Top End Performance triangulated rear strut bar...

[Ron Carter]

The PDK bar, although it is a more complicated installation, will strengthen the entire front unibody of the car. We used an old racer trick on the front swaybar mount to improve the structual strength of that section of the frame rail. With this modification your unibody car will hold up to spirited driving a lot longer.

[240ZMan]

They're both going to need holes drilled at the firewall, and the PDK also needs holes drilled in the frame rail.

It's worth it. Drill the holes.

I was only concerned about the rear bar in the cabin. I've tried to keep the "visible" parts of the car unmodified if I can. Under the hood, all bets are off!

[Darrel]

Here is the thread on zcar for the TEP front strut bar.

The excuse about it being a 30 yr old car and ridden hard all it's life is just another excuse for poor workmanship on a part that should be built to spec. Nothing can be be that far off without having major alignment problems.

http://www.zcar.com/forums/read.php?f=1&i=690436&t=690389#reply_690436

[ZIII]

They're both going to need holes drilled at the firewall, and the PDK also needs holes drilled in the frame rail.

It's worth it. Drill the holes.

What is going on here??? last time I looked the title of this thread was REAR strut bar.... Seems like we have been all over the place discussing pop-up windows, browsers, front strut bars, how to manage a web-site and run a business....

[Darrel]

What is going on here??? last time I looked the title of this thread was REAR strut bar.... Seems like we have been all over the place discussing pop-up windows, browsers, front strut bars, how to manage a web-site and run a business....

It's called threadjacking, get used to it.

[ZIII]

It's called threadjacking, get used to it.

Darrel.....

Thanks.... I will try....

Appreciate the zcar post you refered too. It is exactly what I am going through with the rear bar.... I too now regret having bought this thing.....

[ZIII]

Ok.... Here are some photos of the TEP bar and its non-fit..... No comments about the photos please.... I'm in a hurry trying to get out of here and get my Z to a show..... will do better when I return...... However, you should be able to see what we have been talking about....

[240ZMan]

George, I think you were being kind when you described the holes being 1/8" off. Looks like 2 or 3 times that in the pictures. Given yours and my measurements only differed by 1/8", that doesn't say very much for their manufacturing tolerances (unless both of our cars are off by the same amount).

Have you called them about this? Earlier in this thread it sounded like Ron Carter knew them well and spoke highly of them. Let's hope they'll make this right for you.

[hls30.com]

That looks like more of a problem than I expected too. If you paid by credit card, you can force tem to take t back if they don't jump in to take care of the situation. That does look more like a manufacuring problem than a car problem.

Will

[ZIII]

Daniel,

I did call TEP and this is what they told me. "We have been making this bar for years and it is measured to spec". (The obvious implication here is that this is my problem not theirs). When I mentioned that I was not the only one having fitting problems they said, ok, so you have to enlarge the holes to get it to fit, no big deal.... (But it is to me).

Needless to say, I was not and am not, too happy. Their tone turned me off. If I had gotten just a bit of understanding rather than a defensive argumentative response I would have said ok, let's work together here and perhaps you might want to revisit your spec sheet and confirm the measurements so others don't have problems and guess what? You might sell a few more bars.....

I now fully understand the thread on zcar that Darrel mentioned. Didn't get to it before I ordered the bar. If I had to do it over I would get either the MSA rear bar or the PDK, keeping in mind that the PDK is probably the far superior bar while the MSA bar would meet my limited needs.

[Ron Carter]

240zman, I know the guys at PDK, the bar in question is a top end performance bar.

[240ZMan]

Sorry Ron, I got my 3 letter acronyms crossed

George, fwiw, if you speak to them again you can tell them that I was seriously considering their bars, but not any more. It will be either PDK or MSA. We'll see what Santa brings ...