# 4pt ultra racing front lower bar installed



## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

Nice! I had mine installed this past summer. Yes-my installer had to modify the front splash shield and the side aero panels to fit the 4pt UR front brace. They also had to add spacers to the rear mounting points as the bar was coming too close to the catalytic converter. How do you like it? Seems to tighten up the steering and makes it a little more responsive.


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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

Ya, look at my Sig, i love UR bars !

Good choice.


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## smorey78 (Apr 8, 2012)

i like them a lot. I have had the uppers on for awhile now but the lower front bar is nice too. i e mailed ultra racing to find out and make sure i was installing the lower one right and they said " our products are fabricated for the asian right hand drive cruze 1.6l turbo and not the us chevy cruze. they maybe very close and work fine but may also be very different and need more fabricating"


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## kfr291 (Aug 11, 2012)

blk88verde said:


> Nice! I had mine installed this past summer. Yes-my installer had to modify the front splash shield and the side aero panels to fit the 4pt UR front brace. They also had to add spacers to the rear mounting points as the bar was coming too close to the catalytic converter. How do you like it? Seems to tighten up the steering and makes it a little more responsive.


what do you mean side areo panels.... also were the spacer required or more of a just in case idea


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

kfr291 said:


> what do you mean side areo panels....


The Eco has additional under-body aerodynamic panels that extend toward the rear of the car with a split in the middle for the exhaust.

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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> what do you mean side areo panels.... also were the spacer required or more of a just in case idea


I have an ECO - so I have side under body aero panels - installer said they had to notch them. I was just under my car this past weekend and changed the oil. Looks like 2 rear most mounting points of the front 4 point bar were spaced down to clear my Cat. From what I see, there is only about 3/8 of inch (with the spacers) between the bar and the Cat, so yes definitely needed unless I want it to vibrate. Your car may not need it, you won't know until you try and fit it.


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## kfr291 (Aug 11, 2012)

i do not have the eco. i just have the 1.4t lt, still the rear bar and tower struts will probally be easier to do DYI


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> i do not have the eco. i just have the 1.4t lt, still the rear bar and tower struts will probally be easier to do DYI


I agree. The rear bar should be easier too on your LT - there is aero panel on the ECO before the rear axle that has to be removed to mount the 2 pt bar. Check out the install that Boats4Life posted.


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## titan2782 (Nov 4, 2011)

So how does it change the car?


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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

titan2782 said:


> So how does it change the car?


Its for strenghtening the Chassis / Body.

Handling in simple terms is about 3 things : Chassis, Suspension and Tires. They all work together and when u get an harder to twist Body/Chassis, your suspension and tires are gonna work better.


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## titan2782 (Nov 4, 2011)

Poje said:


> Its for strenghtening the Chassis / Body.
> 
> Handling in simple terms is about 3 things : Chassis, Suspension and Tires. They all work together and when u get an harder to twist Body/Chassis, your suspension and tires are gonna work better.


Should have been more explicit in my writing. I know what they do, what I was asking is how it changed the feel/handling of YOUR car.


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## NYCruze2012 (Jan 16, 2012)

I have the UR 2 pt upper strut bar in the front and the UR 2pt upper brace in my trunk and love the way it makes the car feel. Definitely noticed large improvement on my Eco.

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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

titan2782 said:


> Should have been more explicit in my writing. I know what they do, what I was asking is how it changed the feel/handling of YOUR car.


Well, i have 5 of them and i can say that the car feels like its made out of a Solid block of titanium now, lol.

I would recommend to everyone the Front Strut and the Rear lower one, since they are the easiest to install and they do most of the job, and they have NO negative issues.

Exemple : 

1. The Front lower brace can grind on the ground when u have lowered suspension and your Middle pipe will knock on it from vibrations. ( You can raise the rubber mounts with some washers to avoid that...)

2. The Middle lower brace will have your resonator knocking on it from time to time. ( Same solution to reduce most of it.)

3. The Rear lower Triangular braces will grind in a automated car wash on the guiding rails, lol. :uhh:

4. The Rear Strut bar take space in your trunk.


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

Poje said:


> Well, i have 5 of them and i can say that the car feels like its made out of a Solid block of titanium now, lol.
> 
> I would recommend to everyone the Front Strut and the Rear lower one, since they are the easiest to install and they do most of the job, and they have NO negative issues.
> 
> ...


Do you Autocross or anything.


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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

H3LLON3ARTH said:


> Do you Autocross or anything.


Nope, never tried it, but i will this year.

I did alot of lapping back in the day and i think that my current setup on my Cruze should be nice in an amateur racing venue like autocross.


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> 1. The Front lower brace can grind on the ground when u have lowered suspension and your Middle pipe will knock on it from vibrations. ( You can raise the rubber mounts with some washers to avoid that...)


My car is not lowered and I have bottomed out on the front lower brace exiting a steep driveway.


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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

blk88verde said:


> My car is not lowered and I have bottomed out on the front lower brace exiting a steep driveway.


I beleive you, you loose 1.3 inch of ground clearance with that bar.

