I'm looking at buying a front upper strut bar for my '03 IS. I found the Cusco Type OSD for $152.00 or the JIC Magic OAS Aluminum Brace for $139.00 at www.modacar.com. I have heard that the JIC fits very tight and that in order to fit you have to take off the engine cover. I'm just not sure which one is better. I would appreciate yall's help. Thanks.

 

i would suggest that you go with the bar that doesnt require you to remove anything from the car. The under cover has its perpose. Leave it on. Besides just how much help in cornering do you really need. Not so much that great big sway bar is going to be needed. Just my opinion.

 

Thanks EvenCylinder. You've helped me get a new perspective on things.

 

Hey no pob. The IS Im designing is going to have a big swaybar, however ,all the under covers will be in place. I may have to modify them alittle so the 430 engine will sit lower.

 

i'd suggest the JIC bar over the Cusco. the Cusco bar doesnt clear the engine, you'll need spacers which will defeat the purpose.

the engine cover serves no purpose other than for looks. if you remove it nothing will happen.

 

youre doing a swap with a 430 into an IS?

 

thanks baadhabit

 

Pics..

 

Sweet intake aLLeNis3! What strut bar do you have and are they as effective as sway bars? I like the Hotchkis though, but a lil more pricey than a JIC magic.

 

so all in all does the JIC fit without removing the cover or not?

 

hey aLLeNis3
does the bar clear the intake piping easily?
Do you notice a difference on your car?
What bar did you get?
Thanks.

 

Back from the dead thread. Just wanted to clear the air. I installed the JIC bar this week and it fit perfectly and cleared the engine cover by over 1/2 inch.

You have to leave one bolt out of the igniter and one bolt out of the ballast (each item on each side of the car bolts to the struts.) This makes you reposition the igniter and ballast since the strut bar base keeps them from being mounted across the strut bolts.

Bottom line - it fit's perfectly and clears the cover easily.