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Racingline FSTB Install

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Old Jul 1, 2007 | 06:25 AM
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Racingline FSTB Install

Well guys this time all is good!! I finally was able to meet with my test cars yesterday and it fits!!!! There were minor issues but nothing that we need a new sample for. So first thing tuesday morning ( monday is a holiday up here) I'll be on the phone firming things up and getting the orders rolling.

I'll be sending everybody out emails by mid week confirming order information.
Thanks for the trust and patience guys. You've all been great

Old Oct 5, 2007 | 07:13 PM
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fastmax05-for sure, I definitely understand that

chern-I did your method and

taz- For those thinking of whether they should put the sticker on or not, I say DO IT...it looks a holly **** amount cooler! I am also about to go on an hour drive and an hour drive back + probably more driving for the night, so I should get a good feel for it.

I may be paranoid as usual, but can the bar cause "noise" to come from the front, or not? I think my front struts are about to blow soon, and I'm not sure if the FSTB may have added to the noise.

Here are some pictures.





The thing bent really easily with some pliers and no zip-ties needed IMO because it will stay where ever you bend it to.
Old Oct 5, 2007 | 07:16 PM
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__________________________________________________ ___________________

Now for the plastic pieces...

The left one turned out super because it needed minimal cutting and it looks "OEM"


Just compare my cut piece to your "stock" piece and go from there


Itsa naice!
Old Oct 5, 2007 | 07:19 PM
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The right one was a little ***** and it kind of looks like **** because I cut too much off on the top part, but oh well.


That's what you want to do on the side part and it turned out very well.


That is what you have to do on the top part, but instead of making the cut so thick, you can almost cut it in half because it doesn't have to be so ****ty looking!


That's how it looks, but oh well

Maybe taz has better tips on the right one, so maybe I can get another one and re-do the cuts!

k, time for the road-test!
Old Oct 7, 2007 | 05:08 AM
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in terms of the AC line........ like i said in the previous post of 6 cars tested on the line was in a lightly differnt spot each time. But not of the test car required bending the line, 1 we removed the rubber bushing under the line and hard mounted the bracket to the body, just like on the 07's and the altimas. the other was on a 07, for that we just bent the bracket ever so slightly, and that was only for ease of mind as it was really close to touching but was still clear. Nobody will have warranty issues.
Old Oct 7, 2007 | 03:14 PM
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alright guys.

all the ones that have supported taz, great job because support is what's needed in projects/home-based businesses.

be happy he's working so hard to get everything together, yes it's taking time and i understand it could get frustrating but let me tell you something - when you workout, do you see results right away? no cause it takes time, when you see sony has announced their new launch of playstation 3 and offers a pre-introductory price, how many of u jump the gun and put ur money down? but when does it come out? in TIME. so that's what i'm talking about, he might not be sony but every business has it's start and nothing happens overnight.


i can vouch for him and say that he's very nice, extremely knowledgeable, hardworking guy to being do business with. those people that are getting mad for not getting their strut bars yet, just wait a little bit. he's a family man and it takes some time. he really does try his best for us to enjoy the benefits.

just sit back, relax and you'll see that he's going to be launching more products in the future but if we don't support him, who will? if he's willing to put out his time and money for us, shouldn't we cut him some slack and let the man do his thing.

with all respect taz, take your time - just make sure whatever you come out with is a quality product like the strut bars, they might have taken time but they did come out with perfection.

the teaser production piece you see of the strut bar is on my 07. yesterday, i spent all day with taz and he's putting something else together that will be coming in a few months but let me tell you one thing, you'll love it. for the amount of hard work he put in, it's definitely worth it. just wait on and you'll see what i mean, i'm not sure if he wants me to tell you guys yet so i'll let him takecare of that.

now to the people with ' clearance issues ' - just do as taz said, we took a hammer and slightly hit the a/c line so it bends down a little bit to give us more clearance, it wasn't touching the strut bar but it was close. so now i have no clearance issues whatsoever.

