Has anyone installed the M7 strut bar with an Alta CAI? I read on their site that it will clear it, but I want to be sure.

Also, they mention that you might have to do a slight MOD to the bonnet liner to make it fit properly, but don't document it - is this the "soaking" thing that I've seen some people to do make the blanket shrink down to the bar or something else?

Last, is there any other product that combines the strut reinforcement plates with the bar in one product, like the M7? I gotta admit that I like the looks of the "flat" M7 bar as opposed to a round/tubular bar.

 

I have installed this combo and it fit fine, no cutting required. I did not have to do anything to the bonnet liner either, though I know one person who did have to soak the liner with water (he used a spray bottle to wet the liner).

 

Awesome news! A guy here removed it soaked it in water and reinstalled it - the bonnet was bulging up a bit in the rear before he did that. I wasn't sure if he improvised that or it was the "official" fitment fix.

 

I have it installed and works fine with the boxs top and without the boxs top.

 

I don't get it... HOW does it clear the Alta CAI? The intake I have is fitted with a rubber strip that's pressed against the bonnet liner when the hood is closed - won't the M7 bar need to sit atop that? Or did you have to remove or cut the rubber strip to accomodate the bar?

 

I have the M7 strut tower bar & Alta CAI and have no issues with fitment. There's plenty of clearance and nothing in the way.

 

I just installed the M7 FSB over my existing Alta CAI (no top- using the rubber seal). I thought about cutting a small section out of the rubber seal for the strut brace, but decided instead to let the strut bar crush it a little.

I did get about a 1/8" bonnet bulge at the rear, but even that seems to be abating a week after install. I'll probably wet it down to let it get good & indented.

But yeah... no problem fitting over the Alta CAI.

 

I think the later 2006's have a thicker hood insulation. My Alta box
caused a hood bludge so I removed the rubber Alta box seal. Then the
M7 STB caused the same problem. M7 suggested the soak it approach.
I decided to do the cut to fit approach with with split loom tubing
(which needs some adjustment in this picture) as the finishing edge.

 

Doing pictures takes forever because I am STUPID

 

I had both on my '05 MCS. When I added the Alta box top a bolt from the stb pressed against it and caused some deep scratches. No clearance issue at all when I switched to an HDI intake. As for the M7 stb, my hood sits just slightly higher, even after using the "slam & soak method." At first this really bothered me, but now I don't even notice it. As an alternative to cutting through the entire hood insulation to create more clearance, you can trim it on the non-exposed side and thin it out. I plan on doing this in the next couple of months.