I just got my FSTB and the driver's side plate does not clear the welded bracket! Before buying it, I read previous threads about hacksawing the bracket and I didn't want to do that. But recently, some have said the bar bolts in WITHOUT CUTTING so I ordered it. Even the Courtesy web site does not mention anthing about "adjusting" a bracket to fit. Did I get an older version or what?

Starting to get pissed.

What is interfering? The metal o-rings around on top of the strut towers? They are safe to remove, the FSTB does their job.

I guess its not being very courteous to you, is it?...LOL

DAMN, I'm going to bed now...one bad joke is enough for me.

There's a metal bracket that's welded to the strut tower. The air cleaner housing is mounted to it.

If thats what is in the way then it sounds like you got sent a 4th gen FSTB. It doesn't take much of a hack for it to fit and the air box bracket hides it. But if you don't wanna do it, send it back.

I'm more calm now. I'll call Courtesy tomorrow. I just wanted to know if a "bolt in bar" truly existed. It sounded like some guys actually did install one without cutting.

With stillen's you wouldn't have had this mess at all. The Courtesy bars look the same without careful inspection. I personally just hacked mine.

I called Brian at Courtesy and this is what he told me. The problem is that some Maximas come with the welded air box bracket and some don't. If you own one with a weld, you will have to cut part of the bracket. If there is no bracket, the bar will bolt right in. Fortunately, he said if I wanted to return it they would pick it up without any cost to me and credit my account.

To hack or not to hack. That is the question.

Do you have a picture of what you are referring to? I removed the black metal spacers things which were on the car, and slapped on the Courtesy bar. I had to angle it slightly to get it into place, but no cutting.

GET A STILLEN!! thats what im doing... looks 2000000 times better, its a little bit more money but fits perfect... contact got rice? on the board or at grracing.com and he can hook u up with a good price! im gonna do that real soon

Okay, thats a load of crap. Their new bars we supposed to require NO cutting whatsoever... I saw no disclaimer at all. Like I said... hacking really won't show from under your air box bracket and that way you don't have to pay to ship it back. Stillen's will fit with no cutting and looks better but I just couldn't justify the price.

Stablizer Bar
 

Unless they modified their bar, you will ahve to cut about 1/4 or 1/3 in of that bracket off. I bought mine last year and had to do the same thing. Stillen has their bar modified to fit around that bracket but not Courtesy.

Re: Stablizer Bar
 

Courtesy posted recently that they had a modified bar that now fits. They charge more for it too.

PKO
 

i got a 2001 fstb from courtesy, and didnt' have to cut nothing, although the bar did go over the welded bracket for around 1 or 2 mm. and i did have to push down the sensor. No hacking.
peace
p.s. just out of curiosity, what is PKO stand for?

Well, I was looking at the Courtesy bar all morning and decided to install it. I would be saving money plus I was anxious to get one in. There is a bracket welded to the strut tower that holds the air box on. On my car, the corner of the bracket interferes with the red Courtesy mounting ring. All I had to do was grind the corner down 1/4" and it fit. I didn't have to hack off part of the bracket as I've seen in others' pictures. Maybe my bracket was welded on crooked?

PKO = Patrick K. Ohara, my name