Cusco Strut Tower Brace Installed
06-06-2012, 08:40 PM
#48
That makes some sense Modme and your reference is more than "you used to work at a shop". So have I, that doesn't make me an expert and a lot of the things I learned there I subsequently found out were wrong. Thanks for making the point logically. And I saw that you posted that earlier. However, I'm still stuck on the fact that Cusco said to install with loaded suspension, everything I find says do it that way, and I'm in the same camp as you in that pretty much all suspension parts should be torqued with suspension loaded.
However, I'm more than willing to loosen it up and try it that way to see if it makes any difference. Probably not any that I can feel but I'll see. Thanks.
However, I'm more than willing to loosen it up and try it that way to see if it makes any difference. Probably not any that I can feel but I'll see. Thanks.
06-06-2012, 09:15 PM
#49
I'm with you BB. This completely goes against what I know about suspension tuning. Normally, all nuts, bolts, and adjustments should be made with the suspension loaded to imitate natural driving position.
I'm still debating this myself. I gonna do more research and report what i find.
I'm still debating this myself. I gonna do more research and report what i find.
06-06-2012, 09:23 PM
#51
Just found some interesting stuff on the 350z forum. It appears that the stock strut bar is preloaded from factory. People were having trouble replacing their brace after removing them.
Before I removed my front bar I measured it's length at several reference points and marked the location of the mounting brackets. I took it off in my garage on level concrete, did my thing the the plenum, and then went to reinstall the bar. The car did not move an inch between removal and reinstallation. What I found was that when I removed the bar, the towers moved closer together. I measured and verified this. When I went to reinstall, there was no way I could get the brace back in its original location without shortening the bar, bolting it up, and then putting a load back on it. I got very close, but in the end I decided the best thing to do was to have the front end checked for alignment. I was not surprized when mine came back out of spec. F.Y.I.
The proper procedure says to mount the strutbar then "tighten" the center nut by turning it 1.7 revolutions (toward the front of the car). This causes the bar to be preloaded or pushes the ends farther apart.
06-06-2012, 09:33 PM
#53
Wow guys! when I said "did you use a lift to install your strut bar" i didnt see this thread turning into a pissing match...Wrong or right if you dont agree post proof and be done with it. BB was the same one bashing me in my sportline thread. Isnt forums ment for helping people? All i was doing is trying to help out a fellow member and what do i get? I get bashed by staff
06-06-2012, 09:35 PM
#54
so, installing the bar, then lifting up the car to torque and finish install would esentially straighten out the strut towers.
so my question is, doing it that way, after it's done...would you need to do an alignment after instillation?
asking because technically you're changing the position of the strut towers and everything associated with it. and not letting them go back to the natural loaded position due to the strut bar.
so my question is, doing it that way, after it's done...would you need to do an alignment after instillation?
asking because technically you're changing the position of the strut towers and everything associated with it. and not letting them go back to the natural loaded position due to the strut bar.
06-06-2012, 09:39 PM
#56
so, installing the bar, then lifting up the car to torque and finish install would esentially straighten out the strut towers.
so my question is, doing it that way, after it's done...would you need to do an alignment after instillation?
asking because technically you're changing the position of the strut towers and everything associated with it. and not letting them go back to the natural loaded position due to the strut bar.
so my question is, doing it that way, after it's done...would you need to do an alignment after instillation?
asking because technically you're changing the position of the strut towers and everything associated with it. and not letting them go back to the natural loaded position due to the strut bar.
Exactly, the guy on the 350z forum even said his alignment changed after the install. So now the question is whether installing the bar in the air will provide improvement in handling and is it worth the trouble if you need an alignment afterwards?
06-06-2012, 09:47 PM
#59
Nobody bashed or belittled you. I simply disagreed with you and I tried to do it peaceably. All I wanted is for you to show my why the way you said doing it was right when it's against the manufacturer's instructions and how almost all suspension work is done. Modme provided something to back up his viewpoint besides "becasue I said so" and "I work at a shop". We all work on cars. I'm not an ASE Certified Master Technician. Are you? There is always somebody that knows more than you or I do. But I'll like them to show me something logical and authoritative before I simply accept it. If it turns out that you are right, you will have helped the community. Kudos. Don't refuse to help just becasue someone disagrees wit you. I've been wrong before and likely will be again. I can handle it, I'm a big boy.
I still hate knockoff wheels though.
I still hate knockoff wheels though.
06-06-2012, 09:47 PM
#60
i'm wondering if i'd have to do it cause i'm about 1.8- in the front, and how much would it actually change it.
now, next question i have, would doing this with the rear strut brace be done the same way? would essentially the same thing happen with the towers?
see, now i'm starting to think that if it changes the camber, stiffens up the handeling....i may want to do both cause i have some negative camber that i can play with.
this is all very interesting to say the least