i got this front strut bar off of ebay. its the one that looks like a universal strut bar. it was like $25 including shipping. my problem is that when i installed it, it rubs against the alternator and i couldn't get the bar to screw in level. this strut bar goes directly from strut to strut offseted a little forward. Is there a shorter alt belt that i can use so that the alt is lower than the strut bar. it's an 89 gtu n/a btw. thanks in advance for your help guys.

 

I had the exact same issue with a megan racing bar off ebay, just grind down the bar above the alternator. You might also wanna make sure its not touching the rad cap, it used to pop mine off after some driving.

NM< i just saw youhad an s5, no rad cap problem for you.

 

I was really surprised that my JIC bar clears everything... by about 3cm. As stated earlier, you'll just have to grind it down, or be stupid like me and buy a $200 strut bar.

 

will that compromise the integrity of the bar?? i also am afraid the alt will get damaged. do you think napa or shucks might have a shorter alt belt with the same teeth measurements??

 

Even if they did offer a shorter belt (which I doubt they do), it would probably be smarter to "compromise" the integrity of the $25 strut bar. Keep in mind, that if you damage the bar, it's only a $25 replacement. If you damage the alternator, all hell could, in theory, break loose.

 

first of all i dont think it will really comprimize anything, its Aluminum which doesnt really bend all that much and its not under such extreme stress that itll snap.
2nd of all its cheap and you got it on ebay, just do what you have to do

and finally, your not really gonna damage your alternator as much as your engine. Let me tell you what happened in my experience.

The bar will touch the top of the alt and while driving the vibrations, bumps ect will continuously tap it until it starts to loosen and lower itself. This will cause your belt to get loose and your water pump to start slipping. If you dont hear and realize this IMMEDIATELY you could have an overheated engine on your hands.

IN short, just grind it.

 

Exactly. Save the engine at the expense of a $25 strut bar.

 

probably just adjusted wrong. Most of those Ebay bars just need adjusting to fit in properly

Put a pencil or pen between the bar and the top of the alt- then tighten the bar down. The quarter inch space will be more than enough. Let the end screws on the actual bar out a little if you have to to get the extra clearance, and remember the bar should be parrallel to the hood (when the hood is closed) and not to the engine.

 

just make sure (i don't know what you run for motor mounts) that you rec it up a few times with the hood open and watch the motor....those factory mounts are very loosey goosey

as long as it doesnt dance all over your strut bar under load, you'll be fine

 

i also heard that to make the cheaper bars fit better, you need to jack the front of the car off the ground and install it that way?


anyone else heard that?

 

I've heard that of the top-end bars. Someone told me I was going to have to do that with my JIC bar... didn't have to, but oh well.

 

This is kind of off topic, but before I noticed my ebay strut bar was touching my alt, the alt melted part of the bottom of the bar. When I repositioned it there was aluminum on the top of the alt and there was a little divit in the bar. Must have got damn hot.

 

Buy Cusco struts. $150.

 

in order to get the right kind of performance from any strut bar free the suspention and put it on and tighten it up. then you should align the car on a rack. i bought a front and rear strut bar off ebay and well with the TII and a tmic my front strut bar fit perfect. i havn't put the rear one on because i have to cut the speaker towers to do that. but the price for both was like $45 for both.

 

that is from a harder surface rubbing against a softer surface.

It has nothing to do with heat and melting.

 

and those bars are gorgeous!

 

Thanks for the clarification.

 

I have the same bar with the same problem you can goto pepboys or what ever and get a little bit shorter belt. My bar just melted from the alt temps now theres clearance.