i bought a 1st generation strut bar off nevin this week. So far i'm really happy with the difference it's made. The steering is alot more responsive. I had to move my spark plug wires though. I disconnected the plastic retainers from the bracket, and simply pulled them back. Now they're just resting against the strut bar. did anyone else do this differently? also, i have like 1-2/16th's of an inch between the upper plenum and the strut bar. I THINK it is hitting when i pul low RPM starts. Anyone have this problem? anyone fix it? it's just really close. Tomorrow i'm gonna put my ST springs on. that oughta really tighten it up too. i'm stoked.

 

by first generation, i don't mean 1st gen max, i mean the first strut bar that courtesy put out. oh yeah. also, i have it adjusted to as wide as i could get it and still get it on the bolts, then zipped her down with the air gun. should i keep it like that, adjust it to neutral, or try to tighten it so it pulls the struts together.

 

i posted this a couple of days ago with no response.......

my dad and i finally got around to doing this project. as you know there is a problem with fstb's fitting properly over the ve engine. the bar must be bent, and the ac hose must be bent out of the way as well. what we did was cut off part of the mounting bracket, and welded tabs onto these. but these tabs are higher, giving more clearance, and make it shorter, so the ac hose doesnt need to be touched. these pics were taken right after we finished, but i need to go back and do some metal filing and some painting.

 

another one....

 

see, that's why i was so excited to buy nevin's strut bar. it's one of the first ones that will fit a VE.

 

Very important that the bar is neutral and upper strut bolts are torqued at 30-40 ft-lbs.

Prewinding tension into it defeats the purpose of the bar itself.

 

thanks man, i noticed a difference even with it pretensioned. i'll adjust it tomorrow to neutral. might as well, i'll have the tools out puttin the springs on.

 

yeah i wish i woulda gotten one that is just made to fit, but the project wasnt too hard, and it was fun. the bar is pretty much non adjustable now too, which i like.