the Sport models. That being the case, it will have to be too weak when used by itself on the Base models that do not have the factory bar. But I can be wrong--- we'll see.:confused:

I will post a review and installation DIY tutorial when my RSB gets here. This has been a long wait!!

[claymore]

That is some good news for our GE drivers. Be interesting to see how it works. It has to have some effect on the base but will it be enough.

[manxman]

That is some good news for our GE drivers. Be interesting to see how it works. It has to have some effect on the base but will it be enough.
Well, I have read the exact same "good news" about imminent shipment of this new bar for about 3 months on at least two forums. Joey has a tendency to tell his phone customer what they want to hear. At least he confirmed that my order #1 is still on their records. I will call again if no one at Progress has asked me for my credit card info. after another 3-4 weeks.

[manxman]

I just got off the phone with Joey at Progress. I gave him my credit card info. (because I didn't expect him to remember to call me for it). On other forums, several vendors are now taking orders for the GE8 RSB. Now, order #1 (mine) is paid for, and again, it is due to ship in (guess how many?), yep, that's right, THREE WEEKS.:confused:

I will post a review & install info. when I get it. I pushed the limits of my Fit today coming over the Santa Cruz Mountains, so that I will have something to compare the new handling to in (guess how many??) 3-1/2 weeks (unless Joey lied).

[claymore]

Good news bad news. Good that it is ready bad that it takes so long to get to you.

[EXWRX]

Hopefully, it works as good for the 09's as the original did for the GD3's.

[manxman]

Hopefully, it works as good for the 09's as the original did for the GD3's.

Yeah- I have absolutely no idea of what to expect. From the great performance of the GD bar, I have real comfort and confidence in placing the order. But with the factory bar already on my GE, my slight worry is TOO MUCH stiffness in the rear with the additional bar installed. Wait, maybe there is no such thing as too much.:rolleyes:

[EXWRX]

I think if it bounces during turns, you mighthave too much rear stiffness.
If it oversteers driving normally, you might have too much rear stiffness.
If it oversteers while parked, you DO have too much rear stiffness. :eek:

[manxman]

Jeff,
You just described a 117 hp, auto trans grocery store shopping cart. I don't think that Progress would make the tragic mistake of a RSB that is too stiff. The GD's didn't really need the first bar, but those of us who bought them saw our cars get a lot closer to their handling potential. With the GE, it's hard to imagine how much added stiffnesss would make things "just right", and how much more would work as a negative effect. Handling with the stock bar is much better than an unmodified GD.

The GE bar might be a wire coat hanger with big mounting brackets on the ends. ?? I'm looking forward to seeing it, and I'm surprised that as close to release as it is, there are no photos or mention of its existence on the Progress web site.

The early GD bar buyers could look at photos months before we received our orders.

[manxman]

My new theory about the GE8 Progress Rear Anti-Sway Bar:

Along with a few other people, I have been concerned that the new Progress bar, when added to the flex-beam rear axle along with the existing OEM Honda rear bar, might be a little too stiff. But while I am waiting for my Progress bar to arrive, I have come up with a new theory:

I am now thinking that if the add-on Progress bar is only marginally stiffer (say, 5 or 10 or 15 percent stiffer than the stock bar), when either of the rear springs starts to compress going into a turn, the stiffer Progress bar may take up ALL of the compression, and never allow the stock bar to come into play at all.

If the above is the case, then the new Progress bar will work perfectly, as the only rear sway bar, on a Base Fit.

I am betting that my theory will be proven when the Progress bars ship out. We will get a rear suspension that is stiffer in the turns, which we all want, but not too stiff. I no longer believe that the Progress bar will act negatively in combination with the stock bar.

[manxman]

Well, here is "today's version" of the truth about shipping status--------

I sent a message to Joey Berry through the Progress web site, and asked for the status of my extremely old order for the sway bar. He replied that they are bringing one more 2009 Fit into the shop for test fit of the bar- TODAY. After the test, the bars will start to be fabricated. And that is assuming that the test fit will go well.

When will they actually ship? Who the hell knows? So far, the '09 Fit RSB is just a rumor.

