F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!!

Handling, suspension, and brake tuning discussions
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GT_03
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Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 4:53 am

F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!!

Post by GT_03 »

I got my new strut tower bar today, and wow it feels alot stiffer around turns. I found it on Ebay for the Toyota Matrix. Only paid $44.00 shipped.

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QUIKAG
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 6:11 am

Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (GT_03)

Post by QUIKAG »

How was the fitment? I can swing $44 for a strut bar, but $100 plus seems like a waste... I may have to hunt one down on Ebay now. Was it new?
'03 Vibe GT monotone silver/black interior, 17 inch wheels, 6-disc changer, power packageMods: AEM intake, TRD springs, A-spec Strut Bar'01 Corvette Coupe silver/black interior, six-speed, Z51, a few mods, 12.29 at 117.3mph in 1/4 mile on street tires.
GT_03
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (QUIKAG)

Post by GT_03 »

fits perfect, and was brand new. Took about a week and a couple days to get here. You really can feel a difference, i'm glad i got it. Only took 10 minutes to install.
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QUIKAG
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (GT_03)

Post by QUIKAG »

Well I sent payment for one of my own. Got it for $31 plus $13 shipping. Not a bad deal if it's as good as you say. It's the same bar as yours, got it off ebay. Thanks for the recommendation!!
'03 Vibe GT monotone silver/black interior, 17 inch wheels, 6-disc changer, power packageMods: AEM intake, TRD springs, A-spec Strut Bar'01 Corvette Coupe silver/black interior, six-speed, Z51, a few mods, 12.29 at 117.3mph in 1/4 mile on street tires.
GT_03
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (QUIKAG)

Post by GT_03 »

No problem. I really like mine. The front end feels much stiffer around turns, not so much body roll. Good luck with it. Make sure you tell me how it looks. Also, there is one little thing i recommend. On the driver side, on the sturt tower, there is a little pastic piece that holds the air filter box. Remove the bolt, and put the sturt tower brace under the plastic piece. If not, it might crack the plastic over time.
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QUIKAG
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (GT_03)

Post by QUIKAG »

I have an air intake so I don't think there will be a problem with the plastic on the stock airbox. I'll take your advice though if that plastic is still there.
'03 Vibe GT monotone silver/black interior, 17 inch wheels, 6-disc changer, power packageMods: AEM intake, TRD springs, A-spec Strut Bar'01 Corvette Coupe silver/black interior, six-speed, Z51, a few mods, 12.29 at 117.3mph in 1/4 mile on street tires.
GT_03
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (QUIKAG)

Post by GT_03 »

I think you would of removed the piece i mentioned. Either way though, no problem.
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QUIKAG
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (GT_03)

Post by QUIKAG »

The springs are installed, the strut bar should be on by the end of the week or first of next whenever it arrives via UPS from CA. I'll let you know how I like it!
'03 Vibe GT monotone silver/black interior, 17 inch wheels, 6-disc changer, power packageMods: AEM intake, TRD springs, A-spec Strut Bar'01 Corvette Coupe silver/black interior, six-speed, Z51, a few mods, 12.29 at 117.3mph in 1/4 mile on street tires.
GT_03
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (QUIKAG)

Post by GT_03 »

We are going to have the same suspension set-up.
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QUIKAG
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (GT_03)

Post by QUIKAG »

It appears so. Who is copying who? I got the springs installed first, strut second. You got the strut installed first, springs second.
'03 Vibe GT monotone silver/black interior, 17 inch wheels, 6-disc changer, power packageMods: AEM intake, TRD springs, A-spec Strut Bar'01 Corvette Coupe silver/black interior, six-speed, Z51, a few mods, 12.29 at 117.3mph in 1/4 mile on street tires.
GT_03
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (QUIKAG)

Post by GT_03 »

I'll get the Injen intake and 18's. They will appear different
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QUIKAG
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (GT_03)

Post by QUIKAG »

Good, didn't want to confuse our cars.
'03 Vibe GT monotone silver/black interior, 17 inch wheels, 6-disc changer, power packageMods: AEM intake, TRD springs, A-spec Strut Bar'01 Corvette Coupe silver/black interior, six-speed, Z51, a few mods, 12.29 at 117.3mph in 1/4 mile on street tires.
QUIKAG
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 6:11 am

Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (QUIKAG)

Post by QUIKAG »

I installed it, went very easy. Quality of materials for the $45 shipped price is pretty nice. The bar seems to have a bit of flexibility, so I don't really know how much chassis stiffening it does, but it certainly doesn't hurt anything and it looks good under the hood. I give it a
'03 Vibe GT monotone silver/black interior, 17 inch wheels, 6-disc changer, power packageMods: AEM intake, TRD springs, A-spec Strut Bar'01 Corvette Coupe silver/black interior, six-speed, Z51, a few mods, 12.29 at 117.3mph in 1/4 mile on street tires.
GT_03
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (QUIKAG)

Post by GT_03 »

For the price i'm impressed. I can't complain, just waiting to get the springs on.
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Lorin
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (GT_03)

Post by Lorin »

My wife said she couldn't tell any difference after I installed mine. Burst my bubble! LOL
Lorin2003 Pontiac Vibe GT, Neptune-mono, moons & tunes, power package, side impact airbags, rear seat covers, bumper protector, cargo mat.Mods installed: TRD exhaust, TRD stb, Mods removed: TRD CAI - annoyed by CEL
GT_03
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (Lorin)

Post by GT_03 »

Really, my wife told me the exact opposite, but she might have been just saving my confidence.
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robdog
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (GT_03)

Post by robdog »

I just got mine yesterday. Was it really that easy to install????
03, Abyss monotone GT, 6 disk changer, moon and tunes, Cargo mat/nets, power package, side airbags, AEM Short Ram Intake, Borla exhaust , 35% tint all around, F1 strut tower brace, debadged, 17" Excel rims w/ federal ss595 tires.
GT_03
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (robdog)

Post by GT_03 »

Only took about 15 minutes.
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QUIKAG
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Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (GT_03)

Post by QUIKAG »

Yeah, 15 minutes tops adjusting everything and making it all nice and centered, etc...
'03 Vibe GT monotone silver/black interior, 17 inch wheels, 6-disc changer, power packageMods: AEM intake, TRD springs, A-spec Strut Bar'01 Corvette Coupe silver/black interior, six-speed, Z51, a few mods, 12.29 at 117.3mph in 1/4 mile on street tires.
Space_Cowboy
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 4:12 am

Re: F1 Motorsports Sturt Tower Bar Installed!!! (QUIKAG)

Post by Space_Cowboy »

when i installed the bar, it seemed like it was still pretty loose in terms of the rotation that was allowed since the bar wasn't really secured to the horseshoe (don't know what it is called) looking part of the mount. for example, the TRD brace looks like it's all one piece fused together, but the F1 bar looks like it will only brace lateral flexes not necessarily vertical ones. Does anyone know about this? is there some sort of hidden adjustment or tightening that I'm not aware of?
-WarrenVibe GT -Monotone Shadow - Six CD Changer-Power Package - Rear Cargo Box-Moon & Tunes - NEW HORN!!!!!-Magnetic Car Bra - K & N Performance Filter-Homemade Rear Cargo Mat - F1 Front Strut Brace- Hopefully CAI & exhaust soon
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