Strut Tower Brace HELP

[bfranz48154]

I bought a used strut tower brace two days ago. I was said that it came off of a 94 Z28. I tried to put it on yesterday and the driver side holes dont line up. I looked online for any special ways to install it but nothing really came up. I have an 01 SS and it says it fits from 93-02, so I am just lost and kinda pissed about the situation.

Any information would be great

[bri2203]

How far off are the holes? has your car or the possibly the other been in an accident?

You might be able pry on it to get the bolt started......

[sman]

You sure it didnt come off of a v6 car? They made 2 different ones.

Post a picture of what you got and how its not lining up.

[bfranz48154]

DSCF2641..JPG
DSCF2642..JPG
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DSCF2644..JPG This what it looks like when I place the bar next to the driver side studs whille still on the passenger side studs.
DSCF2646..JPG There is a red rub mark on the front of the intake
DSCF2647..JPG

As far as I know that the car was not in an accident, i knew the guy pretty well that I bought the car off of, but who knows

[sman]

Well its definitely the correct one. Im thinking either your car or the one that came off of, was in some kind of accident. Are you trying to put it on on the ground or in the air? Could try the opposite? The bar looks straight, and looks pretty beefy too, which leads me to believe its the bmr super brace, but I could be wrong.

[bfranz48154]

Just did a Carfax report and nothing came up just all the times it went to the dealership regular maintenance. I tried installing it on the ground and in the air but the same result. Tried it both ways but again same result. I dont know if its the car or the brace. I did some research and it said that it wont fit the 96-97 SS but will fit everything else (supposedly). Has anybody else had this problem?? According to the internet its a simple install but because its me its not.

[Darren]

Looks like nothing the BFH mod cant fix...

[Lucky SOB]

I'd elongate all the holes, then put some bigger washers under the nuts to cover it.

[02RedCamaro]

I'd elongate all the holes, then put some bigger washers under the nuts to cover it.

That's exactly what I would do.

I'm thinking the strut bar came off of a wrecked car...

[phoenix_rising]

I would think that if the bar came off a wrecked car, signs of damage would have shown around the bolt holes. Either stress cracks or metal stretching. The bar looks straight. I am willing to bet it was meant for a V6 car and the person you bought it off of does not realize what they told you when they sold it.

[sman]

It is not a v6 bar, they are totally different. His looks exactly like the one on my car.

[OIF1VET]

Weird. I had the same issue when I removed my original STB(came with car when I bought it).. I had to pry it to pop off and never could get it back on(same issue you have right now), bought one with elongated holes and it went right on.. My car also comes back clean on Carfax.. But it doesn't mean something didn't happen and the owner paid out of pocket.. I've wondered for some time if mine had been wrecked and never reported, but even now in(with the car apart at paint) pieces we can see no signs it had ever been wrecked..

[Darren]

Yeah just elongate the holes or tap it on with the BFH!

[prorac1]

Just make sure you elongate the holes on both sides. Thats quite a bit of opening up for just one side. A lot of it could be factory mass production and 100,000 chassis movement. Eric L

[9T8W66]

From looking at both pics your problem stems from not having the nut's off on both sides and the brace bottomed out against the shock towers.
You may still have to elongate the holes but once one side is bottomed out the other will be much closer to going in.
IIRC I had similar issues with mine, and I know mine has never been hit as I'm the original owner.

BTW guys it's a Shock Tower Brace as 4th gen's don't have struts.