Hardrace Complete Harden Bushing Kit – Honda S2000 AP1 (Q0968)

Product Overview

The early Honda S2000 AP1 chassis is legendary for its ultra-responsive, raw, and visceral driving dynamics, fueled by a high-revving 9,000 RPM VTEC powerplant and a pure motorsport-inspired double-wishbone suspension layout. However, the early AP1 geometric configuration is exceptionally sensitive to rear toe and compliance changes. As these chassis age, the highly precise factory handling begins to fade. Decades of heat cycling, aggressive cornering, and environmental exposure cause the factory rubber joints to dry rot, split, and deform. When pushing the limit, this aging leads to dynamic alignment shifts—resulting in an unstable rear end during high-speed transitions, vague feedback through the steering wheel, and a loss of that direct mechanical connection.

The Hardrace Complete Harden Bushing Kit – Honda S2000 AP1 (Q0968) is a premium, 26-piece master chassis overhaul package engineered to eliminate unwanted alignment deflection and restore telepathic handling response. Available at JDMaster.net, this comprehensive upgrade completely replaces the critical rubber pivot points across your entire front and rear suspension networks. Molded from Hardrace’s proprietary, track-tested high-durometer hardened rubber compound, these bushings firmly stabilize the control arms under immense track loads while retaining the precise articulation geometry intended by Honda’s engineers. It is the definitive master kit for track day enthusiasts, autocross racers, and canyon carvers who require zero-flex alignment stability without the harsh squeaking, binding, or constant lubrication demands of polyurethane bushings.

Key Features & Benefits

• 26-Piece Master Suspension Refresh: A total, all-inclusive package designed to replace all primary wear-prone arm bushings on both the front and rear axles in one comprehensive installation.

• High-Durometer Hardened Rubber Compound: Specially formulated, high-tensile rubber compound that is significantly stiffer than OEM, delivering immediate steering transitions and solid mid-corner stability.

• Eliminates Dynamic Deflection: Restricts unwanted fore, aft, and lateral control arm movement under heavy acceleration, braking, and extreme cornering, keeping your camber, caster, and toe settings locked perfectly in place.

• Quiet, Maintenance-Free Performance: Unlike poly bushings that bind, wear down, and require constant grease applications to prevent loud creaking, Hardrace hardened rubber operates silently and requires absolutely zero post-installation servicing.

• Maintains Street Compliance: Strikes the ideal structural balance by removing performance-sapping deflection while effectively dampening sharp, high-frequency road vibrations—offering a firm, communicative ride without the harshness of metal pillowball joints.

• Perfect Press-Fit Shell Geometry: CAD-designed and precision-molded to match original equipment dimensions exactly, ensuring a smooth, seamless installation into your factory aluminum and steel control arms.

Technical Specifications

Applications

• Honda S2000 1st Gen (1999–2003 AP1 Chassis — Fits F20C 2.0L models including early and late AP1 model years)

The Mechanical Advantage: Taming Early AP1 Dynamic Rear Toe Change

When entering a sharp apex at speed, massive lateral and longitudinal forces press directly against the tires, transferring immediately through the wheel hubs and into the upper and lower control arms.

Individual components like the rear upper and lower arms must rotate on perfectly fixed axes. When original factory bushings become worn, torn, or soft, they crush and distort heavily under load. On an early AP1, this unconstrained crushing amplifies the rear suspension’s native bump-steer traits. A sudden shift in rear toe settings mid-corner is exactly what causes the notorious, unsettling “snap-oversteer” behavior over mid-corner dips or during abrupt throttle lifts.

The Hardrace Q0968 master kit completely resolves this performance limitation. By filling these vital pivots with dense, non-hollow, high-durometer rubber, the arms are locked into their correct structural coordinates. When you turn the steering wheel or settle the chassis with the brakes, mechanical force is converted immediately into tire grip rather than being wasted compressing weak rubber. The result is an AP1 that feels completely stable, tracks predictably over uneven pavement, and allows you to apply power early and confidently out of every turn.

Professional Lift Installation & Pre-Loading at JDMaster

Get it Fitted by the Specialists: Protect your investment by booking an installation appointment at our JDMaster.net workshop. Our trained performance team will safely rack your S2000, install your 20-piece Hardrace kit to exact factory torque specifications, and execute a comprehensive motorsport-grade alignment to dial in your handling.

Warranty

The warranty on Hardrace products depends on the type of product, with a minimum warranty period of 2 years. This warranty does not cover damage caused by a car crash, improper use, negligence or normal wear and tear.