Over the weekend my handles arrived. Noticed something a little odd though... the instructions clearly state that the top bolt/spacer should be the longer one, with the one on the side being the shorter one.


See? Says it right there!

However, when I went to bolt it in, that method did not line up even a little, and I installed with those swapped.


Which ends up looking like this


So has anyone else run into this? Should I tell them their instructions are wrong, or did I somehow manage to find a way to make it work despite doing it wrong myself?

Admittedly I didn't really try to install it based on the instructions, but holding it up to the spot with the bolts in their intended locations sure as heck looked like it wouldn't work. Not that any of this really matters, as they're in there and solid as a rock, but just kinda curious.

 

I have a hard time thinking they got those instructions wrong. I'm sure they've sold a lot of those and they would have had all kinds of complaints. I have not installed those particular ones, but I do recall when installing my Carolina Metal Masters ones they were tricker than you'd think to line up. Had to get everything in place very loosely and then work to tighten them down. My guess is that they still work your way, but maybe they sit at a bit different angle that is less optimal?? Just my guess at least.

 

I took one off and took another look at it just to make sure I'm not crazy... and there's absolutely no possible way to swap the bolts/spacers to match the instructions. It just doesn't fit, regardless of any funky angles or anything: the longer spacer is just straight up longer than the distance between the top bolt and side bolt


Just does not work

No matter what...

Sits at a nice parallel angle when installed with bolts swapped

As you can see from that 3rd picture though, it sits at a nice angle parallel with the A-pillar when installed the way I originally had it. It even matches the pictures in the instructions that way, with a bit of spacer providing a gap between the handle and the A-pillar...

I really can't think of anything beyond either the instructions being wrong or I got some weird-ass box full of the wrong parts...

 

I just downloaded those instructions and took a closer look. I agree with you now, I think that is a typo. They even have it laid out the way you are saying, and you can clearly see in pictures further down that the longer one is to the side. They are just too damn lazy to correct it I guess!