So, all of the people on the group buy list of Assaultech on that other forum will have months more to read "all PM's replied to- call our order line and order today!". This company's DAILY posts about the "Progress RSB group buy" to the freaks have been nothing but lies. "The sway bars will ship any day now". Right.

Joey also said that "Assaultech" is not one of their direct dealers. Just FYI.

[claymore]

Well that sucks. Hate when "they" keep moving the goal-line especially when they set it in the first place

[manxman]

It is irritating when a manufacturer accepts your order, and your payment, then just makes up b.s. to tell you about the status of the order(whatever they think you want to hear). If the delay and rescheduling eliminates the possibility of a badly made part, OK- I accept the delay.

But the vendor on fitfreak that posts the same b.s. every single day with absolutely no truth in the posts, and constantly urging more people to call and order (with prices that any real Progress dealer could probably beat) looks like a scam to me.

[manxman]

Good news (maybe) from Joey Berry at Progress:

The new target date to ship the first batch of GE8 sway bars is the first week of October. We'll see.

[EXWRX]

Knock on wood that it'll be soon, and more importantly as big an upgrade as the GD3 bar was.

[manxman]

That is exactly my hope. Progress's track record on performance has been excellent so far in the Honda community, and the Progress bar on my Scion XB gives just as dramatic improvement on that little silver shoe box. I don't have any reason to worry about the GE.

Hey Jeff- what did you think about the brainless, self serving post from LittleKelseyMeyer on the fitfreak Fit Photos forum about only "dorks" showing up for the "secret" Fit Meet? Just because the disgusting idiots like LittleKelsey and STOOL were not invited does not make a meet "secret". It was no secret to the dozen or so people who showed up and ate a great lunch. There are Bay Area Fitfreaks, who have the ability to organize regular meets, and Bay Area Fitfreak Wannabees, who don't have that ability.

[claymore]

Dam Dave how did you end up in all the photos if it was a "super duper secret" meet

[manxman]

Dam Dave how did you end up in all the photos if it was a "super duper secret" meet
I was one of the people who made up the "secret". Or, maybe like macbuddy says, I am a ghost who just pops up here and there. We are thinking of another Mount Hamilton Meet/Canyon Cruise, where I will be able to really test out the Progress GE8 RSB. But that will be another "secret"- don't tell anyone.

[manxman]

Progress RSB's are NOW being shipped!

I got a UPS tracking number by email today.

As you can see by the age of this thread, Progress does not tell the truth very often. At least from their photo of this new bar on their web site, they now include button head bolts to stop squeaks from the springs.

[claymore]

It sure would be nice if it comes with those bolts so people don't have to go buy them.

[macbuddy]

Progress RSB's are NOW being shipped!

I got a UPS tracking number by email today.

As you can see by the age of this thread, Progress does not tell the truth very often. At least from their photo of this new bar on their web site, they now include button head bolts to stop squeaks from the springs.

Dave,
Wow, time sure flies! Has it been 3 weeks already? :)
Maybe Progress mistakenly told Joey 3 weeks, but actually meant to say 3 months...mistakes do happen!
Anyway, I don't know about everyone else, but I am anxiously looking forward to your DIY post, and review of this long awaited product. I am guessing that Progress did tons of R & D to make certain that you will get the most performance possible from your GE8 (hence the long development time).
I recall hearing that the GE8 handles even better "out of the box" than the GD3 did. I am curious to learn if this RSB provides as much of an improvement for the GE8 as it does for the GD3.
Shipping the "button head" bolts in the kit is a nice addition to the RSB package. Maybe Progress will offer those as an optional kit (at a nominal cost) to us early adopter GD3 RSB owners.
BTW, when you open your UPS package, make sure that they correctly shipped you the RSB for a GE8, and not for a GD3...mistakes do happen! :)

[manxman]

My RSB actually did arrive today, but getting it on the car will have to wait until Friday or Saturday. It was shipped with the hex-socket-drive button head bolts.

