looks like I am shy about .150 or so of having this bar fit. I guess the easiest thing would be to mill the holes in the two side mounts out and make them slotted(?) Meaning the 2 holes in each of the side mounts. Just to get some leeway.....
Any other suggestions?

 

A CYM bar in a MB FD? Ew. So the bar isnt hitting anything its just "to long" to fit right correct? I dont have a strut bar but Id have to say dont mill anything, but try and lift the car off its front wheels then putting it on, if you give the bar a little weelay I would think your defeating the whole purpose?

 

Put the bolts through the end plates (not tightened) before installing the full assembly onto the shock towers.

David

 

It really looks pretty cool, as I have other subtle yellow accents in the engine bay (crossmember, pulleys, etc.). Or at least I like it, and that is all that matters...lol!

I did try lifting the car, and it didn't flex enough to allow the bar to fit.

 

I also installed an R1 strut bar in a touring model and I had no problems with fitment. Clearance was another issue as my carbon fiber hood had to be slightly cut in order to allow the strut bar to remain.

 

As said above, put the bolts through the holes that you have pictured before installing the end plates onto the strut tower. It will fit fine, dont drill anything.

 

Just force it. Its supposed to hold the towers apart a certain distance, and yours are not at that distance. So just make them be. I dont know, stick a prybar in one end of the whole and pry it till it lines up, then stick the bolt in the other end.

 

The other end of the bar may be adjustable.

 

Tried that FIRST thing. Still not quite the 'spacing' to get it to bolt up, the strut tower bolts weren't even close to the holes.

 

Try this. Leave both on the bolts that connect the end pieces loose (so the ends can hinge). Slide the end piece over the strut bolts on the passenger side. Now bring the bar down and try installing the other side. You will (should) be able to play with the angle enough to get the bolts up through the holes. Its a factory bar.. it will fit

 

Just looked at the pic in your other thread. Not adjustable!!

I would slot the two holes on one of the end plates, where it bolts to the bar. Just take a grinder (or file or dremmel), and make the hole a little longer until it fits. Once the bolts are in, they will cover the part you slotted, so it won't be visible.

BTW, R1 bars are adjustable. Looks like you have an R2 bar, or later model.

 

I just don't know about 'forcing' this guys. I know the car's alignment is perfect, I had it done when I put my new tires on. I manage a machine shop and have been a machinist myself for nearly 30 years and have Bridgeport machines as well as CNC machines at my disposal, so milling a couple of holes into slots is no big deal. This is not an adjustable bar, I really think there are just some subtle differences in the bar and in my car that aren't quite "perfect". After all, a few things can change in 93,000 miles.......

 

Its your car and and if you want to drill slorts, thats perfectly fine. IMO though, a small amount of force to get the bar to seat isnt going to hurt anything. Youre maybe 2-3mm off at best, and the bar pushing on top of the stuts slightly isnt going to change your suspension geometry or alignment settings. Even on a Macpherson strut car I wouldnt worry, but especially not on our setups.

 

It should be a tight/perfect fit. I think drilling anything bigger is going to put new clearence in the bar that allows it to push around when compressed or upon rebound. My train of thought is that any play in a strut tower brace, or any brace, reduces its effectivness.

 

I think the easiest way WOULD be to slot holes, but not the holes that connect to the bar. If you need to slot for fitment, I'd slot the ones that mount to the strut tower, get a lock washer for each, and that way you won't have play when the bar acts on the brace. It would be the equivalent of "moving" the holes, but gives you more adjustability.

If you open the hole where it meets the bar, then you would probably introduce more "slop" into it when the bar put forces on the brackets. Just my .02. Good luck.

 

Yes, I agree. I was planning on slightly slotting/elongating the two holes in each of the mounting plates. I've scribed them off and it looks like it will only take about .060, or about a 1/16th of an inch, to do it.

In the mean time, I've rejacked the car back up by the center front crossmember and am re-evaluating the situation. It IS much closer this way. I just didn't want to damage the side of the strut tower bolts by forcing these mounting plates down alongside them, you know?

 

If you are that concerned about forcing the end plates over the stuts bolts in fear of damaging the threads, then leave the bar as you have it pictured above. Put a screwdriver 1/2way through the hole and pry the bar straight, and then put a bolt in from the other end.

 

Success! After the car dangled on the front crossmember a while I was able to pretty much just bolt things up. Thanks for all the advice, it was nice to not have to mill on anything.

 

If you slot the holes you are changing the strut tower distance. The chassis over the years without a strut bar has just taken a "set" with the towers closer together. To put it back where its supposed to be you need to pry the towers apart. You will be putting the front end geometry back where it was from the factory.

Nice before I could submit my post I guess you got it in. Nice

 

It appears you've experienced some chassis flex. More than the usual amount that would be in a brand new FD? Is this the amount of chassis flex you get in an FD after 93,000 miles? I can't say. I'd be interested to know if you feel any difference in the handling or an improvement in the precision of the steering. Is the difference so subtle you're having a hard time distinguishing between the before and after feels?

I'm glad you didn't have to enlarge any holes. I think that would have defeated the purpose.

 

The holes in the strut mounts on my R1 bar are large enough to allow a little bit of play and the drivers side end is adjustable. One of the holes on each end is actually eliptical. Glad you got it to fit, now go enjoy it. I notice a huge difference in cornering ability when mine is on.

 

Glad you got in on there. The way to do this is NOT to install the two ends first. I have to take mine off all the time to work on stuff. You only have to take ONE side off to get it out of the way once it's on the car. It will hinge up and out of the way.

To install it do this:
Install both ends on the bar
bolt one side to the car.
swing the bar down towards the other side.
If the three holes do not line up you can lift the bar slightly and hinge the end down towards the car some and get it onto the first bolt then just press down on the bar and it will go over the bolts on the strut tower.
remember the fit is supposed to be tight however this has worked on every car I've had to install the bar on (enen touring)

 

Definitely slot the tower mounting holes. Once you tighten them they are not going to have any slop in them, nor will the enlarged holes be visible.

After buying a couple of bars and found them not to fit my hood to IC pipe clearances, I went ahead an welded up a special strout bar. I also had to slot the mounting holes to make it an easy fit without having to bear wrestle it on an off. Works great, never see the oval slots holes.

Albert

 

NO! NO!!! You DO NOT have to do that on a stock bar with hinged ends. DO NOT slot the holes.

 

Mine has a large nut on the driver's side to adjust bar length and/or tension. I see that yours does not. There may be enough flex in the front to jack up one side or another so the towers spread slightly to then allow the bolt to slide in.
I can't imagine having to butcher a factory part to make it work.