Imagine with a Cruze lowered by 1.7 inch...


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> I beleive you, you loose 1.3 inch of ground clearance with that bar.


Plus having the ECO model - I start 10mm lower that any other Cruze model.


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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

blk88verde said:


> Plus having the ECO model - I start 10mm lower that any other Cruze model.


If you think you are lower because of the suspension, the RS package has the same setup.


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> I have the UR 2 pt upper strut bar in the front and the UR 2pt upper brace in my trunk and love the way it makes the car feel. Definitely noticed large improvement on my Eco.


So I finally got around to installing my rear bar - getting my Cruze ready for the Watkins Glen meet next Saturday. Thought I could do this by myself and almost did - but like Steve from Insane Speed advised it is a two person install. Car feels more solid and planted with the rear tower bar.


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## wbwing (Feb 23, 2011)

I disagree there are no downsides for the Front strut. I was really hoping that would be the case, but I feel like the chassis is stiffer, but it is also restricting the movement of the struts. If I didn't have to drive through pothole alley everyday, I'd love the UR Front bar. But in my first week and a half with the bar, I can't help but cringe every time I come across a bump. I was hoping to replace with a lower front chassis bar which doesn't hook onto the struts but it sounds like that's not a great option either.



Poje said:


> Well, i have 5 of them and i can say that the car feels like its made out of a Solid block of titanium now, lol.
> 
> I would recommend to everyone the Front Strut and the Rear lower one, since they are the easiest to install and they do most of the job, and they have NO negative issues.
> 
> ...


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## kfr291 (Aug 11, 2012)

wehre did you guys pick up your strut bars and rear lower bars? the Ultra Racing site only has the 1.6 2008 cruze listed. 

i want to get the strut bars at the very least.... i want to get he lower rear bar later( may go futher but not sure)


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> I was hoping to replace with a lower front chassis bar which doesn't hook onto the struts but it sounds like that's not a great option either.


Is your front tower bar really tight? The roads around me are nasty with potholes. My ECO is no noisier than stock with the tower bar. The lower bar is very effective - better steering feel. It does require some mods to install though.



> 1. The Front lower brace can grind on the ground when u have lowered suspension and your Middle pipe will knock on it from vibrations. ( You can raise the rubber mounts with some washers to avoid that...)


If you are not lowered you should be fine. I bumped on the ground one time on a very steep driveway. In the future I will take steep driveways at an angle if possible. I have bumped my front air dam on the ground more than once on steep driveways.


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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

For the UR bars, i bought all of mine here : Ultra Racing Chassis Specialist

They are the Canadian distributor, but they sell in US currency and they ship to US too.


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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

wbwing said:


> I disagree there are no downsides for the Front strut. I was really hoping that would be the case, but I feel like the chassis is stiffer, but it is also restricting the movement of the struts. If I didn't have to drive through pothole alley everyday, I'd love the UR Front bar. But in my first week and a half with the bar, I can't help but cringe every time I come across a bump. I was hoping to replace with a lower front chassis bar which doesn't hook onto the struts but it sounds like that's not a great option either.


For sure it depends what your needs are. ANY addition you make to your car will have positive and negative effects.

Right now my car is incredibly stiff compared to stock, (my Father has an ECO completly stock and the difference is shocking) but even with all the Bars and the Pedders, i still think my car is confortable enough to be pleasant on the street and we have ugly roads in Quebec...


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> the Ultra Racing site only has the 1.6 2008 cruze listed.


Yes the bars are all labeled for the 1.6 2008 Cruze, but fit fine on our North American Cruze.



> Right now my car is incredibly stiff compared to stock, (my Father has an ECO completly stock and the difference is shocking) but even with all the Bars and the Pedders, i still think my car is confortable enough


Agreed - I have an ECO - however I first installed the front tower bar and drove for about 10 months with just that bar. I next added the lower front 4pt and rear lower 2pt. Lastly I have finally added the rear tower bar. The car just kept getting better with each bar. It is a nice solid car and takes bumps and handles better than stock - since the suspension now works as engineered.


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## wbwing (Feb 23, 2011)

I do have it on pretty tight, as per ISM's instructions. I could make it tighter, but don't want to overtorque anything. I still feel the front suspension doesn't take bumps as softly. I know what a stiff car feels like, and I don't think the difference in ride quality for me is coming from a stiffer chassis. A stiffer car should feel more solid and composed, not necessarily harsher going over bumps.


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## Poje (Aug 2, 2012)

wbwing said:


> I do have it on pretty tight, as per ISM's instructions. I could make it tighter, but don't want to overtorque anything. I still feel the front suspension doesn't take bumps as softly. I know what a stiff car feels like, and I don't think the difference in ride quality for me is coming from a stiffer chassis. A stiffer car should feel more solid and composed, not necessarily harsher going over bumps.


The Front Strut bar isnt supposed to be loose in any way, you tight it until it rest directly on the top of the "towers" and it cant go any further.

You cant overtight that bar, maybe thats why you feel Harshness, maybe its a bit loose.


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