So I got my bar with firewall braces in the mail today (missing a couple of the clevis joints which is another issue entirely) and I'm a bit disappointed with the fit.

The short version is that it just doesn't fit with the stock gsl-se airbox. It smacks right onto the driver side rear corner of the airbox (it also rubs the fuse box, but that can be bent out of the way). Has anyone used one of these bars on a -se with the stock airbox?

It looks like a may be able to drill another hole in the bracket the bring the bar a little further back.

Any advice would be helpful.

 

I too was a bit disappointed regarding the fit on the SE. Some kind of warning or something on the store page would have been nice.

I ended up removing the 3 bolts that hold the airbox to the brackets, unbolted the two rear-ward brackets, wiggled the airbox toward the ground, and managed to get the bar in without modification. I think rebolted the brackets back on the frame. Makes replacing the airfilter or getting at the coolant overflow bottle impossible without removing the bar though.

 

Drilled two holes and now it is far enough back that it misses the airbox and fuse box, but it is pushing down on the radiator hose. It also now interferes with the camber plates meaning I would need to cut off the rear of the bracket to adjust camber.

I may be able to add a washer or two to gain clearance, but then I'm worried about hitting the hood.

I'll try your method tomorrow, but yeah, certainly not impressed so far.

 

I think my way still presses down on the radiator hose though. Would need to actually check on the car....

 

Hey Guys,

We're sorry about the SE fitment. I have updated the website, and now it says to check fitment with a straight edge at the corresponding areas.

If the mounting ears from the hood latch piece is extended further out on both sides, would that help clear more things as suchs? If so what kind of added length would you guys estimate?

Sam

 

Could you take pics? I'd like to see how close it really is.

 

I'll take some pictures tonight and post pictures of both the bar as supplied and with the other holes I drilled.

I think with some tweaks it could certainly be a bolt-on affair for the -se but it isn't right now.

 

Ok here are the pics
Driverside mounting bracket, can’t be pushed all the way down.


Where is rubs on the fusible link box.


Where it rubs on the airbox on the passenger side. Bracket can't be laid flat on this side either.


It misses the radiator hose in this arrangement though

 

Here are the pics of it mounted with my drilled hole.
It now clears the fusible link box, but now interferes on both sides with the camber plate (doesn’t touch but bar must be removed to adjust camber)


It misses the airbox now


But pushes down on the upper radiator hose

 

would you be able to take an overall shot of the engine bay?

 

if you get too upset with it, you could maybe pack it in a box and send it to me? I don't have a SE, so it would bolt right in. I'll put it to good use!

 

Sure thing, I'll do that today after work

 

Here's the whole setup with my new hole drilled. It clears everything but the radiator hose, although I could probably fix that with some heat and a bench vice. I'm not sure how much more room I have until I hit the hood though so I'm not sure how much to bend it.

 

Today I trimmed the mounting bracket for the strut bar so that it matches the opening. I also removed the ac to clear the driverside fender wall brace.

To clear the passenger side firewall brace I relocated the charcoal canister one bolt down. Stock it is held in with two bolts, I removed one bolt the and bolted the remaining bolt into the lower wheel well hole and through the top hole of the bracket. This gave me enough clearance for the passenger side brace.

However I'm still waiting for two of the clevis joints, so no final pictures yet.

 

I'm looking at making an order for coilover bits with Billy in the next month and am thinking about one of these braces too - I don't suppose you'd mind giving me a measurement from the centre of your alternator pulley to the underside of the brace so I can figure out whether it'll clear my intercooler pipework?

Thanks in advance.

Heres what I'm up against...


PS...apologies for the threadjack....

 

Just wanted to see if you have received those part yet and had a chance to mount it?

 

the best thing to do and try to see if it will clear, is to lay a bar forward of the 2 strut mounting points about 3" forward, and 1" higher.

 

I have had no issues with fitment in my SE.





Here with a previous turbo:

 

Been out of town but they were waiting in the mail today. Should have everything mounted up later this week! Thanks!

 

Everything mounted up finally.

One recommendation to future installers, attach the firewall braces to the bracket that goes behind the hood latch FIRST. It's impossible to get the bolt through with the bracket bolted in.

Other than that, pretty painless after chopping up the bracket for the front bar.

 

any pics of the setup?

 

I'll snap a couple after work today.

 

Here's the overall view.



And here's a close-up view to show just how much material I had to remove to get the front bar to be even close to fitting.