Gm stb

4115 Views 14 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Abyssul, Dec 14, 2010

P Magic

Discussion Starter · Nov 19, 2010

So after reading a few threads I found out that the Malibu Max STB will fit our cars. Can't believe I didn't find that out on my own

. Anyway... naturally as soon as I read that I immediately ordered one from work. Then while it was on order I read a few more threads and read that there was fitment issues with this brace. It came in today and I rushed right out to the car to give it a trial fit. The span or width of the brace is perfect, bolts right on. However it does have some clearance issues on the height. when you close the hood it does hit and raises the back of the hood roughly a mm. I think a slight shim will fix the problem without any unsightly hood gap. Once it is painted body color and fully installed I will post pics.

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datacat

· #2 · Nov 19, 2010

How much does it go for?

reverttheclown

· #3 · Nov 19, 2010

where wouldyou place the shim i've always been interested in the bar just didn't like that clearance issue

P Magic

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 19, 2010 (Edited)

With my discount it cost me $120+tax #15286584
As slight as the raise appears to be... I'm thinking maybe putting 1 washer at the rear bolt of each hinge and seeing how it looks. It really appears so slight that I definitely will not need more than 1 washer per bolt.

care9012

· #5 · Nov 19, 2010

I am interested to see how this all looks.

I know the Racingline one is only like $90 before shipping. Seems like everyone who has it, loves it.

Let us know the improvement of handling and how you did the shims.

reverttheclown

· #6 · Nov 19, 2010

x2

Droptop Diamond

· #7 · Nov 20, 2010

I've got the Malibu one and there's a very slight rub on the passenger side, but it's certainly not a show car so I'm not too concerned. Handling was improved a goodly bit

BTW Pontiac is (was) supposed to be the "Performance" division, right? So how come the practical Chevrolet Malibu comes with an STB and the G6 didn't, and when I had my Grand Prix I had to get front & rears from the stodgy Buick Regal

Oh yeah, pics! My biggest issue was the nut on the driver's side didn't line up with the hole (behave), so I had to drill out the hole a bit:

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MattInSoCal

· #8 · Nov 21, 2010

I ordered my STB from gmpartsdirect for about the same price as the racingline bar. Before installing it I flared the ends slightly, maybe 1/2 inch or so, and it fits fine. I did install some rubber plug inserts in the hood to help with the points where it's making contact. I'll post some pics later; it's both nighttime and raining here.

~ MattInSoCal

Darin.Overturf

· #9 · Nov 28, 2010

I can't remember where it is, but Govtcheese (not sure how he spelled it) showed pictures of adding washers to the hood hinge to raise it up. I used 10-12 of them so you could definitely see the back of the hood sticking up when it was closed. Maybe you could add some 1mm washers to raise it up a little.

Lampoon

· #10 · Nov 28, 2010

I put mine between two trees and bent one side then the other oh so slightly.
Holes still line up and now it doesnt hit the hood.

Bend it some and it will work. Then paint it.

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Droptop Diamond

· #11 · Nov 29, 2010

Aye, here's the rub (slightly above & left of center of the pic):

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MattInSoCal

· #12 · Dec 13, 2010

I found some rubber plugs at the local auto parts store and installed them in all the holes in the hood above the STB. In the 9 or so months I've had it installed, there is one on the driver's side that is starting to wear a bit (in the yellow oval), and one that is in the same place as Droptop Diamond's that is also getting a little wear, but not as much as the one on the driver's side. The plugs have definitely saved both the hood and STB paint.

~ MattInSoCal

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Abyssul

· #13 · Dec 13, 2010

I would either bend the STB like Lampoon or get the Racingline one (which is cheaper anyways) because hood paint can easily crack from stuff like this. I'd rather not risk it at all.

Fit the part to the car, not the car to the part.

MattInSoCal

· #14 · Dec 13, 2010

Abyssul said:
I would either bend the STB like Lampoon or get the Racingline one (which is cheaper anyways) because hood paint can easily crack from stuff like this. I'd rather not risk it at all.

I bought my STB before I knew there was an alternative. The price I paid with shipping was almost the same as the Racingline bar. I actually like the GM bar better. The Racingline bar is too much bling.

I bent my bar as much as I could to allow it to be installed without having to hog out the holes. I probably could have gotten away without the bumpers as the first couple of weeks I didn't notice any interference, but I figured "what the hell" and installed them anyway. Too bad they didn't make one to fit.

~ MattInSoCal

Abyssul

· #15 · Dec 14, 2010

MattInSoCal said:
I bought my STB before I knew there was an alternative. The price I paid with shipping was almost the same as the Racingline bar. I actually like the GM bar better. The Racingline bar is too much bling.

I bent my bar as much as I could to allow it to be installed without having to hog out the holes. I probably could have gotten away without the bumpers as the first couple of weeks I didn't notice any interference, but I figured "what the hell" and installed them anyway. Too bad they didn't make one to fit.

~ MattInSoCal

That's understandable and I like the GM version as well. I'll end up getting the Racingline one and painting it so it isn't so much bling.

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