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Yup, that is why I gave up and preinstalled the passenger side bolts. Not that the driver's side is easy either, but mainly just because you can't see what you are doing. I needed one of those little telescoping mirrors and an extra pair of hands to hold it. I probably spent 20 minutes on the left side before I threw up my hands and went to plan b.
Sounds like a real PIA. Mine has been sitting on my bench waiting for the wisdom of other installers. Sounds like it might sit for a while and certainly after I make sure I have the rights allen key and 1/4 drive allen socket.
I'll report back when I decide to take a crack at the installation.
I tried 3 different allen keys and I could not even get the passenger side bolts to engage with any of them. I ended up not installing the cross brace — for now — and just installing the 2 side braces. The two ECS side braces were much more rigid than the stock braces.
I did drop an e-mail to ECS earlier. They responded pretty quickly, asking for details, part numbers and my VIN. They also asked for pictures but what can I show them — those bolts are hidden?
I’ll update this thread when I hear back from them.
I tried 3 different allen keys and I could not even get the passenger side bolts to engage with any of them. I ended up not installing the cross brace — for now — and just installing the 2 side braces. The two ECS died braces were much more rigid than the stock braces.
I did drop an e-mail to ECS earlier. They responded pretty quickly, asking for details, part numbers and my VIN. They also asked for pictures but what can I show them — those bolts are hidden?
I’ll update this thread when I hear back from them.
Probably a bit harder on the S5 with the bigger engine, but I found it really helpful to put everything together and get the bolts flush but loose before putting the whole brace in the bay, I tightened the factory bolts to the specified specs, and just used a mini ratchet to tighten the cross brace bolts as much as I could. Pretty much impossible to use a torque wrench, but since they don't connect to the car, it's not a big of a deal as the factory bolts. Good luck!
but I found it really helpful to put everything together and get the bolts flush but loose before putting the whole brace in the bay, I tightened the factory bolts to the specified specs, and just used a mini ratchet to tighten the cross brace bolts as much as I could. Pretty much impossible to use a torque wrench, but since they don't connect to the car, it's not a big of a deal as the factory bolts. Good luck!
I won't get to it on Valentine's day, but I am thinking about pre-assembling the whole thing just snug and then doing a dry fit for alignment, removing, torquing the hard to get to cap screws, and reinstalling the assembly. Of course I will not know if this is possible until I dig in. Just a thought
Originally Posted by Nikon1
I did drop an e-mail to ECS earlier. They responded pretty quickly, asking for details, part numbers and my VIN. They also asked for pictures but what can I show them — those bolts are hidden?
I’ll update this thread when I hear back from them.
It’s on sale for $93 right now, but everyone’s issues with the install, it’s less thrilling. So I think I’m going to pass for now. I do hope everyone gets theirs installed and torqued properly.
”I spoke with the tech writer on this. He said that it needs loosely assembled off the car, then temporarily installed as an assembly on car, hand snug the center section bolts with an allen wrench now that the angle is established (there is not much room, but there is enough). Once they are hand tightened, carefully remove the entire unit from the car, taking care not to move the center piece. Now the bolts can be torqued on the bench and the entire unit can be reinstalled. The hose is present on the S4 and the S5 so the process would be the same. Generally, a longer allen wrench with a ball end will be the ideal tool for the job. See photo below.
“
For right now, I am just using the ECS “Front Brace Struts” without using the ECS cross brace. I’ll try again next week following the instructions ECS has added.
They were very responsive and did make good suggestions to this situation. BUT — their on-line instructions are misleading to me.
”I spoke with the tech writer on this. He said that it needs loosely assembled off the car, then temporarily installed as an assembly on car, hand snug the center section bolts with an allen wrench now that the angle is established (there is not much room, but there is enough). Once they are hand tightened, carefully remove the entire unit from the car, taking care not to move the center piece. Now the bolts can be torqued on the bench and the entire unit can be reinstalled. The hose is present on the S4 and the S5 so the process would be the same. Generally, a longer allen wrench with a ball end will be the ideal tool for the job. See photo below.
“
For right now, I am just using the ECS “Front Brace Struts” without using the ECS cross brace. I’ll try again next week following the instructions ECS has added.
They were very responsive and did make good suggestions to this situation. BUT — their on-line instructions are misleading to me.
— John
Just got in from installing mine, I did not see your message until now, but that is exactly what I did as stated in my previous post. Not too bad, and looks great.
I am not sure why they did not put the cap screws in through the top, but worked out anyway.
Just got in from installing mine, I did not see your message until now, but that is exactly what I did as stated in my previous post. Not too bad, and looks great.
I am not sure why they did not put the cap screws in through the top, but worked out anyway.
Great news, congratulations.
My other thought was to mount everything, the put a couple of small “C” clamps where the cross-brace connects to the side arms to lock them together,, remove everything from the car as an assembly, tighten up the cross-brace allen-head bolts, remove the “C” clamps and re-install the assembly.
Just thread the screws 95% of the way in before install... then tighten them by hand with an allen key in place like it says, the C-clamps wont do a better job holding it in place if they even do hold it rigid enough without totally blocking the screw holes.
Just installed mine. I have every tool in existence and I was close to ripping my hair out with the under side screws. Without the engine cover on, the drivers side wasn’t too bad but the passenger side was a nightmare. I finally found that using a short Allen key was the only way to get in there and be able to turn the screw. In the online instructions they call for these screws to be torqued but that is simply not possible. Also, the instructions only call for the other 4 bolts and nuts to be torqued to 15 ft lbs. I hope this is right because that is barely more than hand tight. Don’t know if it will do much more than the aluminum bars the car comes with, but it looks good and the price was right.
02-14-2019, 08:01 AM
