tbilisi79

I got the Strut Bars today this weekend and had them installed.

First of all the old ones looked mint!!!, no wear on the rubber at all? a crack here and there but not ripped at all. So I thought I threw away $400 for nothing untill I drove the car.
My god what a difference. No more loose front end feel, no more banging while braking, no more bangs over the pot holes, no more vibrations at any speed (120mph). Steering is tight!!! Car is like new.

I love this car again, till now it felt like a 88 Mustang GT, but not now.

Also chaged the bulbs for the shifter and VSC button, peace of cake.

tbilisi79

Hello.

To your question regarding the front end on your car.

In my case, before I changed the strut bars, the car felt very loose, every bump or a pot hole on the road was devastating. It was even worse if I applied brakes while going over the bumps. Lots of bad noises and it felt like the control arms had no rubber left in them. I feared that it might be the worst and the most expensive problem, Lower control arm($350) and, or upper control arm($400). But I know my cars and I used to work as a mechanic back in the college days and I knew that the problem is most likely the strut bar. This is the bar that keeps the front wheel from going front to back, meaning it takes the most amount of beating every time the car brakes.
The part was $125 each side at the Lexus dealer, and another $100 to install at the corner shop. If you have a garage and tools and know your way around, you can do it yourself, it is not hard at all. Just spray the bolts with WD-40 before you break them loose and you should be good. You do need to take the wheels off, and take the strut mount bracket off to get the Strut bar off.

The result?? AMAZING. The whole front end feels very composed, no more clunks.

It feels very new, not 100%, but very good. My upper and lower arms and ball joints are OK, not new but OK, no play. I guess the sway bar bushings could use replacement, and strut tower bushings too. But, overall, I am very happy, and the car feels very different. I am still trying to get used to it.


Good luck.

dashan

Did you need an alignment after replacing the strut rod?

Thanks

tbilisi79

I think I do. The wheels is a little off, just a little. I will have it done next weekend.

flat6toV8

I changed my bars and did not do an alignment afterwards. before you remove the old bars, make some witness marks on the alignment washers. When you reinstall, just put them in the same place.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

highly reccomended unless your alignment was PERFECT before you did the strut rods.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

The match marks work well when there are no tolerance issues or if re-installing the same part. On bushings that are worn and replaced with new, it is a high probability the alignment settings will change. $75 is well worth it to save the tires.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

$70 or less for me

i use JC autohouse out in temple city

only other guy than Cyrus id trust to do it would prolly be Darren over at West End but theres a long wait there

tcbted

tbilisi: Any tips on changing the shifter bulb?

tbilisi79

Very easy.
you need a small flat head screw driver.
Open arm rest, put the car in neutral, unscrew the shifter ****.
Using screw drver slowly, pry up the wooden panel near the cup holder, left side then right, then use hands pulling it backtowards the back of the car.
once the wood is off, you have to take off the black frame that is on top of the shifter, it snaps into a base of the shifter, so use the screwdriver again.
the bulb is under that black plastic frame that you take off.
buy the bulb from lexus as it comes with a green sleve for coloring, I doubt you willget the old one off in one peace.
good luck