[claymore]

OK now get out there and put that baby on........:eek: and let the rest of us in on your hard work

[manxman]

Yessir! Yessir! One of our wolves has to go to the Vet. today, otherwise I would be under the car right now. This bar will be a little easier than the GD3 one, but the springs still have to come out. No big deal.

Another job I have to do at the same time is to put steel bushings into the lower mounts of the Monroe MA973 Air Shocks. I found the proper size bushings in the W. W. Grainger catalog/web site. The stainless steel tape that I used to fatten up the shock bolts so that they would fit the larger dia. of the lower mount eyes has compressed enough to cause some rattling. The 1/2" X 3/8" steel sleeves should do away with that problem, and it might as well be done while I am attaching the RSB.

Then my first oil change on the GE8 with the Fumoto valve installation will complete the job.

[claymore]

AH the joys of modding the Fit

[manxman]

OK- the bar is on. Initial impression- adult buyers will be very happy, as long as they are competent installers. I took photos, but I'm not going to go overboard on an installation DIY. I did that with the GD3 bar, and only got insults from the incompetent fitfreak children for my efforts.

My comments in this, and subsequent posts, are based on the fact that I was the very first buyer of the previous Progress RSB for the GD3 Fit. My springs did NOT squeak, and although the GD3 handles very well as stock, the Progress bar made the handling WONDERFUL by comparison.

The GE8 in stock forum handles somewhat better than a stock GD3, but I greatly missed the "on rails" effect of my modified GD3 when I had to buy the 2009 Fit to replace my wrecked GD. I called Progress in November of '08 and asked them to make a supplemental bar for the new Fits. I am grateful that they did as I asked, but geez! One whole year to get it shipped.

Progress was apparently insulted by the little children on fitfreak for accusing them of supplying "defective" nuts and bolts for the installation. This is apparent in the first sentence on their installation instruction sheet:
NOTE: Progress Technology products should only be installed by a qualified licensed mechanic experienced in the installation and removal of suspension components.

My future DIY will mainly discuss safety measures needed in the installation, and I will share one little secret that will make the job easier for first timers. I will not tell you what size sockets to use or any other mundane crap. If you can't figure out the simple things all by yourself, then you should follow the first sentence from Progress.

More later- I want to do a much better test drive tomorrow, and then change my oil & filter and rotate my wheels. Will post photos and advice with more test info. when I get around to it.

But briefly, the ride quality of the rear suspension is just a little more firm than the GD3 with the RSB. I have Monroe Air Shocks on the rear, and I also had Air Shocks on my GD3 with the Progress bar. The GE is just a little more stiff than the GD, but not unpleasant at all. The improvement in lessened body roll is at least as good as a GD3 with that bar. So, I am very happy with my purchase and would recommend this mod to any GE8 owner. Whether or not you drive aggressively, the bar adds safety because of greater stability, particularly in high winds.

[claymore]

YAY it's here and on the car. Very good news that it is still a good worth the money mod. Nice progress trail manxman.

[manxman]

YAY it's here and on the car. Very good news that it is still a good worth the money mod. Nice progress trail manxman.
MORE Yay! Today is joy ride day in the mountains!

[manxman]

This will be my last post on this thread. Will start another thread with the photos and install tips. I "wrung out" my GE8 on some of the trickier secret side roads around Hwy. 9, Hwy. 35, and Bear Creek Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains this morning. The magic of the Progress bar on the GD3 is BACK! In SPADES, for the GE8. Buy one NOW before their first production run is exhausted.

[EXWRX]

I'm gonna pass on the 09 rear swaybar, but I already have a GD one that works great! :p I just reinstalled mine over the weekend and I love it in concert with the Enduratech coilovers. At the same time, I raised the rear suspension about half an inch and it feels more supple. (I think I may have been hitting the bump stops) I ran out of time to raise the front up, but soon, I will have the car sitting just high enough to not worry about those blocks in parking lots.

[manxman]

Jeff, I'm glad that all of kenchan's ranting about Enduratech wasn't just hot air, expelled between trips between THE GARAGE!!! and THE MUSIC ROOM!!!, or telling about his trip to his hair stylist. Also glad to hear that not all coilovers cause kidney damage and broken teeth when used on a Fit.