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How-to Installing Rear Stress Bar LOTS OF PICS!!!

14K views 48 replies 28 participants last post by  pasta 
#1 ·
So since there isn't a really current guide to it with pictures, i figured i'd make one. Its actually fairly easy, just more annoying than anything.

First you gotta take out everything in the hatch except for the spare tire/jack. But both pieces of carpet that hide the shock towers gotta go, its also easier to take out or at least loosen the upper plastic pieces which is basically the spots with the rear cold cathodes are mounted to when doing the hatch lighting improvment mod.

There are a few screws that come out but also theres one of those push-in clips that go into the body, so you really gotta yank on the plastic piece to get it to come out. Its directly above that screw hole.

Once thats out you'll have something that looks like this (interestingly enough on the drivers side you don't really need to take it out, i guess theres more room because of the wiring harness that goes there. I will also touch on that a bit more.

Anyone notice something strange? There is an empty plug and i have no idea what its for, any takers?

Next theres this like plastic stuff, to get the washer (which is the template they give you) to go on that part, you kinda gotta take a bit off, so i just used a chisel.

To drill the pilot hole the instructions say to use a 1/4'' bit, i used a 13/64'' bit instead (which is smaller) because its on a spot weld and its very hard. So unless you ninja yourself in there its helpful to have an extra set of hands, i got into the hatch and sat down pushing on the drill well my dad stood outside and held it straight, like up/down wise.

So you'll get something that looks like that, just repeat on opposite side.


Now unless you have a really sharp bit and a good drill, its incredibly hard to get that bolt hole in, the bolt is 10mm. So i used an electric drill, as in one you plug into the wall. And it still took a lot of effort to get through it, that part of the car is a lot tougher than you think.


Now heres the tricky part, the instructions say just to cut an X around the bar so you'd basically have triangle flaps hanging. I thought that'd look cheesy so I just took the washer (template one) which is the size of the car, put a screw in it and screwed it into the carpet plus a piece of wood. That way i could do this.

Came out nice and neat, then just place the bar in, since theres a gap between the carpet and metal (carpets pretty thick too) the bar sat flush, and actually held itself while I put the bolts in with an impact wrench.



Thats basically it, its more tedius than difficult, this was my first time doing it and I'm no genius. So once its all put back togeather, if you've got a sub that moves around like mine, perfect way to tie a stretchy around it. So sit back and enjoy a cold one.[headbang]
 
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#34 ·
sorry for the late response lol i just came across this thread today, i'll measure tomorrow im going to guess around 8''
very nice clean job!
i will be doing this mod in the future and i will definately do the washer-carpet procedure.
also is there anything on the outside to keep water from getting into the hole you drilled?
water doesn't get in since the bolt goes through there, i just sprayed some of that undercoating stuff you can get from an automotive store in the shaky shaky cans.
 
#33 ·
very nice clean job!
i will be doing this mod in the future and i will definately do the washer-carpet procedure.
also is there anything on the outside to keep water from getting into the hole you drilled?
 
#35 ·
Same thing I did! I was gonna do a write up but I didnt take enough pics during the install. I used a hole saw to cut my hole in the carpet, I agree that an x would have looked crappy.

I put some rtv between the washer and the car to prevent leaking.
 
#36 ·
the mystery plug is for the audiophile option its for the sub and amp great if u dont want to run a remote wire from the from to the back just take a votage meeter and fint the remote turn on from that plug, thats what i did, i will be getting one of these stress bars soon if i keep my focus
 
#41 ·
thanks for this write up! just installed mine today this way and i must add that if you have some sort of punch that you can hammer after you drill some, it creates a pin hole for you to drill through, made things HELL alot easier lol did it by myself btw, that is what took so long haha
 
#43 ·
What rear bar?

Here are a nice set of instructions from Massive:
https://massivespeedforums.com/massive-focus-rear-stress-bar-install-t3857219.html

If you are doing a single hole like the FSwerks, its pretty similar. Just follow the instructions from the first page and use Massive pictures to get an idea.

I mostly mocked my FS bar in place to get an idea of where it would go..marked my spots, did a pilot hole and then drilled the right size based on the bolt size.
 
#44 ·
Absolutely no one on the internet has written up an installation for this product. They all just posted pictures - and over the last six months or whatever, photobucket has taken down every image link ever posted since this bar was produced. FSWERKS never shared their instructions either.

I?m guessing I will just have to call FSWERKS and see if they?ll support me on this since I?m installing a ?FocusSport? version of this bar... if I place the bar where I THINK it?s supposed to be installed, there?s a good quarter inch of space between one end of the bar and the sheet metal... doesn?t seem right.

I have searched every forum post here and on FJ. Not a single write-up exists, just photos that are no longer linked.
 
#45 ·
I recently removed my bar, you are in luck it still laying around and i have not sold it yet [:)]

1. Acquire lovely FocusSport Bar:

2. Remove interior carpet panel things that are on the wheel arches
3. Find the three spotwelds on either side, we will be drilling the hole nearest the front of the car. I believe I used a punch to mark the center of the hole, then drilled a small pilot hole. It will help to have a nice drill, I used a corded one. We will be drilling through decently thick amount of metal*. Also,
Passenger side:

Driver Side:

* It may be easier to drill from outside of the car. If doing that, it might help to remove the rear wheel and perhaps remove the lower bolt at the strut so you have more room/leverage to drill.

Outside view on passenger side:


4. Installing the bar. this is mine just resting in place, not bolted on. It sits very loosely in this picture:


You have two options here: you can cut a circular hole in the carpet the size of the bar or just a hole the size of the bolts. I opted for the later. With the carpet, its a snug fit and was a bit tricky to get lined up. The carpet will compress once everything is tightened down, dont worry about it acting as a bushing or anything.

I think i did this job all solo but having an extra hand so you can be inside and them outside to line up the bolt and the bar. It should be easier to get the one bolt in the bar and then line up the second one. I have no idea what the tq specs are but i went back and forth between the drivers side and passenger side to snug them up before finally tightening them down.

If you have any questions, let me know. I didnt have to chisel anything like the op said, the three spots were clear on each side. If any is curious, the shiny stuff everywhere is my attempt at sound deadening, worked out ok.
 
#46 ·
Beautiful post, still wondering though why my bar doesn?t sit like yours when not bolted in? It doesn?t touch both sides of the car. If I held it up to where it should be bolted in and let go of it, it would just fall to the floor of the trunk, like the bar isn?t long enough to fit properly.

If I tried to bolt it in, I don?t know how I would go about torquing it down because there?d be a space between the bar and the sheet metal. It seems like your bar is a different length than mine if you can put it in place without bolts.
 
#47 ·
Massive has a great how-to for their bar. I made my own rear bar and fit perfectly. It definitely shouldn't be loose like you are staying.

Disclaimer: I only read the last couple posts.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk
 
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