Sparco Strut Bar Install Probelms - 38.5in tower to tower?

[Teaguer]

Attempted to install my Sparco bar this morning.

Hahaha , noobs FTL . :D

I think in this case THIS quote needs to be uttered again . :D

[Bimmerista]

Ouch! :roll:

[JGood]

You can use the mallet AFTER the bar is lined up over the stud. If you broke the stud, you likely ruined the threads long before you did that, so even if it didn't break, you were fucked.

And the mallet is not a "good" option. I only used it because I was very pissed off and didn't give a shit, as I have several other vehicles to drive if I screw anything up.

[Bimmerista]

Of course....looking back, what I did wasn't a good idea (obviously)

You live & you learn when it comes to things like this. I normally advise with mechanically inclined people before I attempt to do work myself, I just never thought that installing that Sparco strut bar would be so trivial.

[Cory1970]

You can use the mallet AFTER the bar is lined up over the stud. If you broke the stud, you likely ruined the threads long before you did that, so even if it didn't break, you were fucked.

And the mallet is not a "good" option. I only used it because I was very pissed off and didn't give a shit, as I have several other vehicles to drive if I screw anything up.

.....what exactly is a "good" option?

[atomic]

Mine just dropped in like it was butter ...... I ordered the regular bar from IE

[nefarious7907]

I have been driving my E30 for over a year minus one stud on the passenger side, it stripped and I never cut the bolt/nut that is dangling there off and just stuck a nut and bolt in there. I dont think it hurts anything but it probably does add a little extra stress to the other two studs. Mine measures to be the short unibody if there is such a thing, but making my car sag .75 is a chunk I really dont think it possible to undo 200k miles.

[JGood]

.....what exactly is a "good" option?

well for starters, hands as opposed to hammers

[houstonh]

did you ever get this thing in? I would love to test fit in either of my cars to see if it fits "no problem" before I go searching for one.

Attempted to install my Sparco bar this morning.

I lifted the car from the center, waited approx 30 minutes, tried to install the bar, ended up using a rubber mallet to see if it'll help the case and I ended up breaking the guide pin that goes through the strut hat. :hitler:

Now I don't know if its safe to drive it like that until the pin I ordered from the dealer arrives.

[slowpoke6]

i tried to put on my bar tonight and i had the same thing happen. one of the guide pins fell out and onto the ground. i was told not to do any "spirited" driving with one of the pins missing, but it wouldnt be a problem around town.

[nefarious7907]

I still havent got my strut brace on :( , last time I tried to install my short brace and my shocks were 39.25" apart and my short brace does not fit. The bag is even labeled short but the brace wont even sit between the towers:(

[golde30]

bah, just work it in there you pansys... on my 2 e30's the bar was a tad too long, jacked up the car from the center and used some muscles.

[DCColegrove]

The top of the strut tower should be flat / level. From this image I can see that your strut towers are "bulged".

This happens when the insert seizes or you've had some hard landings (A little bent car syndrome).



I would knock the top flat (5lb sledge and a 2X4) and do a little cold bending on the brace to fit.

End the Myth: the specs are what they are, some variance is expected but there are not 2 different chassis specs.

[Bimmerista]

did you ever get this thing in? I would love to test fit in either of my cars to see if it fits "no problem" before I go searching for one.

Nope...I never managed to get it installed on my red car, but I did install it on my silver car and it fit perfectly.

I suppose my red car has the "bent e30" syndrome. :hitler:

[JGood]

bah, just work it in there you pansys... on my 2 e30's the bar was a tad too long, jacked up the car from the center and used some muscles.

It's not always that easy. On my 85 325e it was too wide, and took 4 hours over 2 days with 2 people, and the car was jacked up. When I put the same bar on my 87 325is, it was too skinny, but I was able to put it in by myself in about 10 minutes with the car on the ground. The strut tower measurements definitely vary from car to car.