I was given a Monte Carlo bar for Father's day but wondering if anyone has ever installed one?

Started to put it on the other evening but if fits tight, like really tight.

Any ideas or suggestions?

If felt like to get it in place I was going to have to get out a rubber mallet.

Did anyone else have any issues with this?

 

yeah I had to pound mine in with a block of wood and a 3 pound hammer.

I have heard that jacking the front end off the ground may help.

-Gun

 

Beat it on or the old jack it up over night let the front end spread out.

 

Thanks for the tips....Just wanted to confirm they were supposed to be that tight and make sure I didn't have a bar with a manufacturing error or something along those lines.

I had the front end of mine on stands because I had to take the front wheels off to get to the bolts.

Stupid like, I didn't think to buy the bar and install it when I had the front end taken apart, duh....

 

mine is not that tight, jack up the car from the engine cross member(after 45 years the tower sag in towards the middle of some cars) it will take a few hours for them to relax

 

Stupid question warning but do you mean the front cross member?

 

Its the bar that goes across the bottom of the compartment underneath the engine. Pretty sure thats what he means because thats the engine crossmember the top ones are the compartment crossmembers i think.

 

Yep. Its tubular, and is strong enough to lift the weight of the car.

As a side note, I had a harder time installing my monte carlo bar than installing my export brace.

 

Definitely jack up the car and let it sit overnight. This will make your life much easier when installing the bar. It's may take some persuasion. What I also found that helped was to get the bolts started and work each side a little at a time drawing the bar into place.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2576315

 

Use a bottle jack + an appopriate length of two by four placed horizontally between the fenders Jack them apart enough so that the bar will drop into place. It shouldn't require much movement.

I'd be a bit concerned if the distance between the fenders continued to open up overnight with the front end of the car jacked up - something would have to be bending or otherwise being overstressed.


Norm