DeTomaso Mailing List: January 98, Message #146
     



From: 	MikeLDrew@aol.com

Subject: Re:  Spreader bar

Date: 	Tue, 6 Jan 1998 00:35:46 +0000



Chuck wrote:



>I have the stock spreader bar.  I want to 'upgrade'  to one of

these nifty



 aftermarket ones...Question is:  Is there a

dimension/measurement that the bar should



 be set to.  Or more clearly, how wide (long ?) is the bar when

correctly set ?



 I can measure my stock bar's bolt-to-bolt dimension, and keep it

the same.  And I



 could have the rear aligned afterwards (Necessary ???).



 Comments ?  Suggestions ?



>>>The stock spreader bar is sort of worthless, 'cause it is designed to take

all that stress through two slotted holes.  I seriously doubt you can torque

the nut and bolt enough to REALLY do much of anything.  Most aftermarket

aluminum spreader bars look really nice, but suffer from the same built-in

design flaw.  Plus they're heavy.



Now, however, STEEL bars are available that are lighter, stronger and most

importantly, more effective than the aluminum units, because they're longer,

and they bottom out in the pockets in the wheel house.  The nut and bolt

serve only to keep the bar in position; it's tightly jammed into the pockets

and therefore HAS to do its job all the time.



Surf on over to Andy Poling's website and check out the two excellent photos

of this bar installed in his car to see what I mean.



As an added bonus, this steel bar is cheaper than the high-zoot aluminum

jobs...



Mike