Review on Spectra Premium ST173 Fuel Straps by Jorge Maertz

I bought these belts for a 1999 Ford Contour because the dealer wanted to charge $350 (for parts) and who knows how much for labor. In the end they worked, but not without heroic effort. Although they "fit" in my car, they were too long and didn't fit the stock tank straps. It was fairly easy to bend them (by hand) to match the curvature of the original straps to fit the tank snugly. But if you adjust the curves, you'll find that each strap is about an inch or two longer! If I installed them this way, there would be a 3/4 inch gap between the fuel tank and the belt. (The tank can get stuck in this gap after dropping the supports, but I didn't want to risk breaking any connections to the tank). So I took a bench vise, a bench vise, wire cutters and a drill. and shortened each strap to fit properly. Now they are nice and comfortable, but it took a lot more effort than it should have. Bottom line: if the retailer charges you for belts, just buy them and find out. But after installing them, I'd be willing to pay $50 or $75 to actually get the straps right and tight on the first try.