First off, the quality of the product is great, no issues with that whatsoever...however, the install on my M6 tranny/diff in the car is completely insane...a 11 on the 1-10 difficult meter.

All the girdles and plates went in with ease but the strut bars are a whole different story. I installed a cam in my car and that was far easier then this!

How in gods name do you get the upper strut bars bolted in working almost blind? I got the passenger side in and i was jumping for joy untill i read in the instructions that the heim joints had to be out evenly on both sides of the bar for it to work properly.....yeah well i got news for you, it was hard enough just getting the bolts started and lined up, couldnt imagine tryin to get it with the heim joints even.

Well anyway, i tryed to get the upper strut bar on the drivers side in and the same thing is happening. I got the tranny side started and the diff side is nearly impossible. So i said screw it for now cause i was really losing my temper.

I then decided to put the lower strut bar on the passenger side since that upper one was complete. In the instructions they tell you to put the second to shortest bar on the passenger side.............yeah well..it dosent fit. If i switch the two lower bars up it looks like it will fit but i dont know if it will work that way.

At this point im about ready to throw in the towel and put the car back together without the brace. I could see the job being easy if you have the tranny/diff out of the car but im finding this to be extremely difficult at the moment, I have a first track day with this car on friday, i wanted to have everything ready to go for then but it looks like ill either make some passes without the brace or just sell the spot to someone else.

If i put this brace on wrong it will cause more harm then good. Im sorry to rant and rave but i have to vent because i was about 2 seconds away from breaking the windows in my car. Any help on this install, question ,comments and/or concerns please post

 

I would call DTE today and speak with them. Another option woild be to remove the parts you can't get in and see if ECS can finish the job for you.

 

I would guess you need to have the TT lower, the top of the diff inline with the bottom of the mid rear compartment

Now, I have always installed the braces with the drivetrain OUT of the car, so I can NOT speak from firsthand experience

 

Remove the shifter, drop the rear carrage, exhaust, tunnel plate, loosen the air bridge and lower the trans/rear about 8". Piece of cake after that.
(tip) Install the strut rods/heim joints so they all tighten/loosen in the same direction.

Working on your car should be a pleasure, if not have it done elsewhere

 

Hi Novakain1970 -

Yes - you will have to either remove or modify the wire-harness loop on the upper right side of the diff to trans junction.

The rods fit as designed - and as I said earlier , it would be MUCH easier if you took my advice and bought some allen head bolts to replace the hex head bolts, particularly for the side that you are having issues with.

It can be done, it will go in , and you do not have to remove or lower the drive train - and I am speaking from experience.

I will add that it took me about 8 hours to install the one that I did while the drivetrain was in the car, which is probably longer than had I lowered the drivetrain slightly.

best regards-

mqqn

 

it was no fun..thats for sure

 

I 'assumed' that was done, no way the brace is going in without a simple drop

 

Hi Steve -

Yes, it can be done.

best regards -

mqqn

 

Hi Ryan -

Yes - it was a tough one - but we got it installed, didn't we!

Fell has his car at work here today.

best regards -

mqqn

 

Before posting the rant, why not call DTE directly? I've always found their customer service to be top notch.

 

Thanks lucky131939.

Novakain1970~
If our instructions are followed closely with regards to lowering the rear sub-frame down approx. an inch or two, the DTE Differential Strut Kit is very straightforward to install, as the additional clearance provided by lowering the sub-frame gives your arms room to work and you can see everything clearly. In fact, the newest generation is even easier to install then the first design 5 years ago, as we've engineered everything to be lighter, smaller and easier to maneuver around within the chassis.

Have you done *ALL* of the prepatory work on the chassis before the product's installation as clearly describe in the detailed photo instructions provided? If you have, than the install will go smoothly. If not however, than you'll be effectively making it more difficult for yourself to install the product properly.

BTW- No one has called us for assistance yet....


Regards,
Phil

 

To the guys at DTE POWERTRAIN no disrespect is implied towards you whatsoever. I was simply posting this to see if anyone has had issues as i have laying on their backs on their garage floor trying to install this thing.....and with that, any advice as well.

Honestly, i followed the instructions to the T for the rear subframe, the mono spring is undone, the catback is out and the subframe is lowered on the bolts approx 1 inch or so. I just physically cant get my hands in there to do this, maybe its just me. (installing the strut bars, all the plates are in)

With that being said i think im just going to take the brace off and put it aside untill i have the whole tranny and diff out of the car one day....hopefully its not due to not having the brace

 

No worries.

Just a couple of tips~
Install the LH and RH heim joints onto each respective strut rod as the instructions state, making sure both heim joints are have an even amount of threads showing. This is the static setting before actually installing the strut rods.

Install the strut rod joints onto the front transmission brackets first in the correct direction per the instructions, then follow through with the differential end.

In order to make the rear heim joint bolt hole align with the bolt holes in the differential brackets, simply hold onto the rear heim joint with one hand and turn the strut rod with the other until the proper length is met, where the bolts will easily screw into the differential bracket. Doing it this way allows for proper adjustment of the rod to get it installed and does so, so that both heim joints will remain evenly centered.

Once you get the rear strut rod bolts torqued into the differential brackets, you can then follow the step-by-step procedures on how to torque the strut rods correctly using a wrench on the machined hex area of the strut rod itself. Shorty wrnches work better than extra long one's do, FYI.

Good luck and *Give Us A Call* on the telephone if you need direct installation assistance. Much quicker and much, much more efficient.


Regards,
Phil

 

you hear it? man that thing just spits power death...hopefully mine will KINDA be like that

 

yes, it was my car. was all put in without any drop at all

 

Hi Ryan -

No - it was already here when I got here.

Glad it got put back together after the accident.

I am sure your's will be very similar. Of course when I do my 416, I will have to go with Trick Flows or something just to keep me .2 out in front of you.... JK....

best regards-

mqqn

 

Well being that im not working on the car untill later tonight i have another question to ask you here.

I believe the instructions say that the "shortest" strut rod goes on the lower drivers side and the "second to the shortest" goes on the passenger side..correct?

That being said, i tried putting the second to shortest rod on the passenger side (lower) and it seems to be a little to long to thread into the rear diff bracket. (approx 1/4" to long) and thats with the hiem joints threaded all the way in...what gives?

I think im going to take all the strut rods i have installed off and the rest apart and start from scratch. Ill take it from there

How late are you guys open in case i get that feeling of throwing a ratchet through my back window?.......at that point i think ill call you for some help

 

i really dont remember, search Cajundude on here. he has a good write up

 

we will see ;-) check the flow rate between TF235's and ported L92's

 

It would be better to smash your hood or rear quarter panels. There's no upgraded after market rear windows.