Hey everyone! Today I’m going to show you how to install rigid collars on a Honda S2000. There are a lot of great videos that discuss the purpose of rigid collars but none that cover the installation in great detail so I hope you’ll find this helpful. I’m installing the Manzo rigid collars but the process should be the same for Spoon or other brands. Let’s get to it.
Explanatory video on rigid collars: https://youtu.be/zWyUD6UXfog
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*Torque Specs*
Steering Coupler bolts – 16 ft-lbs
Front, Middle Subframe Bolts (Front Subframe Only) – 85 ft-lbs
Rear Subframe Bolts (Front Subframe Only) – 43 ft-lbs
Please consider using the links below to purchase tools in order to support my work.
*Tools/Parts necessary:*
– 1/4″ or 3/8″ 10mm socket: https://amzn.to/3VvcKPI
– 1/2″ 17mm & 19mm socket: https://amzn.to/3h3h0ag
– 1/2″ Torque Wrench: https://amzn.to/3BfLtZt
– 3/8″ Torque Wrench: https://amzn.to/3cTrFh2
– Copper Grease (If not included): https://amzn.to/3XXuSU3
– Hydraulic Jack: https://amzn.to/3gWbaHP
– Jack Stands: https://amzn.to/3qfTtEb
*Optional:*
3/8″ Cordless Ratchet: https://amzn.to/3iw0w50
1/2″ Cordless Impact Gun: https://amzn.to/3mPcNFf
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Can you do a DIY of drive shaft regrease?
Great video as always! Btw what song is that at @5:10
Glad I did this mod. It definitely made a difference and it feels much more absorbent over dips and imperfections on the road.
Great video! Thanks. I'm getting mine next week
You specifically mentioned copper grease, I used a nickel based antis-sease, any concern?
My theory on why these work:
Subframe bolts are long. The bolt shafts travel through a wider hole in subframe and chassis. Deep holes. The subframe hole is wider than bolt. The chassis then has a deep hole that is wider than bolt, before bolt reaches threads in chassis.
So the bolts act a bit like guitar strings. Taught, stretched and unsupported between bolt head and chassis tbreads. A long way. Any impacts in chassis will reverberate through this long length of open bolt shaft.
So the subframe collars shore up the bolt shaft, so its a much shorter unsupported length. Shorter guiter string. Plays a different note, plays with less volume.
Smoother over bumps. More taught during dynamic suspension motions (aggressive cornering, braking, etc).
These are really long bolts. The subframe is hollow, and deep. The bolt holes are significantly wider than bolt, and the chassis hole is equally wide, and more depth before bolt reaches thread. Long lenth of bolt shaft able to flap in the breeze.
thanks for the torque specs. will be doing this soon.
This is one of those things that sound like snake oil but actually make a noticeable difference to how the car feels. I thought they were bs but after I installed a set on my friends car I went out and got a set for myself. I doubt they will make you any faster but they make the car feel a lot tighter, they were one of the first things I added to my new S2k.
Nice. Very informative as usual. Ended up getting a killer deal on the Spoon ones so will be tackling that soon enough.
I’m guessing once you did the 4 outer bolts, you cleaned up / out everything that came out of them yeah? Hoping mine aren’t as bad, but was planning to blow them out anyways.
Great video ! I tackled this mod on my s2k a while back and this vid and explanation would have made things easier. I struggled a bit getting everything lined up initially.
Great video as usual. To the point and clear explanation. I wanted to ask you if you had any experience with harmonic dampeners(ATI or Fluidampr) and if you think is a mod that the S2000 needs and if it will offer an actual improvement.
Did you lower both sides at the same time to keep it level? Or did you lower each side in turn?
I heard the steering coupler can stay untouched, but I guess it is easy enough. Are the threads originally threadlocked, so do you have to reapply on coupler bolts?
I would loosen the 4 long subframe a little bit, one at a time, this will reduce the chance of stripping any of the threads on the body.
Discussed with someone from blktrax a long time ago about rigid collars. He said that with the collars it's more tied together so they have the potential to bring hard components out of spec if you go over enough berm/curb/off track or enough bad street roads. Versus without the collars you'll only have to get an alignment every so often. What you think?
I decided against the collars and they still sit somewhere in my garage. Have sat in cars that have rigid collars with similar suspensions or spring rates and they're able to absorb bumps better and ride smoother.
Is there a diagram of which bolts to lower first and hang the other ones? It was kinda hard to understand from the video. Thank you always!
Awesome video, great explanation as always. Just curious, why did you not go with spoon?