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Strut Brace Installation Instructions
05-13-08
Step 1 - Unpack and make sure
all contents are there, this picture shows what will be included.
Step 2 - Screw the nuts all the way onto the jack
screw, one side is left hand threads and the other is right hand threads.
Figure out which bar is right and left, the right bar (looking at the engine
bay) will have the sticker on it, and the left bar will have a little notch on
the threaded bushing. Thread the bolt all the way into the left bar,
then thread the right bar into the bolt. Adjust things until the bolt
looks to be centered. It wouldn't hurt to put a little bit of grease on the
threads to help it slide easier.
Step 3 - Install the plates on the tops of the
strut towers *. Line up the slots so that they're about centered with
the factory adjustment slots. I have included enough wide washers to put
2 of them under each nut, this keeps the aluminum from deforming too badly
when you tighten the nuts down. My car is an '83 with a lot of miles on
it, so the tops of my strut towers are bowed up slightly. The aluminum
plates will conform to this contour when being tightened. Tighten the
nuts until they're very firm, then give it just over a 1/4 turn more.
The aluminum can be fairly soft, so if you were to keep cranking then all you
would do is dig the washers down into the plate.
*When installing the plates,
some users might notice that the holes and slots don't exactly line up with
the studs on your struts, causing the plates to not slide on easily.
This is because the factory studs can rock around a bit, they're pressed in.
So if the plate doesn't easily slide on then take a small rubber hammer and
lightly tap the studs inwards until the plate pops on.
Step 4 - Install the bar with the jack screw and
nuts still loose. Slip one side into the bracket and drop the bolt
through it, then see how it lines up with the other side. Play with the
jack screw adjustment until the bolt will drop through the other side as well.
Washers on both sides, nylon nut on the bottom. Take a quick visual to
see if the middle of the jack screw is still centered, it'll look funny if
it's not. The cap screw is a 6mm allen key, and the nylon nut is 13mm or
1/2". Tighten them snug.
Step 5 - Now that everything is tight except for
the center adjustment bolt, we can play with "pre-loading" the bar. The
whole purpose of a strut brace is to keep the suspension where it belongs and
make sure the strut towers are always in alignment. We can take up any
remaining slack by lengthening this bolt a little bit. Using a 16mm or
5/8" wrench on top of the bolt, push away from you to make it extend.
Just extend it enough to put a bit of pressure on the bar, there's no use over
doing it. When you wiggle the bar from the middle you might still feel
some slack until you tighten down the stainless jack nuts. They are 19mm
or 3/4", use a wrench to crank them down. Now the bar will be
pre-loaded, tight and ready to rock! Enjoy.
-John
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