3rd gen: JIC mcv20 strut tower brace
Lead Lap
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 628
Likes: 1
From: New Jersey
i wouldnt bend it before putting it on, i would press it so that it has tension pulling the strut towers in towards each other, which is what i personally wanted it to do. cause it supposed to resist the angular deflection of the strut making the car more responsive during turn in and stable during the corner.
Got my OEM Solara strut bar myself. Mine came from the Toyota warehouse in the Bay Area. After tax and shipping, came out to 97.00 dollars. I sanded my mine and painted it chrome. I'm going to install it tomorrow. I test fitted it and it slightly hits the hood insulation, otherwise the hood closes, with no bulge. Also got a 2000 ES300 wood grain steering wheel I'm installing tomorrow. Take care everyone..........
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 458
Likes: 1
From: GA
Got my OEM Solara strut bar myself. Mine came from the Toyota warehouse in the Bay Area. After tax and shipping, came out to 97.00 dollars. I sanded my mine and painted it chrome. I'm going to install it tomorrow. I test fitted it and it slightly hits the hood insulation, otherwise the hood closes, with no bulge. Also got a 2000 ES300 wood grain steering wheel I'm installing tomorrow. Take care everyone..........
Update
Ok, I received my OEM Solara strut bar on Friday from Carson Toyota and painted it silver............I then used ES3_Ray suggestion about sitting on the bar to make sure it cleared under the hood. Instead of sitting on it, I placed the bar on the ground and stood on it and bounced gently on it to flex it downward, just enough so it would bolt on the mounts snuggly and give it more tension. Im a big guy, 260lbs and wasnt going to be able to get up under the hood and sit on the bar effectively. Standing on it worked, bolted it down last night, but it still hits a little under the hood, it hits due to the insulation under the hood. I just close my hood gently and press down on the front to lock the hood, you can feel that its slightly hitting, but no bulge in the hood that I can see. How does the car feel, well, to me the car doesnt dive into the turns anymore, the car corners great and tries to stay flat, more responsive in the turns, feels less like a boat now. 
Last edited by angmedic91; Nov 2, 2009 at 02:10 PM.
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 458
Likes: 1
From: GA
I put mine on.. and I didn't do any bending.. The brace touches the hood lining but the hood doesn't bulge. Only annoying thing about it is when I pop the hood now there is a louder "POP". I don't really feel a difference in corners 
.. I just think of it as an engine decoration.
.. I just think of it as an engine decoration.
Just to add when I had my solara strut bar, in reverse when the engine shifts slighty from reverse it touched the bar and added a vibration I could feel, but only when I was engaged in reverse. But I did change 1 of the top engine mount since that, but I don't know if that was why.
Lead Lap
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 624
Likes: 0
From: NJ
I noticed a small difference in corners, but other than that the car drives the same with it on as far as suspension cushion.
By the way can you guys comment on my post here I need some wise minds with my little issue I have with my car. Thanks
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...ight-pull.html
By the way can you guys comment on my post here I need some wise minds with my little issue I have with my car. Thanks
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...ight-pull.html
Last edited by Ariyanna; Nov 1, 2009 at 10:50 AM.
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Ariyanna, damn bro, very clean and I mean clean looking engine bay. I'm afraid to take pics now and show you guys, my engine bay, it isnt that clean. Its been windy and dusty the last two weeks and my engine bay has dust. If I take pics, lol, dont complain you guys about the dirty looking engine bay.
