05 FXT: which wrx/sti front strut bar fit?
#1
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05 FXT: which wrx/sti front strut bar fit?
I picked up a used 04 WRX front strut bar thinking it should fit,...
Went to install and basically the bar hits the firewall,...ac lines cleared with some persuading,..
Any info which fsb will fit that is under $100 as ebay bar should do ,..I know the bar wont make a drastic change, but every little helps,...
Also, i got the ebay front strut bar for sale for $50 for what i bought it for,...will post ad tomorrow when i got pics,..
Went to install and basically the bar hits the firewall,...ac lines cleared with some persuading,..
Any info which fsb will fit that is under $100 as ebay bar should do ,..I know the bar wont make a drastic change, but every little helps,...
Also, i got the ebay front strut bar for sale for $50 for what i bought it for,...will post ad tomorrow when i got pics,..
#5
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Had the exact same issue with my 05 fxt , so I contacted blazingbuda40 .Here's What he said:
Originally Posted by Blazingbuda40
So in theory it does not fit but in reality you can get it to work. I have one of the hardest front strut bars to fit even on the impreza on my car. Which is the cusco. You basically can not run this with a larger tmic. I've seen a guy run it but his tmic was not bolted in to compensate for the strut bar on a sti. You basically have to force it to work. Make sure you bend the ac line above the tmic but also possibly pad it, I used a cut piece of rubber tubing and a zip tie. You also have to unbolt some of the brackets on the driver side that hold the lines in place but that does not matter. It takes me some time and a bit of muscling
#6
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oh ok so it wasn't a typo, you just don't understand. got it
to answer the OP question the 04 forester fitment is the same as the 04 wrx/sti but it's tight. you gotta be careful about the A/C line and i've had to lift up the plastic tray under the wipers to get one on before. did you already try unbolting one side of the brace, putting it on, and then putting the bolt back in?
to answer the OP question the 04 forester fitment is the same as the 04 wrx/sti but it's tight. you gotta be careful about the A/C line and i've had to lift up the plastic tray under the wipers to get one on before. did you already try unbolting one side of the brace, putting it on, and then putting the bolt back in?
#7
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oh ok so it wasn't a typo, you just don't understand. got it
to answer the OP question the 04 forester fitment is the same as the 04 wrx/sti but it's tight. you gotta be careful about the A/C line and i've had to lift up the plastic tray under the wipers to get one on before. did you already try unbolting one side of the brace, putting it on, and then putting the bolt back in?
to answer the OP question the 04 forester fitment is the same as the 04 wrx/sti but it's tight. you gotta be careful about the A/C line and i've had to lift up the plastic tray under the wipers to get one on before. did you already try unbolting one side of the brace, putting it on, and then putting the bolt back in?
Yeah, the bar hits the plastic tray and more worse the Rear firewall where it meets up with the flat part of the windshield wiper tray area,..…theac lines aren't really a problem after unbolting the support bracket. The bar needs to squeeze in between the AC line on the bottom, and the firewall area on top. I think if the bar was a round tube instead of a flat bar, it would fit better. The problem really is that its too close to the firewall....
#11
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Yeah, the bar hits the plastic tray and more worse the Rear firewall where it meets up with the flat part of the windshield wiper tray area,..…theac lines aren't really a problem after unbolting the support bracket. The bar needs to squeeze in between the AC line on the bottom, and the firewall area on top. I think if the bar was a round tube instead of a flat bar, it would fit better. The problem really is that its too close to the firewall....
#12
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so your basically going to have to remove all the mounting points for the ac line up top and bend it a bit to make it fit. Also from my experience the easiest way to put the strut bar on is to remove both ends put them on then bolt the middle bar piece in. It is going to take some extra muscle, I use a rubber mallet sometimes but it will work.
Anyways with all the debate on which wrx/sti bar will fit correctly and benefits I'll get, I went ahead and ordered the Subtle fender braces instead and will put the wrx strut bar for sale instead..
#13
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I'm running the GT Spec front strutbar with an APS TMIC...fitment is near perfect...but tight.
It's similar in design to the Cusco...big, oval bar.
I initially ran it with an 08 STI tmic...fit fine...I had to move the AC lines a bit and also for insurance...cut a 1/2" hose lengthwise and placed it on the AC line closest to the intercooler.
I thought I would have to remove the strutbar when I put the APS TMIC on...but, believe it or not...it fit fine.
Initially, the bar would not clear the plastic portion near the firewall as you experienced Kevin...as a whole...I disassembled the two end pieces from the bar...kept them loose, placed the bar under the plastic portion of the firewall and placed the ends into the mounting points...fit like a glove.
The GT spec bar was made for any 02-07 WRX/STI...
It's similar in design to the Cusco...big, oval bar.
I initially ran it with an 08 STI tmic...fit fine...I had to move the AC lines a bit and also for insurance...cut a 1/2" hose lengthwise and placed it on the AC line closest to the intercooler.
I thought I would have to remove the strutbar when I put the APS TMIC on...but, believe it or not...it fit fine.
Initially, the bar would not clear the plastic portion near the firewall as you experienced Kevin...as a whole...I disassembled the two end pieces from the bar...kept them loose, placed the bar under the plastic portion of the firewall and placed the ends into the mounting points...fit like a glove.
The GT spec bar was made for any 02-07 WRX/STI...
#14
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Thanks for the info, but I know how to install a strut bar. There just isn't enough clearance to fit the bar, and if I need to use a mallet to bend any of the chassis body parts to get the bar to fit, it wasn't designed to fit my Fxt.
Anyways with all the debate on which wrx/sti bar will fit correctly and benefits I'll get, I went ahead and ordered the Subtle fender braces instead and will put the wrx strut bar for sale instead..
Anyways with all the debate on which wrx/sti bar will fit correctly and benefits I'll get, I went ahead and ordered the Subtle fender braces instead and will put the wrx strut bar for sale instead..
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