the Stromung on my 95.5 Avant collided with the trailer hitch I had on it. dimensionally it had to grow over a 1/2 inch to hit it. as others have said stainless does have a pretty high coefficient of thermal expansion. http://www.handyharmancanada.com/TheBrazingBook/comparis.htm if it sings in the rain, should we cue Gene Kelly? <g> Steve Powers