Should the strut bar pull on both sides or push? If it's just bolted on and left as is, I can see there being a little play, which I would rather eliminate if possible.

 

Strut means it will see compressive loading, tie means it will see tension.

If you are asking about proper installation you should have the car off the ground when you install it, and preload it in tension a bit to minimize deflection while it's under compression when cornering and such.

 

I was told when setting these up get either set bars or "push". I did that when I set up my EM racing bars

 

wont make a difference once its bolted down.

 

So one person says push, another says pull. I know they won't make a big difference, maybe not even noticeable, but I have a pair so...what's 5 minutes of my time?

 

If you are going to preload them they should be in tension.

 

I'm confused... Can someone tell me what you all are talking about please.

 

its nothing. ppl think it makes a difference if you bolt a strut bar in some contorted setting, like it will act like a spring. but its not.

it makes zero difference. not worth a thought, for even a second.

 

I think you should pull it. As is pull it completely out of your car.

 

tbh this man is right. Although some bars are meant to be preloaded

 

Could you justify this statement?

Thinking out loud: The tyre force of the outer wheel is applied at road level. The lower ball joint is the pivot point of the lever (the upright). The LCA will see compression and the UCA tension. The inside wheel has forces in opposite directions, but due to lateral load transfer, of lesser magnitude than the inner; i.e. the outer UCA pulls out on the strut tower harder than the inner UCA pushes in resulting in a net tension on the strut bar.

Using a spring as an analogy for a strut bar, preloading a spring in tension makes it easier to compress (a spring in tension wants to be "compressed" back to it's static length). Preloading a strut bar in tension which you expect to see compression, will maximise it's deflection under load.

 

What? I'm still confused haha. But the other day when installing my coilovers I was under my car while it was on a lift and I noticed my benen rear lower tie bar bowing outward..towards the back of the car. Why is that? Is the car pulling, pushing, or wtf ever you guys are talking about to the bar

 

The lower "tie bar" is under compression. The outside wheel pushes on the chassis through the lower control arm. The inside wheel pulls on the chassis through the lower control arm (but with less force than the outer). Add them up and you get a net compression force, which when applied to a weak bar, will potentially cause it to bend under stress like you've observed.

 

the loads the bars see completely depends on what the car is doing... i.e hard braking... long sweeper... etc...

If you set your car up so that nothing is under load when the car is sitting still at ride height, then that is a good starting point...

 

Alright, thanks everyone. I'll just bolt them in as is.