Rigid Collars installed on my G2!

[Rloyola0426]

I started a thread a few weeks ago looking for a spot to have my rigid collars from ATQ Performance Parts installed. Finally got them installed and a four wheel alignment done and all I can say is WOW! I've read the thread the G1 guys have on their rigid collars and thought some of that had to be stretches of the the truth. I mean, how can 10 little collars that cost less than $150 really have that much of an impact on ride quality, steering feel, and overall tighter feeling?

I honestly can't describe how much tighter the car feels. On freeway onramps the car no longer compresses to one side. It just stays solidly planted, daring you to add more speed. Upon hard braking, the nose doesn't dip down. When you accelerate hard, the back end doesn't dip (as much). When you drive over bumps, the body doesn't bounce up and down. This to me was the most beneficial pro since I'm lowered. With a lowered car, my stock shocks and struts are constantly slightly compressed so before the collars, undulations would be transmitted through the suspension to the body, creating a somewhat bouncy ride. Now, the body doesn't move up and down at all as all the work is done by the suspension. I honestly have no idea how or why that is, no matter how many times I watch the Spoon rigid collar video. It just doesn't make sense to me how a piece that stops horizontal motion affects vertical movement. All I know is I got them, they're installed, and now my 4500 lb cruise ship feels like a lightweight little sports car.

Maybe you guys can chime in and tell me how much of that is placebo. Or, if you live near me in SoCal, hit me up and take it for a test drive and tell me I'm imagining things. If not, tell me how to describe it better because I honestly don't know how to.

I bought my collars at ATQ Performance Parts in Canada. They're not listed as an actual kit on the website, but I contacted them and dealt with the owner, Tomi Varga. He sent me 10 collars in the sizes needed with a diagram as to where they go.

The actual hardest part was finding a shop who knew how and where to install them. For you guys in SoCal, I ended up going with Khartunerz in Murrieta. I initially went to Concept 3 in Brea but he didn't know where to install them but charged me labor anyway since he had to put the car on the lift and inspect it. I had to pay labor again at Khartunerz so I'm just trying to save you guys some money so you don't have to pay twice.

FYI: I have no affiliation with ATQ, Khartunerz, or Concept 3.

 

[dareckibmw]

I'll take a test drive with you, when I'm back in LA in February too bad you didn't have them installed 3 weeks ago, I was there spotting planes at LAX for 3 days

 

[Rloyola0426]

Just let me know!

 

[LarryJM]

Interesting .... I installed collars and a high quality strut bar on my 2013 Sonata that made a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE in both normal road and cornering behavior. My Genesis is already much better behaved handling wise, but if the cost is reasonable I would be willing to install collars on it as long as the installation is not overly complicated.

How much was the collar package you got?

Larry

 

[Rloyola0426]

Only $118 including shipping. So far it's the cheapest mod I've done lol. It's ironic how much of a difference this small cost has made to my car when compared to something like my intake. That was an expensive noise maker. I mean, I love how throaty the car sounds now but not sure it was worth $300.

 

[cane2025]

I will get them to see if i notice any difference. for that price might as well give it a chance. looks like its just removing the bolts and adding the collar. My mechanic might be able to get it installed. getting torque specs might be a little dificult

 

[Rloyola0426]

The instructions provided to me said to torque to 130 lb-ft and to NOT use an impact wrench when tightening.

 

[Aquineas]

Thanks Reggie! I might have found my latest mod!

 

[celltech]

I have to say I am VERY interested in this thread. How much did it cost you to have the collars installed? Most pictures and details I have seen on this look like you can install them yourself as long as you can lift the car up. The theory behind the collars makes total sense to me and I could see how it helps. My biggest complaint about my 5.0 is how it can wallow around on a bumpy road when under a heavy right foot. I am hoping it can help with that issue...

 

[Rloyola0426]

It cost me $90, which is one hour of labor at the shop I went to plus another $90 somewhere else for a 4 wheel alignment. So a little over $200 total investment. It actually cost me a little more as the first shop charged me for an hr worth of labor even though he was only able to install 4 collars, claiming there were no spots for the others. They are all in now, so there obviously were spots for them.

TLDR: one hour worth of labor

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[XPO439]

Most likely my next mod, sounds like a big difference. Thanks Reggie!

 

[forzza1]

Do they come with installation instructions? How does one knows where to install them?
I wonder why Hyundai never thought of this in the first place....

 

[Rloyola0426]

It's not that Hyundai didn't think of it. Most car manufacturers and models have bolt holes through the chassis panel and sub frame that are normally too big as they were designed for ease of production in the factory. The rigid collar simply eliminated the play between the two panels. Here is one of the links I used to research: https://www.rigidcollar.eu/what-is-rigid-collar . Maybe you can make more sense out of it. I've watched many videos and read many articles and still can't claim to 100% understand how stopping lateral movement minimizes vertical movement. How do the collars stop the front end from dipping during braking or the suspension compressing when cornering? I honestly don't get it.

 

[srobak]

Dareck - I want a full report. I have been pondering this one for a while too and asked some questions in the other thread earlier this year.

 

[forzza1]

Just pulled the trigger on mine. They should arrive in a few days. Purchased them from the same supplier as OP.
Now the challenge is finding somebody to install them.
I will keep you posted.

 

[patrick49]

Thanks for the review, I'll keep this in mind.

 

[dareckibmw]

Dareck - I want a full report. I have been pondering this one for a while too and asked some questions in the other thread earlier this year.

Hmm....it was the case for me when I had my 1st Genesis, it was '13 rspec and the handling/cornering was terrible in comparison to 2G. As you all know, I'm lowered on ARK springs "F" type, which is mild drop compared to "S" type. With them, the car handles better, body roll is minimal, it doesn't "dip" when hard braking, etc.

Reggie's car sits on "S" type springs which are shorter than "F", therefore, his car shouldn't have those symptoms described above. It suppose to handle as a train on rails.
I'm not saying he isn't right, but in my opinion, rigid collars can't really change that much of the handling of 2G....I might be wrong, of course.

Once again, I'm comparing V6 to V8, different weight of car with two different type of lowering springs....results may vary. Just my two cents.

Looking forward to future reviews of the V8 guys, especially, that are lowered on springs.

 

[Rloyola0426]

Dareck, I wish that was the case. I feel like since the car is so low, the stock shocks and struts are too compressed, making them almost useless. So when I need them to hold the car up during hard braking or hard cornering, the car (to me) feels like there's too much lean. It could also be because the car is heavier and of course I'll feel it because, you know, physics.

I'm used to driving lighter cars (Honda civics) and stuff so I feel like the Genesis just needed to be tightened up a little bit. I wanted my fullback to be as agile as a runningback. Does that make sense?

Like I said earlier, my cars "problems" very well may have been just all in my head. The improvements I got from the rigid collars may also just be in my head too. I need somebody else to tell me that I'm full of it or that I'm right lol.

 

[dareckibmw]

.... I feel like since the car is so low, the stock shocks and struts are too compressed, making them almost useless.

This is exactly why I switched to F type, and since my car is heavier than your, you can only imagine my disappointment in handling.

I'll definitely let you know when I'm back in town, I want to take a ride in your car and see if you're full of it or not


just kiddin'

 

[srobak]

If anyone does this on stock springs & height please post your impressions.