Kirby

I just received my UMI STB and it seems that it may be 1/2" too long. Is this normal with UMI? I'm not sure how to install this and I need a little advise. If possible, I'm going to try to install it tonight.

TOO Z MAXX

Send it back and get your money back. They dont do anything for the car.

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

Try installing the brace first, its actually a pretty easy install and will take 10 minutes. Follow the installation instructions and they should help out.

Give me a call or email me if you are still having problems. I don't know how it could be to long since they are welded in a jig. But I will be glad to look at it and see whats up.

Has the car ever been wrecked?

Thanks,
Ryan

Kirby

It fit just right on my friends 99 so I sold it to him last night. Drove his car and noticed an improvement on cornering. I wonder if my car was in a wreck with the previous owner. Nothing on carfax. If it was wrecked, what would be involved in straightening it and what do you think something like that would cost?

contraststriker

iTrader: (14)

Holy crap you've got to be joking. I installed my STB and could instantly feel the decreased sway and body roll. It adds all kinds or rigidity to the front strut towers.

Kirby

I noticed a difference on my friends car. Too bad it wasn't my car taking those corners.

Kirby

I guess I shouldn't feel too bad. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who has had this problem. I'm sure its not the brace, which is a good one also, but it is my car. Just ordered a front sway bar. Hopefully it goes OK and I don't find something else bent out of place.

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

Well I am very glad to hear you got it worked out although I am sorry it wasn't on your car.

The last car we had trouble with was also a customer who couldnt get the brace to work. They sent it back and we inspected it, tested it in both our fixture and on 2 cars, it fit perfect. We then later found out the car hit a curb pretty bad at one time which required a complete replacement of the passenger side shock assembly, steering knuckle and both A-Arms. It must have twisted the car pretty bad.

Sorry it didn't work out

Ryan

Kirby

So it may be the front suspension that is bent. If that was the case on the other guy's car, how did it cause the fender wells to flex inward that much. My fender wells are flexed inward about 1 inch. Do you think changing bent suspension parts may widen the engine bay that 1 inch? I'll probably get laughed at for this but is it possible to jack up the car, set the stand directly under the center of the k-member, and let gravity cause the fenders to sag to its original shape? Sounds kinda weird but whatever will save me $1k or more. Also, are adjustable a-arms on our cars worth it? I will be doing some drag racing, some hard cornering, but mostly daily driving.

TOO Z MAXX

Nope I am not joking. I talked to another company who builds parts for f bod's and they load a shock tower brace. The load was practically nothing. I also took mine off and noticed I am a little closer to my competition at the auto x.
On a 3rd gen Camaro these things work very well, but on a 4th gen they are pretty much an appearance mod.

TOO Z MAXX

One other thing I noticed when I removed my STB, which has been on my car for 5 years, the paint on the STB and the car itself looked brand new. If it was under a lot of stress I would suspect the paint would have been worn away a little bit. My car sees a lot of auto x, a little drag racing and a lot of spirited driving, so its not like I baby my car.

psykoTA

iTrader: (4)

What kind of STB was it?

TOO Z MAXX

It is a BMR

01 Red WS6

iTrader: (4)

I bought a LG STB from another member of the boards and I couldn't get the thing on my car. It seemed to be too long. I worked on it for a while and could never get it on. I bought a Hotchkis STB and it went on without a problem. I assumed my car had problems but I guess it didn't. When I put my STB on I didn't notice any difference, I just added it to add a little polished bling under the hood

TOO Z MAXX

I have to admit, I really liked the look of the STB under the hood of my SS. It looks very racey.

NoTicketsPlease

iTrader: (2)

What company? Did they publish anything on this? I really wish some of these things would get settled...which mods actually work etc. It gets confusing at best and costly at worst.

TOO Z MAXX

Let me see if I can find the link?

Kirby

Hopefully thats the case with my car. The UMI was too long for my car but it fit my friends perfectly. I'm afraid to buy another brace in case it doesn't fit and I get stuck with it. I just ordered a front sway bar. Hope it helps. Any input on how a 32mm 1LE front sway bar would change my handling?

TOO Z MAXX

Since you have an SS, I think they already come with a 32 mm bar. I am not totally sure on this one so you may want to ask around. A lot of guys at the track are using the 35 mm hollow bar from Sam Strano.

Kirby

Actually to tell the truth, my car is actually a Z28. It just has all the SS parts minus the suspension. Don't consider it a Z28 though because if someone asks what I drive and I say that Z28 right there, they say "where?". Can't tell the difference except for the handling. Also on that 35mm FSB, I'm sure they paid a whole lot more than I did. Mine cost $30 brand new with GM tags still on it. Clearance on eBay. Hope it does better than my stock FSB.