<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by muffinman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No

Jack up the front of the car so the wheels are off the ground (no load) then install the strut bar, when you lower the car it will be doing it's job.

Same for the rear.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Shouldn't the car be on the ground, so the car is sitting natural? If the car is unloaded, wouldn't the "settling" by the chassis over the years of driving cause problems?

With the fox mustangs, the chassis was so flimsy subframe connectors were almost mandatory. But you had to install these with all 4 wheels on the ground and under load. Or else your doors/hatch wouldn't open right or close.

 

As quoted from what I'm guessing the post you meant to write in?



Ghetto representation of what you're doing.

top = what you say to do = no change/help
bottom = what you SHOULD do = helps

*edit*

- black = tip of strut
- blue = shock tower thingy
- red = forces
- salmon = strut bar

 

Also note that you're trying to prevent the car from settling and keep as even of a surface as possible on it.

 

I see...

I figured the strut bar would just keep the chassis stable, regardless of what forces it it withstood.


Nevermind....cheapo strut bars would just bend...

I'll just jack the car up. Thanks Muff'.

 

You can install it with the wheels on the ground, but the bar would only be under stress around corners.

Or jacking it up puts stress on it the moment the tires touches, giving you a flatter surface to start with.

For the extra 2 minutes it takes to jack it up it's nothing too crazy, you'll find mixed reviews everywhere.

 

when you say jack it up do you mean fully? or just a little...becuase if you do it fully your struts fall right out...

 

Yeah just jack it up enough to take the load off the tires so the struts are loose in the sockets

The wheels can still be touching the ground a touch, but they can't have any pressure on them.

And you can always install one side and then the other.

 

I installed the front strut bar with no issues, but the rear upper looks like it'll be a pain. One of the bolts is hidden between the strut and the sheetmetal...I'm gonna need like two swivel joints to get those bolts. Anyone know any tricks to get at them?

The rear lower seems like it does NOTHING. it looks like it bolts on top of brace/arm that is already there.

 

Yeah the rear one is a pain in the **** if you keep the panels in good looking shape.

What I did:

1) jacked up car
2) disassembled strut bar
3) attached the two end points and loosely threaded
4) guesstimated the location for the cuts and used my dremel to cut two rectangular cuts
5) attached cross beam through those cuts and tightened from the inside
6) tightened down end points

 

Getting to the bolt you are talking about. Gear wrenches (ratchet wrenches) are your best friend. The flex head gear wrenches are life savers as well! They're expensive but well worth it.

 

TheMuffinMan&lt;-------- this guys a genious

 

The inner trunk panels are no problem, I just cut a relief into them so I could fold them over. I'm thinking some duct tape from behind should keep them from looking cut open.

How did you get access to the "hidden" bolt? Someone mentioned removing interior panels, but I could have sworn i saw sheetmetal....

 

are you talking about the bolts for the struts...if so...you'll need to remove one of your rear seat panels...

it should be 3 sections...1 big one in the middle...and 1 on each side...remove the ones on the side....