Tony

Hi to anyone out there
I am new to this modification stuff to cars and noticed everyone here has put on the strut tower braces. I have a 99 GS 400 with 17 inch chrome wheels. Im not much of a aggressive driver but would like to stiffen the chassis a little.
1) Where can you buy these strut tower braces?
2) Are they hard to install, can a non savy mechanic like me do it himself? I saw pictures of the rear strut brace and dont understand how you figure out where to cut through the inside trunk to match both strut towers up for the brace. Do these come with instructions?

I know I sound like a idiot with this but I really am not mechanically inclined. I dont want to pay the dealer if I dont have to.

Thanks for any help.

GS4Will

tony,

welcome.... steve ganz/aka supratrd here of carson toyota sells few excellent brands of rstb, you should contact him..18009086968

one of our wheel gurus, manaray install the ugos bar himself and did an excellent write -up on the procedures. do a search here, and good luck..

Tony

Thanks for the reply I will call him Monday to order the parts. Can't find any articles on the installation of the rear strut tower bar though in the search feature.

Intellexual

Tony,

Here is Manaray's install:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...hlight=ugo+stb



My question about everyone doing their own DIY Front/Rear STB's is how do you know how much to torque the bolts back down?

I think most people are doing it by "feel", which isn't necessarily as good as actually torquing them down to factory specs using a torque wrench.

Anyone know the factory torque numbers for the front and rear strut bolts and can post them? Thanks, I'd appreciate it.

Tony

Thanks
Intellexual man I have been doing searches for an hour

Tony

Tony

That is a good question, how much torque is enough for these bolts? I wonder if Manaray knows the answer.

///MDex

Hey Tony

Here's my post: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...go+and+install

I actaully used Manaray's post since the instructions are in Japanese, but the install is pretty intuitive.

Between his and mine, you should have enough to handle it easily yourself.

1. Patience
2. Hex key wrench - can't remember the size off the top of my head
3. Box cutter to cut slits in trunk liner

The rear is kind of a PITA, but still easy enough to do yourself

HTH

Tony

Great pics on your UGO, your bar looks way thicker than Manarays pictures, did they change the style of the rear stb.

Was it hard to pull the liner out? it basically looks like one big piece like a bowl.

Thanks Dexter

Tony

P.S. Have you seen the show Dexter's laboratory cartoon I have a kid and we watch together.

Tony

By the way for anyone, I called steve and he will look up the torque specs for the strut bar brace bolts for us. As soon as he gives them to me I will post it here.

Tony

///MDex

Nope; when I first installed mine, I the bar oriented vertically, instead on horizontally; I switched it.

Yeah, it comes out as one pic piece; remove it carefully since some of teh horizontal planes are stapled to the vertical ones, and you'll need to squeeze it a little to remove it all at once.

Yep - he's cool

Tony

Hey Tony,

41ft lb to torque them down!!!

thanks

Steve Ganz

Tony

I cant believe it, I just got my GS400 wrecked by a hit and run, they caught the biotch but the car is never gonna be the same again I'm sure. I just bought the front and rear tower brace bars and was gonna install them this weekened.


Fu#*
just my luck. I guess I wont be posting for a while until they either total my car or fix my baby.

Tony

///MDex

No words will help Tony.

Good luck with your repairs. Ask here if any questions pop up; there are a few up us here who have gone through similar situations.