[ClarkSJ]

Currently on sale for $99. Saw the thread on the GB done here earlier this year. After a few months, does anyone have any opinions one way or the other on its effectiveness?

 

[crew217]

Def worth it. I can get you a pic of a lowered B5 A4 whose firewall broke because it didn't have a strut bar.

Dave

 

[glyphin]

Yes it's effective. Good price. Buy it.

 

[Trekie]

Def worth it. I can get you a pic of a lowered B5 A4 whose firewall broke because it didn't have a strut bar.

Dave

I think this is a rare case and not typical.

 

[quality_sound]

Make sure you read the ENTIRE thread for the GB. There are some years with fitment issues. Mine fit fine on my 04.5 1.8T Variant and I think I even had it on my 99 V6 sedan. Just be sure to read first.

 

[kezho]

I had a slight issue with the bar rubbing against the AC piping. I just put a piece of rubber hose between them to avoid rubbing. My aftermarket battery also needed a little bit of the plastic shaved off of its bottom in order for the bar to fit (it had an extra bit of plastic going around its perimeter). I don't think that would be an issue with a stock battery.

 

[ianbis]

that is a great price. It uses the OEM (AUDI/VW) brackets that bolt on top of the strut towers. Make sure you do not over torque the bolts cause they thread into the Aluminium cups that mount the "UCA" and the Strut. I had to modify the bar itself which is made by Pure MS to clear my AC lines so if you are up to it it can be modified. It helped stiffen up my lowered B5. Originally I thought I would have to get a different strut/spring setup but the bar strenghten things up enough that I love my car again. On a side note the OEM bar also has an attachment point in the middle of the bar where this particular bar does not have one and to make this particular bar technically perfect it should be triangulated. Sorry for going on and on.

 

[99blackmagic]

sorry for the OT...that's a good price for the pureMS bar, i paid $70 for a used A6 setup

can anyone clarify if how the A6 bar is installed. i had a lot of trouble installing it with the tapered side up, but was able to much more easily instally it with the tapered end down.

 

[modifiedA4]

I think this is a rare case and not typical.

fyi, it has happened to many street, lowered A4s. Ive seen it in person.

 

[crew217]

fyi, it has happened to many street, lowered A4s. Ive seen it in person.

The fun part was trying to get the strut bar on after the towers had caved in a bit and broken the firewall . . . .

Had to leave the car on stands for a few days and then used a screwdriver to get one of the holes aligned. Huge PITA.

The holes were initially off by 1 cm on that vehicle . . . H&R coils, 24.5" ground to fender

Dave

 

[modifiedA4]

The fun part was trying to get the strut bar on after the towers had caved in a bit and broken the firewall . . . .

Had to leave the car on stands for a few days and then used a screwdriver to get one of the holes aligned. Huge PITA.

The holes were initially off by 1 cm on that vehicle . . . H&R coils, 24.5" ground to fender

Dave

Heh, I can totally imagine that. ouch.

I think in a perfect world, installing a strut tower bar with the car jack stands is the way to go. of course you can never unbolt the bar after that

 

[ClarkSJ]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. I ordered the bar today. I'll post my opinion after I get it installed.

 

[swcrow17]

Have fun routing that thing!!! Ya got a great deal too......it took me forever to make it route right under, over and around the components between towers. Fun Fun.

 

[modifiedA4]

Have fun routing that thing!!! Ya got a great deal too......it took me forever to make it route right under, over and around the components between towers. Fun Fun.

its really not that bad. if you pass it through from the driver's side its easy.

 

[swcrow17]

its really not that bad. if you pass it through from the driver's side its easy.

Well it's all relative...I did it at night, poor lighting, etc....set myself up for a PITA job, so running it for me was the hard part.

 

[modifiedA4]

Well it's all relative...I did it at night, poor lighting, etc....set myself up for a PITA job, so running it for me was the hard part.

sounds like last night when i was putting on my snow tires with out air tools in below freezing temps. lots of fun

 

[ClarkSJ]

Put the stress bar in today. Not too bad on my '03 GLS. I removed the battery first to check the drain hole for obstruction (and remove the rubber grommet), that made for easy access to remove all ties and move the positive and negative battery cables around. I ended up putting a bend (about 60 degrees) in the negative ground lug, I needed to rotate the lug to clear the bar and it would hit the battery tie down bolt. With the bend, it clears the bolt and I do not have to remove the battery tie down.

Thanks to everyone for advice and tips on this mod.