Just tried to install a strut bar I bought off ebay for 25 dollars. The bar itself felt sturdy and strong, but the bracket that fit over the left strut tower wasn't the right size. It was just slightly off and it wouldn't go down into the bolts.

Any tips? I think I'm just gonna ask them to send me another one.

 

you could always try and grind out the holes a little bigger and see what happens. but depending on how far its off, that might make the strut bar more likely to move around. i would suggest returning it and picking up an addco or otto racing FSTB, cheap and made to fit. of course, im speaking about a 5th/5.5 gen cuz thats what i have, not sure what you have.

 

did you park your car on a level surface before installation? if not, then that might be the problem. i have the ebay strut bar also and it fits perfect.

 

i have an spw ebay bar too, it didnt fit too good like how you are describing, but then i realized i hadta remove the nuts that were there first before it went down all the way. :x

 

Hehe, I removed the nuts first

The holes are just a weee bit too close together, but I don't really have the tools to widen the holes.

I've emailed the seller, but the bastard hasn't responded yet.

 

Which one did you buy from ebay? Me and some mates are shipping 3 back to New Zealand.. hate to findout they don't fit too good

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...ADME:B:EF:US:1

 

That's the one. Hopefully, mine was just an isolated incident.

 

Please keep us updated, hopefully its just a minor thing

 

They've emailed me back and told me to take pictures of how it doesn't fit. I'll send them the pics in the morning...

 

Hey nosispower, I'm the guy killer is talking about. Hopefully your one is just a 1 off. By the way, which guy did you get it the bar from, drivingGear or delubozparts?

 

Can you post links to pictures (villagephotos.com can host) or mail me ?

 

See how the bar won't go down? The holes are too close apart.

I got it from "autobacs1". There's a million people selling these things.

 

Is it just the left hand side or both sides? If just that side, I can get my friend down here to fix that problem. Doesn't look too bad to get corrected.

 

Did you try flipping it around? Mine fit perfectly, but at first it was exactly like that, until I realized it fit better when i flipped the strut bar around 180degrees.

 

Try a hammer, those are hardened bolts. It shouldnt hurt'em

 

Yeah, no need to be soft about this, sometimes you just cant be afraid of messing something up and you just have to use force.

 

Are...you guys serious? It feels wrong taking a hammer to my strut mounts...the brackets don't seem too weak themselves.

BTW, it was just the right mount.

 

The autobacs guys keep sending me emails with no promise to send me a new one. I'm just going to go to Home Depot tommorow and ask if they can widen the holes a little for me.

 

why not use a drill?

 

Just get the holes widen abit, sure it wont hurt. I think I will order mine now.

 

Used a round file and widened the holes a wee bit. Bar fits good now.

Honestly, I dunno if I'd say I felt a HUGE difference in the handling. Maybe it's a little more responsive...

 

You don't have to widen those holes...I just installed a 5th gen fstb in my car and it fit like that too. Just unbolt the actual bar from the mounts and get the strut nuts started, then reconnect the bar. I think the bar is supposed to be tight like that, it made my steering much tighter and way better handling on an already modified suspension (in the sig).

 

Mine was kinda tight, I had to tap it down with a hammer.

 

i got the autobacs1 fstb and it fits fine.