Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Yet another happy Aussie bar customer

Installed the Aussie bar tonight with the help of Simon.

First off, we didn't have much trouble moving the tank out of the way, but the brackets were a different story. The bushings are quite a bit bigger than stock, which we knew, but even bending the bracket didn't help much. We had to expand the hole in the bracket in order to mount the bar. Not a big deal of course, just an FYI.

Took us about 2hrs from start to finish, including bending/reshaping/drilling the brackets and moving the gas tank. Having your car on ramps helps tremendously.

The end result - AWESOME.

Car is so much flatter right now, going into tight corners, the back end wants to come around a little, which is great. The front end doesn't plow NEARLY as much as it did, and over all, handling is very neutral. This bar is a MUST for any auto-xer.

Overall, I'm very happy. Awesome product, if you don't have it, buy it!

John
/kicking my self in the ass for not installing it sooner

I must say it was a huge difference that I could feel from the passenger seat.

Mine will be going on next friday

I'm jealous like a little school girl...I can't miss another one of the Aussie Bar "purchasing rounds"...I've kicked myself twice now

congratulations and enjoy

I installed mine a couple of days ago. Even on a stock height car with the Zetec front bar ( ) and all-season, non-performance tires the handling is great!

Out of everything my car has had done, this is probably the only item that has given the car the biggest improvement.

I too had to enlarge the holes in the stock brackets slightly. We found that a 7/8 socket is perfect in size for reshaping the brackets.

The only one thing I wish different, I would have liked the backing plates to have been part of the deal. I have already pulled the stock hook bracket out of the subframe once. If you get this bar, order the backing plates from Aussie, for $13 it beats getting back under the car and rebending the brackets.

The car is so much tighter now, it goes right where you want it to. I have only had the rear pop out on me once, but I was pushing it, so it was expected.

An excellent improvement, get one if you don't have one already!

I installed mine on Thursday but instead of bending brackets I used part of the factory and part of the new bracket. If you cut each of them and weld the two pieces back together you get a bracket that fits over the bar and in the original slot. You end up with a bracket that does not rub or bind on anything. It took me about 45 minutes includeing making the new brackets, and I love the new bar.

My bracket doesn't rub or bind. In fact, installing the bar removed the rubbing noise I had in the back of the car.

The problem I have run into is the force from the bar bending that little 'ear' and making the bracket fall out of its slot.




This is what it should look like



The fusty subframe is going to be fixed when the suspension is done in the summer.

Hehe, enjoy it while it lasts fellas. You'll be installing backing plates before you know it. In case you think you don't need them...you do. Especially if you're thinking of autocrossing or you drive your car moderatley aggresively. Which is the whole purpose behind a bigger sway bar...to alter to the handling.

<---Waiting for Aussie to ship them.

My stock brackets are slowly bending their way back out of the car. Looks like I will be under there tomorrow making sure everything is good.

I've loved mine long time...

Glad to see another enlightened person...

I'll be shipping this week as I finished the backing plates on Friday. Although I may have to buy more material as I got more orders than material. No problem though. I'll keep making them while the need is there.
Don't go hacking up your upgraded brackets like someone did. You want to keep them and use them with the upgraded backing plates!!!