personal strut bar review - ok, first of all, the company that manufactured it didn't install it properly but i wasn't aware of this so yesterday when i went to taz's house, he checked it out and installed it properly as two bolts weren't tight and quite loose. anyway, now that all's fixed up - i can tell you that i could feel a difference RIGHT AWAY - trust me, my car felt 10x more stable when turning/cornering, i absolutely love it, it's so much more stable now, IT WORKS GUYS ! it's my first car where i'm experiencing a strut bar, no noise issues, no rubbing none whatsoever and for the price compared to stillen it's unbeatable, it looks sick too.

so if you guys haven't ordered it yet, do so now, it's one hell of a product, trust me - i felt the difference - i took some pretty hard turns to test it out yesterday and omg, it feels amazing - let's leave it at that for now :P

Good Luck !

P.S: i haven't put on the sticker yet but yes it does come with a Racing Line sticker, with that on - you have one hell of a product.
Old Oct 14, 2007 | 05:24 PM
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Just got this email:

To add more drama to the racingline strut bar the shipments were flagged at customs. They went out in 3 waves, 10 were sent direct to customers ( recieved), then 2 loads of approx 42 each were sent as a consolidation order through ups ( meaning they went on skids to buffalo to be redispersed by ups USA) the first skid apparently had something wrong with the paper work and customs would not clear it, this caused a delay for the second skid. But the second skid has cleared and has been processed and dispersed to all of you, most of them set to arrive on tuesday! For orders that were hled up on the first skid, I have processed replacement bars to be shipped direct to you. It was easier then going through all the individual waybills on the consolidation order. The first skid is now being returned to me and will simply replace the stock I used to resend the bars to you. EVERYBODY with a few exceptions ( HI, PR, Alaska people, and perhaps the odd CA resident) will be recieving them This week 100%. Custom color people should start to recieve their bars late this week and early next.

Thank you again to all who participated in this project. It took alot longer then expected and it really means alot to me that the large majority of you were nothing but respectful, patient, and supportive. For that I will allow you the choice of either 20% off your next order ( sale items included), OR a free battery tie down once they are ready ( shipping extra). They are not ready yet and will be a little while as the project was shelved in favour of getting the front endlnks ready first, but they are now in sampling. To take advantage of these offers simply complete your online purchase at any time and include a note or seperate email indicating your wish. I will cross reference your name from the preorder list and issue the appropriate refund. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.
Thanks,

Joe
www.racinglineperformance.com
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 02:17 PM
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Mine is now installed. The 9/16 socket fit a lot more snug on the bolts than the 14 metric socket. I used that and a 2 foot steel pipe slipped over my ratchet to get the 3 stubborn bolts off. I used a 9/16 wrench to tighten the bolts closest to the engine, since the FSTB ended up getting in the way of tightening those 2 bolts. I ended up removing the rubber bushing around the A/C bracket, bending the bracket lower, twisting the A/C cap a tad, and finally taking out the white clip and replacing it with a zip tie. Everything now has plenty of clearance. Using a zip tie instead of the white plastic wasn't really necessary for clearing the FTSB, but it gave it so much extra clearance that I feel more comfortable with my install. Now I just got to hope that the plastic zip tie doesn't melt or snap...
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by philoforlife
Guess what came today???
Originally Posted by NVRSATISFYD
So lets see some pics people??? I've got another week or so to wait for mine
The FSTB finally arrived. here's some pics, adds a little bling under the hood









Old Oct 16, 2007 | 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Hilbe
Looking at yours makes me realize just how close mine is with spacers. Its a real close fit
Try bending the AC lines [they bend easy] & bracket toward the engine & down
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 06:49 PM
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Unbelievable.

Trekked to the 'rents house and installed it. I could tell immediately upon driving down the road the immense difference. Seriously. I have complete stock suspension and this is the first modification to the suspension I've done. It is 900% better than before. I was taking turns with confidence and the car was handling like a sports car (finally). The bar is so good that I can feel the back end's weakness (which, when my v2 endlinks come in a couple days, will be rectified.

