Confusion on Steeda G-Trac Install - HELP Please

[MontelG]

So my Steeda Extreme G-Trac came in the mail yesterday. The hardware was loose in the box, which wasn't sealed, so I'm certain some parts fell out.

In the box were 4 bolts, 2 nuts and 1 washer. I called Steeda and the guy I talked to on the phone said that all I was missing was 1 washer. (He put my on hold for a few minutes so I assume he was verifying with others.) That matched with my understanding from reading the directions and watching the [ame="[MEDIA=youtube]-D8lpUlBGKU[/MEDIA]"]Steeda [/ame]and [ame="[MEDIA=youtube]6RLn5ug_r94[/MEDIA]"]CJ Pony Parts[/ame] install videos. So, I picked up a replacement washer after going to a couple hardware stores to find the right size. Now I had 4 bolts, 2 nuts and 2 washers; just what the Steeda guy on the phone said I should have and what the videos show.

Today was the install....

The two back bolts went just fine. Stuck the spacer in the frame, bolt up from the bottom through the spacer, nut and washer on top. All good. Just like the directions and videos.

Then the front bolts, for which there are no nuts. The CJPP video says the frame is threaded on top and the Steeda video appears the same way. The problem is my frame does NOT have any threads! The holes are there, everything lines up perfectly but it is just an open hole top and bottom. Adding a washer and nut to the top of the frame worked and everything got torqued down.

So I called Steeda again to get some clarification. I talked to a different guy this time. I explained the story above to him and first he said that the reinforcing sleeve was threaded and that it didn't need a nut on top. After talking through that he changed his story and said that the top should have a washer on nut on top.

Then when talking about the front, he said that that my kit should have had 4 washers and 4 nuts and that the front needs a nut on top as well. That's different than I was told yesterday. That's different that what the videos show and that's different than the directions. What gives?

For those that have it installed, was there something already threaded on your frame? Has anyone installed this on a convertible and if so was there something threaded?

I placed a huge order for Steeda suspension parts this morning and I'm considering cancelling after having these issues with what should have been the easiest part in the world to install.

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[Nanashii]

For those that have it installed, was there something already threaded on your frame? Has anyone installed this on a convertible and if so was there something threaded?

I placed a huge order for Steeda suspension parts this morning and I'm considering cancelling after having these issues with what should have been the easiest part in the world to install.

Perhaps the convertible is different. I have the brace installed on my coupe and the voids for the front bolts are indeed threaded.

 

[MontelG]

Perhaps the convertible is different. I have the brace installed on my coupe and the voids for the front bolts are indeed threaded.

Hmmm. That's kinda my fear but I would have thought Steeda would have test fit a convertible.

It is threaded with a nut welded to the top of the frame or something more substantial? I'm wondering if the front bolts are doing any good the way mine are now since it is just a washer and nut on top.

 

[Cloak]

Yep, my front holes were threaded as well. Must be a vert thing, like others have stated.

 

[MontelG]

Yep, my front holes were threaded as well. Must be a vert thing, like others have stated.

Thanks! Yep, the parts you got are the exact same ones I got. Did you do the install yourself? Were the threaded holes more substantial (bigger, longer, etc.) that what I got by throwing a bolt on top of the frame?

 

[Nanashii]

Thanks! Yep, the parts you got are the exact same ones I got. Did you do the install yourself? Were the threaded holes more substantial (bigger, longer, etc.) that what I got by throwing a bolt on top of the frame?

How big are the front holes compared to the bolts? Do they have room for lateral movement? Do you have any pictures?

 

[Cloak]

Thanks! Yep, the parts you got are the exact same ones I got. Did you do the install yourself? Were the threaded holes more substantial (bigger, longer, etc.) that what I got by throwing a bolt on top of the frame?

I did install it myself, but I didn't really look into the holes. just popped the black bolts in and hand tightened in the threading. Then torqued em down to spec.

 

[MontelG]

How big are the front holes compared to the bolts? Do they have room for lateral movement? Do you have any pictures?

I don't have any pictures unfortunately. I had it done at a local shop and I was holding up other scheduled work since we had to work thought this issue. (In hindsight, not taking pics was a mistake!)

From the bottom it looks the same once installed. Just like @Cloak's pics above. The hole at the top of the frame was just a hole in the frame like the hole in the bottom. The hole was probably twice the size of the bolt that went through it so there is definitely room for lateral movement. That really why I'm wondering what it looks like up there on the coupe. I suspect there is at least a welded nut at the top which would stop the lateral movement.

 

[Coaster]

Front holes were threaded on mine.

 

[stang9779]

Sounds like a convertible thing. To bad someone doesn't chime in that has a convertible. DAVID@STEEDA have you guys installed these on a convertible before?

 

[MontelG]

Based on the comments here and talking with David and Patrick from Steeda it seems that the front of the frame is a little different on the convertibles. Everything lines up but the front hole is NOT treated like the coupes. So, to be safe I think I will have the weld the front on so I don't have to rely the the bolt alone from stopping the lateral movement. Not ideal but I can't imagine the bolt holding up under spirited driving.

 

[MontelG]

Sounds like a convertible thing. To bad someone doesn't chime in that has a convertible. DAVID@STEEDA have you guys installed these on a convertible before?

When I talked to David a little bit ago he mentioned they have not installed the on a convertible. Seems odd that I'd be the first convertible to install one one these.

 

[jbailer]

I installed mine and yours looks correct. Are you positive the front doesn't have threads? I would recommend taking the bar back out and putting the bolt up there and see if you can get it to thread in. I HAD to thread the front bolts in first, following the instructions, because of getting those threads lined up. If the bolt is off at all, it obviously wouldn't go in. The bolt goes up into a fairly large hole that isn't threaded, the threads are further up in there. At least mine was.

 

[MontelG]

I installed mine and yours looks correct. Are you positive the front doesn't have threads? I would recommend taking the bar back out and putting the bolt up there and see if you can get it to thread in. I HAD to thread the front bolts in first, following the instructions, because of getting those threads lined up. If the bolt is off at all, it obviously wouldn't go in. The bolt goes up into a fairly large hole that isn't threaded, the threads are further up in there. At least mine was.

Yep, just a big hole. I looked up there when they told me I was missing some nuts.

 

[bill@cjpp]

I can't check until Monday but I will put our convertible up in the air and verify is they are threaded if nobody else has by then.

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