I did a search and didn't find anyone with similar experiences, so I am praying for help from you guys.

I tried to install the Comtpech Titanium Strut Bar this weekend. Except when I got the stock bar off and tried to put the new one on, it wouldn't fit. No matter how much I twisted it, how much I jiggled it, how much I pushed on it, or how hard I hit it with a hammer it wouldn't go on. The closest I could get it was where one side was barely bolted on, and the other side was about 1/4" too long.

The bolts just wouldn't line up with the holes. It looked like the bar would fit if it were all the way on, but since the bolts are angled inwards, it seems impossible to get it over the top of the bolts.

So is there something I'm doing wrong? Is there a trick to this? Should I pay a professional to install it (I really don't want to do this)? Or is there something wrong with my car?

Thanks!

 

Maybe it's an issue with the bar itself? Contact Comptech.

 

Yeah hopefully it's just an issue with the bar's production. It would really suck if you found out that the car had previously been damaged and frame not put back to spec...

Are you the first owner? Has the car been any major accidents?

 

Every top strut bar does that. You really have to push or hit it in with a rubber mallet. When I installed my bar, my friend took a 36" rubber mallet to the top and it popped right in. Just like you, it was off by 1/4"

 

My C-Tech strut bar went on without any hassles - wondering if the shock tower distances on your ride are within spec. Other than that, perhaps the bar is off spec.

 

+1

 

It takes two people to install it.

 

jack the car a little to unload the suspension, the strut bar should bolt right on. thats what i did with my cusco

 

I hope you guys are kidding when you say to hit it with a hammer. is NOT the answer. Jack the car up and take the tension off the strut towers and the strut bar will fit perfect. If your strut bar went on perfectly with all the load on the strut towers and suspension how would it really do its job? It needs to fit in their stiffly to do its job properly so jack up the car until the wheels are off the ground and it will fit.

 

That's how I did it with my Accord.

 

I jacked up the car until the wheels were off the ground.... no dice. There was no change in how much it was off.

It might help if I had a second person or a rubber mallet. and I bought it on the black market (juniorbean), not straight from comptech.

 

Also, would a dealer be able to tell me if the specs on my car were out of whack?

 

Jack up only 1 side. The neuspeed bar sometimes needs this done to get it to bolt up.

 

when I installed my Neuspeed bar, I had to jack up one side. Then I stuck the bar on one side then moved to the other side and had to pull down with all my weight/strength to get it over the bolts

 

But the bar is too long, not too short. IOW, the bolts are off to the inside of the holes.

 

It's ok to hit it with a rubber mallet. My Neuspeed bar was off by 1/4". Just two whacks and it popped into place.

 

When I first got my bar I opened my hood and layed the bar across the car and it appeared to be too long. As many have said its not something thats just gonna drop into place. If you still feel its a defective part just call comptech and see what they say. Its a toll free number

 

A couple of years ago, when I had the CT strutbar installed at an Acura dealership, the tech ran into a problem with the bar did not fitting (too long). CT sent them a new bar; problem solved.

 

Will comptech exchange the bar without a receipt? I bought it from juniorbean on the black market.