I even let Onilee (my wife) drive the car when we got home and she could tell immediately. In her words "I'm not scared to drive it now" (in reference to the floating around corners).

All I have to say is PHENOMENAL. Thank you Mr. Taz!

Sincerely,

Joshua
A Happy Customer
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 08:54 PM
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Originally Posted by !PrjctMax!
machinist- how the hell did the right strut cover go back on without having to be cut like mine?

let me know what you did because I don't really like seeing that hacked up POS whenever I pop open my hood!

dan
I made 2 vertical cuts 1 3/4" wide [a little wider than the FSTB] and stopped at the top edge, the cover may be touching the top of the FSTB bracket but I was able to button it up
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 09:35 PM
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Originally Posted by !PrjctMax!
ya, I wanted it to be level so I hacked it all up and made it look like ****! Ima get a new one and just do what I was doing in the first place like you.
I think you could stop the vertical cuts about 3/16" to 1/4" before the top edge for a better looking install on that side [look at my photo again]
Old Oct 17, 2007 | 08:54 AM
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Originally Posted by xoomer.com
What did you use to trim the covers? Look clean.
Vertical cuts were made with a Wiss sheet metal shears, cut at the top edge with a multi-purpose snap off blade razor. Do you need a hand with yours?
Old Oct 17, 2007 | 12:10 PM
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Let's keep it a clean thread
Old Oct 17, 2007 | 03:06 PM
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One thing I noticed today after my wife drove it home was the FSTB seems to be absorbing a lot of heat. Sucker was hot as heck after her driving it. I was going to shake it to make sure it was still on solid...changed my mind quickly
Old Oct 17, 2007 | 03:11 PM
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Hahah ... come on man dont touch ANYTHING in the engine bay after driving around :P...

its right above the manifold man :P ahahahah

Silly guy
Old Oct 17, 2007 | 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Hilbe
One thing I noticed today after my wife drove it home was the FSTB seems to be absorbing a lot of heat. Sucker was hot as heck after her driving it. I was going to shake it to make sure it was still on solid...changed my mind quickly
I noticed that as well. And that was at the install itself. The car had been sitting for about 30 minutes. It conducted all of the heat from the engine bay.

It performs amazingly.

Joshua
Old Oct 17, 2007 | 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Machinist
The FSTB finally arrived. here's some pics, adds a little bling under the hood









That is the sweetest FSTB install I've seen yet man. Project I jacked up my right cover a bit like yours. I plan to get a new one then cut it patiently like Machinest did. Great stuff guys, keep the pics coming!
Old Oct 17, 2007 | 09:01 PM
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^ ^ ^ Thanks for the compliment Mack
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 04:55 AM
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I have my trigger finger on the order button right now but I am still worried about bending the A/C line.. SOMEONE HELP ME AND PUT ME OVER THE EDGE.
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 05:35 AM
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And......... unlike the STEALIN ONE, this one doesnt rub the hood.

Deuski and RHmax can confirm this as they both have rub marks on the hood from the Stillen version.

Plus if you have a manual, there is a bracket for this one to re-locate the clutch reservoir.

Kamski
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 05:38 AM
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Ok ok....

Call me what you will.... But I should be able to use REGULAR hand tools to install this? No need for air tools? Couldn't find instructions... ALSO, do I tighten the bolts that connect the bar to the bracket?
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 05:43 AM
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Originally Posted by kamilkluczewski
And......... unlike the STEALIN ONE, this one doesnt rub the hood.

Deuski and RHmax can confirm this as they both have rub marks on the hood from the Stillen version.

Plus if you have a manual, there is a bracket for this one to re-locate the clutch reservoir.

