Accord Ice driving setup issues

[Spec Volcanic]

I suspect that your larger front bar is responsible for the excessive understeer on ice.  The problem is that you have a very small amount of grip on ice, which means the weight transfer is much smaller, and thus the bar isn't flexing much.  Instead, you are getting what amounts to a completely unsprung front end, which on a FWD car, is a recipe for terminal understeer.

For the next event, try disconnecting that front bar.  Who knows, it may make all the difference.

IF it was a frond sway car I would agree, but it is a strut tower bar so I dont that is much of a factor... Unknown Camber / toe... I would be looking there first

It there is a factor front bar sway you could try disconnecting

[majormojo]

Check your front sway bar bushings and endlinks. If any of them are worn/loose or binding up, you'll get some weird handling due to unsmooth weight transfers.

[midnightsky]

Thank you so much guys for your input, Im going to start with the alignment and bushings/endlinks to see what can be found.  If all checks out, then I will remove the mammoth strutbar and see if that makes a difference on the ice, if it doesn't melt before I get to it

[Reijo]

Strut bar won't make much difference ... maybe have someone more experienced drive the car to figure out what is wrong if you find nothing broken underneath ... like sway bar links etc.

[lophilip]

Thank you so much guys for your input, Im going to start with the alignment and bushings/endlinks to see what can be found.  If all checks out, then I will remove the mammoth strutbar and see if that makes a difference on the ice, if it doesn't melt before I get to it

That and make sure all the tires, including the ones on the back are in good condition.

[midnightsky]

Strut bar won't make much difference ... maybe have someone more experienced drive the car to figure out what is wrong if you find nothing broken underneath ... like sway bar links etc.

Probably not until next season but definitely if I can't figure it out I will be asking for a more experienced driver to hop in and help assess the weak spots.  Hopefully its not me

That and make sure all the tires, including the ones on the back are in good condition.

If I don't find anything bent/broken ect then definitely I will be considering a different choice of tires in conjunction with a more experienced driver.

[midnightsky]

Just a quick update, haven't made it to the shop yet for an inspection, however.......I made an unsettling discovery last weekend.  Decided to try it out without the front strut bar, when I removed the strut bar I found there was a missing nut on the top of my passenger strut tower.  Yet again Im bitten by poor workmanship from a shop I thought I could trust.  That being said, because I don't understand suspension very well yet, that missing top nut on my passenger strut, is it possible that was the cause of my frustration on the ice? It was the inside nut(engine bay side) and they probably missed it because its buried behind my strutbar.  The threads were not stripped and I was lucky enough to find a replacement nut at auto value.  Could there now be possible damage to my top hat? The strut itself? Obviously I need an inspection now more than ever.

[lophilip]

Just a quick update, haven't made it to the shop yet for an inspection, however.......I made an unsettling discovery last weekend.  Decided to try it out without the front strut bar, when I removed the strut bar I found there was a missing nut on the top of my passenger strut tower.  Yet again Im bitten by poor workmanship from a shop I thought I could trust.  That being said, because I don't understand suspension very well yet, that missing top nut on my passenger strut, is it possible that was the cause of my frustration on the ice? It was the inside nut(engine bay side) and they probably missed it because its buried behind my strutbar.  The threads were not stripped and I was lucky enough to find a replacement nut at auto value.  Could there now be possible damage to my top hat? The strut itself? Obviously I need an inspection now more than ever.

I doubt that would cause any damage.

[FrozenMarzBar3]

IF it was making a difference in the way the car handles, I assume that it would come with some clunking, or you would be hearing the threads on the strut mount chaffing against the strut mount holes.

I'm sure the strut wouldn't move much, if at all, if the two remaining strut mounts were on tight enough...