GTE4Life

iTrader: (6)

I just got my TRD MKIV supra strut bar and i was looking at the instrctions (in japanese...which i can't uderstand) and it looks like they tell you to take the metal large rings off of the strut towers and then place three washers (provided with the bar) under the TRD strut bar when you put it on. They say to use the thinner 0.9mm ones on the outside 2 bolts and the thicker 1.6mm thick ones on the inner four bolts (why the difference in thickness...i have no idea).

My question is are the washers necessary? In my mind i would think that having the large contact are of the bottom the the strut bar in contact with the tower would be better than only having the pressure on the threesmall washers, just like the factory large metal ring, it had a large contact area?

I am GTE swapped so manifold clearance is not an issue, i just want the most rigid and best setup possible.

Thanks for the help.

SoupFlies

I would assume that they have methods to their madness.
(nice to see another Coloradan)
The outer washers being thinner than the inner does make sense to me though, because I don't think that the towers are flat, I think they are sloped, lower on the inside.

A quip from the following link:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...d-metal-things

I always use washers when supplied, especially on painted things. That's just my 2 cents.

GTE4Life

iTrader: (6)

Ya the difference in thickness makes me wonder too. I also strongly believe in using washers on nearly all fasteners, what has me confused on the TRD bar is it looks like the instructions tell you to place the wahsers UNDER the strut bar and they have no recomendation for washers on top of the strut bar mount. I am leaning towards going to the hardware store and getting some good washers for the top and removing the large factory metal ring and installing the bar with no washers UNDER it and some good large washers on top.

megamax

iTrader: (9)

so, what did you wind up doing??

1sWt2GS

iTrader: (6)

I left the metal plate it's fine