Interior Exterior
Q:
Hi all,
I just wanted to post a message praising Sector 111 for helping me with my 4tress harness bar installation.
The instructions were very well done, and I had no problems UNTIL I tried to do the last step... attaching the 4tress bar itself. It just would NOT line up! I tried and tried and TRIED. Finally I took the bar out and laid it down on the floor. That's when I noticed one of the flanges was bent. It actually had a "wave" or ripple in the sheet metal. I briefly tried to tweak it back, but damn, that's some strong metal! I tried to fit it again, but it was quite clear it was NOT going in.
I emailed Lillie and sent some photos of the bar. Within a couple of days, I had a brand new bar at my doorstep. Awesome! A few nights ago, I got around to trying it in. I had left the anti-rotation brackets installed, so I didn't have to remove the passenger seat or anything else to fit the bar in this time. The good news.... It dropped RIGHT INTO PLACE!
So... kudos to Sector 111 for excellent service and support. They will have my business and endorsement for a long time to come. (There are lots of goodies they have that I WANT!)
Thanks, Lillie!!
Mike
A:
Great customer service!
A:
Awesome news. My 4tress has been sitting here waiting for an install. 1) I'm worried I'm gonna have one of the cars that makes this a biatch to install and 2) what tool do you use to take the seat out? (I know, search function).
A:
Awesome news. My 4tress has been sitting here waiting for an install. 1) I'm worried I'm gonna have one of the cars that makes this a biatch to install and 2) what tool do you use to take the seat out? (I know, search function).
I used a combination of 2 u-joints and 2 extensions on my 3/8"-drive ratchet wrench along with a 6-mm (I think) hex (3/8"-drive). Hope that made sense. If it didn't, I can take a photo and post it. It wasn't difficult, really.
Mike
A:
Thought I'd post the photo of the wrench combo used to remove the passenger seat while bumping the thread praising Sector 111!
BTW, this combo was used for the right-rear seat bolt.
Mike
A:
All you really need is one wobble extension and a straight extension. The right front bolt on the passenger side may need a regular allen key and a million little turns. Or you can force it and crossthread the bolt hole, giving you the chance to use your tap and die set.
A:
All you really need is one wobble extension and a straight extension. The right front bolt on the passenger side may need a regular allen key and a million little turns. Or you can force it and crossthread the bolt hole, giving you the chance to use your tap and die set.
Haha! Speaking from experience???
BTW, what is a wobble extension?
Mike
A:
Ramsen.....we should have an installation party. Mine is still just sitting here too. I'm waiting til I can afford harnesses and possibly a new driver's seat, then do the whole job all at once. Spring will be here before we know it.
A:
I don't have harnesses, yet. I want to have proper seats before doing that. I wanted the bar in before then, so I could mount my camera easily for track events (got the CDR mount) and also for my V1 radar detector.
Mike
A:
Ramsen.....we should have an installation party. Mine is still just sitting here too. I'm waiting til I can afford harnesses and possibly a new driver's seat, then do the whole job all at once. Spring will be here before we know it.
Tracy/Ramsen -
Since I've already installed one in my car (with phone support from Shinoo! ) I guess that makes me the Chicago area expert?
With a little coaxing (i.e. the promise of a couple of beers...) I might be persuaded to drop by your little installation party and share my vast knowledge...
A:
That sounds great. Of course I might not give you any beers until AFTER my bar is installed. I have a heated garage here at my condo in Palatine. I should light a fire under myself and get looking at harnesses and seats. Thanks!!
A:
Incidentally, I've emailed Sector 111 a couple of times (to thank them and ask what I should do with the bent bar), but I haven't heard back. Are they on vacation? Lillie? You there?
Mike
A:
Mike,
Lillie was sick yesterday so I know she may have missed your email. We'll contact you early next week to get the bar back. Sorry for the trouble.
We're also getting ready to move to our new shop so things have been a bit crazy around here...
A:
...My 4tress has been sitting here waiting for an install. 1) I'm worried I'm gonna have one of the cars that makes this a biatch to install ...
Don't worry, we designed the 4Tress bar to work with harder-to-fit Elises. We discovered early on that some cars were not like the others.. As a result this became a key problem for us to solve. The attachment brackets we designed allow for significant fit flexibility. It should go on easily.
Call Lillie or I and we can help out. Or just ply Erv with some brewskies...
A:
Mike,
Lillie was sick yesterday so I know she may have missed your email. We'll contact you early next week to get the bar back. Sorry for the trouble.
We're also getting ready to move to our new shop so things have been a bit crazy around here...
Hi Shinoo!
Lillie did a great job taking care of me. Hope she's feeling better.
I also had ordered the diffuser quick-release kit, but it was on back-order. Any word on when they'll be in?
Mike
A:
A wobble extension allows the socket to wobble a little so that the extension can be a little offset from the bolt head and still work. As far as cross-threading bolt holes in aluminum, I think that all Elise owners who will be working on their cars would be well advised to visit Sears and buy a basic, metric-sized tap and die set. On the subject of installing the 4Tress bar, getting the bar to line up with the brackets without moving them in the process was really a bitch. The trick, it turns out, is to slightly cock the brackets so that when the bar moves them, the holes will then line up. It took me a lot of tries before I figured this out.
A:
Tracy/Ramsen -
Since I've already installed one in my car (with phone support from Shinoo! ) I guess that makes me the Chicago area expert?
With a little coaxing (i.e. the promise of a couple of beers...) I might be persuaded to drop by your little installation party and share my vast knowledge...
I'll gladly bring the beers if you bring the knowledge. We should keep this in mind for a future install.