HOW-TO: Install a MX-6 Rear Strut Tower Bar in a Protege5

[amsgator]

if i could get the distance from the front of the panel (before it bends out) to the center of the hole, that would be awesome

btw
its so much easier to bend the seat belt bracket. its a lot cleaner too.

i cut it w/ a dremel. worked very nicely.

i have to redrill mine b/c the hole is oval. idk when I'll get a chance to do it :-( i dont have a measuring tape w/ me at school either to measure it

 

[amsgator]

one thing you can do is stick the bracket on and just measure to the center of the part that the screw goes through. and just use that as the center of the hole

 

[musiclikscreams]

i have to redrill mine b/c the hole is oval. idk when I'll get a chance to do it :-( i dont have a measuring tape w/ me at school either to measure it

no prob thanks anyways

if anyone else could find out, that would be cool

 

[amsgator]

just measure to the center of the bracket when its installed. install everything except the bar and panels. then measure to the center of the part the bolt goes thru. shud work the same

 

[musiclikscreams]

i've got an idea.
ok, take off only one side of panels and instal the mount. then attach the bar to the mount and run it across till it hits the panel on the other side. measure 16" up and put the hole there.

sounds like it should work in theory, i'll test it tomorrow night after work.

 

[16902]

Well, I took the plunge today and bought a $23 shipped strut bar. Even if it doesn't work as well as everyone says, I'm only out $23. I'm excited to do it.

 

[mazdaspeed777]

Well, I took the plunge today and bought a $23 shipped strut bar. Even if it doesn't work as well as everyone says, I'm only out $23. I'm excited to do it.

You will be pleasantly suprised! It cut my body role in the rear in half, as long as you install it right(jack rear end up before you install bar and tighten onto brackets).

 

[amsgator]

yup. i installed mine w/o jackin it up at first b/c it was dark, and when i jacked it up i had to extend the bar 1/4 in or so. so make sure u jack it up

 

[amsgator]

Here are the pics of mine installed. I took them today. You can see the holes...I messed them up when I drilled so I had to redrill. I will probably get a 2 in hole saw and make them circular so it look's better but for now I'm leavin it. and it looks like my left panel is coming off, i didnt notice it when I was looking so I'll check it out when i go back downstairs.

 

[amsgator]

yea i know the holes are bad, especially the last one. but the hole saw wouldnt grab any closer. so i am gonna get a 2 in hole saw to make them both one hole and hopefully center the hole on the bracket. i just dont know when b/c the panels are a pain to mess w/

 

[mazdaspeed777]

i cut it w/ a dremel. worked very nicely.

i have to redrill mine b/c the hole is oval. idk when I'll get a chance to do it :-( i dont have a measuring tape w/ me at school either to measure it

Just use your dremel tool to make the holes even

 

[amsgator]

Just use your dremel tool to make the holes even

sand stone?

 

[mazdaspeed777]

sand stone?

yah, any bit really. What ever would be best for plastic. Jus eyeball it.

 

[DeanSweet]

if you buy some elastic plastic tubing from the hardware store you can easily make the edges look much 'cleaner'. Buy the hosing, it will have a nutural curve to it from the store. take a utility knife and carfully cut on the outside of the curve all the way down the tube. Like splicing a worm open in biology class. Place the cut edge into the spline you just made and trim to fit in length. If your hole is not an exact circle this will aslo help round it out a bit.

 

[amsgator]

if you buy some elastic plastic tubing from the hardware store you can easily make the edges look much 'cleaner'. Buy the hosing, it will have a nutural curve to it from the store. take a utility knife and carfully cut on the outside of the curve all the way down the tube. Like splicing a worm open in biology class. Place the cut edge into the spline you just made and trim to fit in length. If your hole is not an exact circle this will aslo help round it out a bit.

hm...i mite try and remember that. idk what to look for at the store, maybe i'll just go c what they have. just regular black elastic tube?

 

[BadKarma]

Dammit, after reading through this thread, I now have a serious urge to do this to my P5...

 

[amsgator]

lol. it's pretty cheap...i got one of ebay, mine was a lil more expensive b/c i specifically wanted the one that had the bracket that sloped down.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MAZD...016QQitemZ260092410765QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
this is the one i got from the same seller^^

or there is the bomz for a lil more which is probably a little thicker, but it doesnt have the sloped bracket
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BOMZ...004QQitemZ140089878854QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

i wanted to sloped bracket bc it makes less cutting of the seat belt bracket.

 

[mazdaspeed777]

Dammit, after reading through this thread, I now have a serious urge to do this to my P5...

Common! Join the club! Best return for the money spent!

BTW I love your avatar. GO twilight princess. I have that game for my gamecube and I am hooked.

 

[amsgator]

Common! Join the club! Best return for the money spent!

that's for sure. only way it could have been easier is if the stupid panels were easier to get out and in

 

[amsgator]

o and if i drilled my holes right the 1st time