strut brace:: pissed off

[hakhawk]

ok, i won a strut brace from ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

it took TWO weeks AFTER they received payment to send it out, took one day to get here.

dad dropped it off home about 20 minutes ago and said i know why they were so cheap, theyre shit.

the bar itself looks upto the job, but the mounting brackets look like theyd last all of a week. i can flex them in my hand(not a lot, but noticeable)

ive attatched 2 blurry pics that show what the brackets like, now, tell me, should i try and return it and ask for money back? sell it? or just use it?

i bought it to be functional, but it looks like it would only look pretty on the car and thats it. might stop a bt of flex, but for how long?

opinions please, i dont want to take to long before i take action

[vinnywelsh]

If you can flex the brackets by hand, then it would be pointless adding it to the car to stop strut tower flex...

I would try to get my money back, then use that cash and buy a proper nolethane or whiteline strut brace.

But thanks to you no-one else on this forum will be screwed over by these cheap strut braces!, thanks for posting up the results

[VNPOWER]

those are obviously more for looks

[hakhawk]

yeh, exactly, its supposed to remove flex, just been finding pics of other brand strut braces and theyre all welded brackets.

id hate to pay their "$150 retail", i dont feel too ripped off, it was $75, but i want it back so i can buy quality.

and i hope no one will buy from these guys, total waste of money and time.

[fabz]

Check with repco and see if you can order the mounting brackets and if its worth it just swap them round. Just a thought.

[hakhawk]

would have to find a strut brace with same width bar then, most have just a round bar. id rather just get a whole nolathane or whiteline one, least then i know its gonna be good.

if i had a welder and good welding skills, i reckon i could make a better bracket myself.

[fabz]

Complain to ebay and the seller and get money back. This is why i dont trust ebay, not worth the hassel, rather pay more and see the product in person. Good luck!!

[hakhawk]

ive sent an email to the ebay seller, see if theyre gonna give me my postage money back, if not, will take it up with ebay, coz i will have to pay postage to return the thing.

if no luck, will chuck it on ebay and try and get my money back

[vnbelina]

dont feel bad i did the same thing. This was threw a time when i was addicted to ebay. yes they are cheap i payed 50 for mine. but just chuked it on anyways. as for handeling didnt feel as much as i hoped but as there was nutting else availaible at that price i spose it has to do

[AirStrike]

I got one to suit a VT-VX off the same bloke. The brackets are more stable, but yes I also found that not the best, but like you I paid hardly anything for it.
Im currently polishing the brackets after stripping them, then might sell it and get a better one.
I cant flex my brackets, but hmmmmmmmmmm
AirStrike

[DeiCide]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/VR-VS-Front-S...QQcmdZViewItem

I bought a whiteline brand for VS. Its ok, but 'bowers' don't have very reliable service. Stuffed me around too much. Much better off buying in person. ebay's just to dodgy

[hakhawk]

yeh, im gonna price one through work(autobarn) see what i can get a whiteline or nolathane one for.

ebay used to be pretty good, but has gone downhill over prolly the past year.

[CSL]

should drop by a genral engineering shop, ask them if they could reinforce the bracket or even make new ones shouldnt be more then 20 bucks, it's just a few holes and a few welds i spose, but i am probally wrong i dunno

[gemini]

My bro just bought one of these and it took a MONTH to get here ffs. I had a look at it and i was pissed.

We thought "****it" and tried to put it on but the aircon silver thingy is in the way of the passanger side strut and we cant put the bar in. Damnit.

[hakhawk]

yep, mine took 2 weeks after they marked it as payment received before they sent it, got an email saying it was sent wednesday and i got it yesterday. that was regular post, i think they import them then send them out.

out fo curiosity, i went and tried to sit it on the strut towers to see if it would actually fit, and the aircon pipe got in the way, you would have to loosen it and rotate it downwards, losing gas in the process.

and dad was looking at the bends in the bar and said the way theyre bent, they would probably flex aswell with the kink on the inside of it.

[hakhawk]

ok, i got a response from the seller about a return, heres what they said:

Sorry to hear you're not happy with your purchase.

You'd have to agree it's up to scratch for $61.00. I'd suggest the flex is not an issue when bolted into place. 'Flexing in your hand' is no test of the components durability compared to when it's bolted solid into the car. Bear in mind that all steel (even a bridge) flexes and this is normal.

But, if you want a refund our return policy is clearly stated on our listings and on the invoice. You'll only get your winning bid refunded as stated because the item isn't defective.

Thanks.

this is my reply:

ok, so this strut brace is supposed to stop flex in the engine bay across the struts tower, if it flexes, its not removing flex in the chassis, its just transferring it to the brace. therfore, defective as it doesnt do its job.

i know for $61 i cant expect too much, but your listing does say it retails for $150, id expect better quality than this for $150.

anyway, if i choose to return it, are you going to be paying for return postage? or else im going to be out by around $20, making it not worth returning.

unless they offer to pay for postage to return it, onto ebay it goes. just make sure no one here buys it from me.

[AirStrike]

Do like me mate, polish it up to make it look good and sell it to someone to make there engine bay look cool.
AirStrike

[hakhawk]

cbf polishing the mounts, but the bar itself is already chrome

[hakhawk]

ok, response from him:

A strut bar works in tension and compression. Have a look at a Hollow Alloy Whiteline bar that sells for $180.00 and tell me that's 100% stiff. It's not ment to be!

On the end plates where the gusset joins the plate the load is directed staright to the 2 innermost strut tower bolts. So what theoretical flex are you talking about?

A strut bar is a brace across the engine bay where there is no brace, so it's obviuosly a 100% improvment compared to thin air.

Return terms are as stated on the invoice.

Thanks.

ok, so i have fitted it, had to move the aircon pipe down, lucky i got no gas in it. it fit... ok, the brackets are now pretty bent to be tightened up good, bar is right length, but, take a look at this pisture, its the same when flipped around, ie, drivers side then sticks up higher. the difference in height has no affect on ease of fitting with aircon, still has to be moved.

[Just_Ice]

Those angles are totally different......

Do yourself a favour though....... Do not re-sell it as you become just as bad as the original seller..........

I was winning a bid on one of these, thank god I read this post before I re-bid.....

[hakhawk]

yeh, im definately not happy with it, i sent the seller a copy of that picture, might just get it refunded yet and lose out on $20. will definately get nolathane or whiteline one next.

good to see you didnt get caught in the trap.

[Dezza]

yeah thatnks for the post i was really considering getting one but knowing now that they are cheep P.O.S that some china man has made in a dodgy below ground warehouse i will pay the extra dosh and get a proper one, i guess its not worht skimping on price if you want something that is gonna actually prefurm wat you want it to do

[vnbelina]

just a tip to ebayer buyers. when u provide feedback always try to include what product u bought therefore ppl reasing the feedbacxk no what products are good and bad

[tysons_2001]

has anyone got the one for the vr commodore from this seller? it looks a bit different to the other model ones. and the mounts are different. has anyone had a good experience with these bars? do they make any difference?

[DF_Media]

I think with EBAY like ANYWHERE you would buy something .. find out about the items first - for example if they are selling new KING springs .. your buying KING springs etc. Get good name brand stuff then your getting something for a good price and you can be happy - if your buying no name shit its shit no matter whether you pay $61 or $150.

A mate from Repco has a whitline one on his commodore looks good .. I think he said they were about the $150 mark