Installed the OBX FSTB I got from sprinter91801 on eBay. I know some others have this FSTB and they keep showing up on eBay so more might have them in the future, so these questions might help them too.

There is a stock ring on the strut towers, should I leave these on under the FSTB mounting rings or remove them?

Pic of the stock ring on the strut tower

The FSTB fits well, but it seems to be angled incorrectly. The hood takes more force to close and opens with a hop, but the windshield washer lines work fine. Should I worry about it?

Pic of the FSTB angle

 

I think you can leave out the stock rings. The end plate of the FSTB is strong enough to replace that ring. And for the angle of the bar, I think you can adjust on how you want the bar to be tilted before you tighten those screw at the end of the bar right ?

 

My Max did not have those rings...
As far as the angle goes, if you notice, the bar is level with the floor. However, when standing in front of tha car looking in the engine bay, you cannot see the top of the bar because it seems to be tilted backwards. As bsetiawan said, just hold the bar at the preferred position, and tighten the nuts at each end of the bar.

Hotnicks
01 SE 5spd

 

get rid off the stock strut ring...
the angle seems right, just like mine
change the bolts that connects from the plate to the bar later if u can...those are really crppy bolts.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?threadid=115751

this is my OBX FSTB

 

Exact same FSTB I installed. Looks nice doesn't it? I think you were the one who inspired me to get the OBX. Maybe it was melteye.

Yours leans forward more than mine. I'll have to adjust it this evening.

 

yea.....I was looking for one for a while...I really want a stillen, but 200 is a bit pricey. so finally someone came out with something similar and I went straight for it. If I waited a few more days, I could go for the blue or red..It does look nice...I am really happy with it.

it is hard to say that if mine leans more forward than urs....but I can tell u that it looks right just like urs. keep it there.

have a good one

 

Heh, just got mine finally today (almost 2 month wait...dont ask)Its anodized blue...looks great but wish I had a polished one instead...oh well. It functional right?

To the hardware store to buy some shims....

 

silver works better on high speed cornering, but blue works better during drifting....trust me
hehehee

 

What about the red one???

 

Straight line drags only!

BYW guys, I did some testing...god forbid...And cant seem to get that "perfect" angle that wont interfer with the hood. All of you seem to have played with it but never stated which is the BEST way to get it to not interfer with anything.

 

It does NOT fit. Period. The pictures that Tanmann9 showed are correct. It is OVER the hood line by about 3/4" to a full 1". It will definately mess up your hood over time. I am having a local shop fix the brackets that mount on the strut tower as the piece that the horizontal bar attached to is to high. I tried many different angles from front to back and cannot get a good closure of the hood.

I just set it in the bracket w/o attaching the screws and measured the height. IF you bend the A/C bracket about 10-20 degrees (dont worry I checked and there is enough slack in the line to compensate), clearance all around is much better. Clearance over engine parts is excellent. So once I get my brackets done I will post pics as to how its REALLY supposed to look.

Those that own this, I would adjust it or you really risk damaging your hood over time. It will warp to the constant pressure of the FSTB.

 

are you serious? there are no definate ways to avoid hitting the hood???

 

It does seem to put a bit of pressure on the hood, but the windshield washer lines aren't being mashed or hindered in any way. Maybe we should check into getting carbon fiber hoods .

 

you aren't worried it might mess up your hood over time?

 

I am. The amount of pressure needed to close the hood after installation was WAY to much for me to accept.

I twisted it all the way to the front and all the way to the back. You will never get good clearance this way. The brackets on the struts are to tall where the bar is attached.

That is why I am not installing until I have the brackets adjusted. Yes, there is no definative way to keep it from hitting the hood with the materials given with the bar.

I will snap before and after pics to show what is going on.

 

Sure I'm worried about it. I'm also worried about my blood pressure and my high cholesterol, but I can't stop getting stressed out at work and I can't stop eating greasy foods

I feel some pressure closing the hood, but not so much that I'm that worried about it. I can see if you take hard turns a lot, that the pressure of the bar against the hood might be unsafe, but I really rarely do that. If someone comes up with a fix, I'll be happy. Otherwise I'll live with it until I get a carbon-fiber hood

 

How is a carbon fiber hood going to help you? If the bar is above the fender/hood line how is the carbon hood going to help you? Its not the support sparring or insulation that is the problem...it the fact that the bar itself is extended above that imaginary line. Unless you are having the hood custom made to have additional clearance?

 

Weren't some people able to successfully install the OBX FSTB without the bar pushing on the hood? I only purchased the OBX bar after reading several people installed it without any problems. I am thinking Maxi-Overdose was one who had no issues, but can't remember. I haven't had any time to install mine yet (also needed a torque wrench which I picked up a couple days ago). Any who had no issues please let us know. Thanks.

 

Yeah, good point...anyone....anyone...Bueller?....Bueller?

And by no issue we mean NO contact with the hood.

 

yeah i thought i remember seeing people putting down they had no problems with their strut bars. Anyone who didn't have problems with their OBX strut bars please respond.

 

I was just being glib about it. I'd like a fix for this problem too.

But to answer your question, the carbon fiber hood would be less prone to warping due to the pressure from the FSTB.

 

that's a good enough excuse for me to get a carbon fiber hood.

 

DOH! Missed the sarcasm in that one...sorry.

I have it fixed. You cant really change the holes on the mounting bracket as it will interfere with the bolt on the strut tower. Hmmmm.

So what he did was drill a hole lower in the bracket on both side, cut a piece of steel ingot to use as a "screw" and then weldes all around it. Cost me $40 to fix it. I will watch for fracturing of the weld and post back on the durability of the whole thing.

 

Pictures! And where did you get this done, in case we have to do the same thing. What annoys me is that we paid $70-80 for the bar, now we have to pay another $40 to get it to fit correctly.

 

I will get pics, but really you cant see the install per say. He sanded it down and shot it with the black primer so it looks the same from the outside. BUT it will show the position of the bar in relation to the existing hole. Basically I just put the screw above it for the time being until I decide whether or not to cut the extra off. I am goin to clean up the weld area to make it look less ghetto so it will look perfect!

Look at it this way total cost was 110-120 bucks, looks different, is still completely functional and you still did not pay $tealin 180+ for theirs!

 

I will post some pictures of mine tonight for ur reference.

 

Didn't you already post pics? I thought someone had and it was not as pronounced as mine but still pretty bad.

 

ok....u got me worried and I checked it again myself. only the front corner of the bar goes over the line....but back seems ok. I looked from the fender and I will provide a picture later on tonight.

about amount of force u need to close the hood. I lifted it up for a foot or so and I dropped it, it closed. It was just like before I installed it and it doesnt seem to me that addition pressure is required to close the hood. How much is way too much in ur case?