Kamski
I have slight marks on mine from the stillen unit also.
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 05:46 AM
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yes once everything is in place tighten everything down nice and snug. Hand tools are fine. Given how simple it is, it would probably take longer with air tools cause of the set up/ clean up involved.
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 06:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Omarvelous
Ok ok....

Call me what you will.... But I should be able to use REGULAR hand tools to install this? No need for air tools? Couldn't find instructions... ALSO, do I tighten the bolts that connect the bar to the bracket?
Scroll up a few posts on this thread. I posted the tools I used to do mine. I did mine completely by hand. The metal pipe was required to get my bolts off though...
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 08:05 AM
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Originally Posted by ecksy
I have my trigger finger on the order button right now but I am still worried about bending the A/C line.. SOMEONE HELP ME AND PUT ME OVER THE EDGE.
The AC lines & bracket are very easy to bend, they really don't have to be bent much, less than a 1/2", go ahead order [are you in NY? see post #29]

Last edited by Machinist; Oct 18, 2007 at 08:18 AM.
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 08:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Omarvelous
Ok ok....

Call me what you will.... But I should be able to use REGULAR hand tools to install this? No need for air tools? Couldn't find instructions... ALSO, do I tighten the bolts that connect the bar to the bracket?
Yes REGULAR hand tools -a 3/8" drive ratchet, 14mm socket, a short extension if you have one, a 8mm Allen wrench [can use a vise grips or channelock pliers to hold the Allen bolt while tightening the nut] the last step is to tighten the bolts that connect the bar to the bracket

Last edited by Machinist; Oct 18, 2007 at 08:47 AM.
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 08:14 AM
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Any members in the LI, NY area, I will install this FSTB no charge I'm retired so I have lots of free time
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Machinist
Any members in the LI, NY area, I will install this FSTB no charge I'm retired so I have lots of free time
d00d, you at least gotta' charge em' some beer!
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by !PrjctMax!
d00d, you at least gotta' charge em' some beer!
No charge, but bribes are accepted
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 01:44 PM
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Pm'ing taz today to order my black brace



machinist ill be nY on sat ... going to 49er giants sunday... GOOO 9ers
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 02:57 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Fastmax05
Pm'ing taz today to order my black brace



machinist ill be nY on sat ... going to 49er giants sunday... GOOO 9ers
Have a great time, enjoy the game
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 05:07 PM
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Old Oct 18, 2007 | 06:16 PM
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SHAWEEEET!!!
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 06:24 PM
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What were you thinking. I have done like 8 of these, you should of asked me young butcher...

Machinist is an excellent example for all to follow!!!


Originally Posted by !PrjctMax!
The right one was a little ***** and it kind of looks like **** because I cut too much off on the top part, but oh well.


That's what you want to do on the side part and it turned out very well.


That is what you have to do on the top part, but instead of making the cut so thick, you can almost cut it in half because it doesn't have to be so ****ty looking!


That's how it looks, but oh well

Maybe taz has better tips on the right one, so maybe I can get another one and re-do the cuts!

k, time for the road-test!

Last edited by chernmax; Oct 18, 2007 at 06:27 PM.
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 08:37 PM
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Originally Posted by chernmax


What were you thinking. I have done like 8 of these, you should of asked me young butcher...

Machinist is an excellent example for all to follow!!!
lol

I wanted it to be on evenly, so I cut it down like that
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 09:16 PM
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instock RIGHT NOW ready to ship is

polished- 6
black - 4

more will be instock once I get the skid from ups back in a week or so.
Old Oct 18, 2007 | 09:29 PM
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Originally Posted by philoforlife


wow this pic just inspired me to get the black one for sure... VERY NICE...

but please wipe down your engine bay...
Old Oct 19, 2007 | 07:08 AM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by Fastmax05
wow this pic just inspired me to get the black one for sure... VERY NICE...

but please wipe down your engine bay...
I drive her a lot more than I take her to auto shows. Well, I never take her to shows. But I do drive her.

But your right. I need to give her a wipe down.

Joshua



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