[jwilker]

Was driving today and a bump I didn't think was too much scraped the bar. No biggy I figiured.. Then in I noticed some vibration noise at high RPMs. I get home and look and the bar has been angled up and seems to be resting against the exhaust (I think, haven't been under the car yet) also the screws are tweaked should be interesting to see if I can get it off now

Loved it while it was on.

 

[PASSAT2001.5]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (jwilker)

sorry to hear about another LTB incident. This potential incident was what kept me from getting the LTB but to go with A6 strut tower bar instead. I'm sure LTB will do more of tightening then the A6 Strut tower bar, but I don't have to think about anything going over bumps.

Good Luck, I hope the damage is easily fixeable.

 

[Medrosje]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (PASSAT2001.5)

couldn't tell from your sig, but do you have a tip or manual? that would be good to know as i understand the tip bar has to hang lower which increases the risks for these types of accidents

 

[schmove]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (jwilker)

had the EXACT same thing happen to me. my chasbar got knocked up by a massive speedbump. but luckily I made the dip a little bigger where the exhaust bracket was near the bar. that kept it from touching.

 

[jwilker]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (schmove)

I have a tip. Yeah it's maybe 5-6 inches from the ground if I had to guess, pretty tight fit. Add a dip and speed and wammo. I may see if I can straighten it out again, the bar is fine, it's the connect points that are bent a bit. I need new screws though LOL.

I may have to go with upper bars from now on LOL.

I got a little better look and it looks like it's not touching the exhaust but just another part of the car. All would be good except that at about 3k RPMs massive vibration is carried into the cabin. Sounds kinda neat though, really deep. LOL.

 

[Chas]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (jwilker)

Man, I'm sorry to hear about this issue. I have been thinking about how to make the Tip bar more like the 5 spd bar. I have an idea on how to do it so that there would be even more ground clearance, but that design will come at a cost! I may try building one and seeing how it does.

Anyhow, I'm sorry you feel the need to remove you bar. Maybe remove the bar and try straightening it out and put it back on. Just a thought.


<![CDATA[Man, I'm sorry to hear about this issue. I have been thinking about how to make the Tip bar more like the 5 spd bar. I have an idea on how to do it so that there would be even more ground clearance, but that design will come at a cost! I may try building one and seeing how it does.

Anyhow, I'm sorry you feel the need to remove you bar. Maybe remove the bar and try straightening it out and put it back on. Just a thought.


[Modified by Chas, 5:47 PM 2/16/2003]

 

[Johnny B5.5]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (Chas)

I was thinking about getting one of these bars but didn't for the very same reason.

I did get the A6 strut tower bar and have been very happy with it.

 

[jwilker]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (Johnny B5.5)

Yeah I'm gonna try tomorrow to straighten it out. Luckilly it looks like the bar itself is fine.

I did just order the A6 bar from drew though so we'll see how that goes when it gets here.

J.

 

[PASSAT2001.5]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (jwilker)

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Yeah I'm gonna try tomorrow to straighten it out. Luckilly it looks like the bar itself is fine.

I did just order the A6 bar from drew though so we'll see how that goes when it gets here.

J.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

to save you the agony of measuring the correct length on A6 Strut bar, the total length on the bar should be 29 and 1/4". Just cut off one end at that length and use the piece you cut to measure the position to drill holes.

I've done this on two passats and the measurement was same for both wagon and sedan.

Good luck.

 

[TweakedB5]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (jwilker)

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I have a tip ....<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just another reason to learn to

a stick!
(No offense to you tip-owners! I'm just still tickled & somewhat amazed that my wife let me get a 5-spd that she can't drive! -- I drove automatics for years

.)

 

[Chas]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (TweakedB5)

Yeah, me too man. I almost got the Tip to appease my wife. In the end it was her that said, "Well, it'll be your car."

I like to row my own!

No disrespect intended for those Tip owners. Nothing but love!

 

[jwilker]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (TweakedB5)

LOL Come out and visit our 91, 710, 405, 55, 60, 101, 10, and 110 freeways then you'll know why we have tips LOL.

I'd do a stick in a heart beat but a 2hour commute to cover 48 miles... That's a lot of clutch in clutch out.

 

[alex310]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (jwilker)

Check my post out http://clubb5.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=35093 full pictures, I bent back the parts to perfect, got Chas's bar, and it clears much more, but I must say, nothing comes to the stiffness of Andy's bar, Chas's bar, you can feel it bending, I took a look at the bar under the car, and nodoubt it was bent, I'll post some pics. Hope Andy makes something with more clearance.

 

[Chas]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (alex310)

Hmmm... Interesting. But I guess you would know seeings how you have had both bars on your car.

 

[jwilker]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (Chas)

Chas you'll have to let us know what you decide to do.

I definately feel the difference without the bar. I was gonna try to pry the bar back to straight but wasn't comfortable pushing and pulling and fussing under the car.

Luckilly the bar is completely fine, not bent or scraped. The bolts took the brunt of the damage.

I have pics of the washers but they didn't come out very well. Both got pretty well deformed.

 

[alex310]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (jwilker)

Chas's bar is what you need, don't put that bar back on, Chas's bar has a cut into the bar so it can be much higher, since the exhuast is the closest to the bar. I have not hit one thing. But Chas, YOU HAVE TO IMPROVE it by making it thicker!!

 

[Chas]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (alex310)

That is about as thick as that bar can get without starting to make it go closer to the ground. If I was to add anymore to that bar it would either touch the bracket in question or start getting closer to the ground. Both are not an option to most folks.

I have one idea for a totally different Tip bar. I may try and build one as a prototype. But if I am successful and it works, it won't be cheap at all. But it will have the same ground clearance and stiffness as the 5 spd LTB.

I'll post something up in a week or so after I get a chance to mess with it. No promises.

 

[jwilker]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (alex310)

Yeah I'm afraid the andy isn't going back on. It's fine but the connect points are bent and I need to get under to bend them back. Probably won't be putting anything under there. I was looking today and with the andy bar I only had maybe 4 inches of clearence.. I think I will be sticking to things that don't hang any lower.

I've had enough troubles with runnign things over and chunking my underside no point in tempting fate more than necessary. LOL.

Chas I'm interested in hearing more. You must be thinking of having the bar bend back to teh more open area? In the tweaked position it was touching the bracket and that is what caused my vibration noise.

 

[Chas]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (jwilker)

Yeah, I've seen what it looks like when you run into things with the Tip bar. One of my first designs had a run-in of sorts.

The ned design I am thinking about will be much like the 5 spd bar. Made from a section of rectangular tubing, but the attachment points are the key. I'm still thinking about it and working things out!

 

[alex310]

Re: Sadness: My Andybar has to come off. (Chas)

Chas, I think I might just go to a hardware store, and ask for the strongest metal to replace that little sheet you put in the middle, hopfully that will do it!