Got my Tanabe strut bar from www.houseofscion.com today. I was bored, so I decided to install it. My install isnt detailed (come on, its a strut bar. if you cant figure how to install one, then you shouldnt be working on cars.), rather its just to highlight the bar's features.

First, I had to get this POS out of the way (turbo gasket blown = exhaust leak, so slow boost and it sounds awful).


Second, move the car in, jack up the car alittle (to unload front suspension. i'm lowered so check the wooden block under the tires ).


Third, remove strut bolts with car slightly jacked up (tires are not off the ground). The tanabe bar comes with washers to mount under the plates, and replacement lock nuts. My car has Tein ssp coilovers, so the studs maybe longer than stock.


Fourth, follow included instructions to mount bar assembly. The bar is alittle narrow, so the end links thead in about 1/2 inch on each side. I was concerned at first, but after you torque everything down, its all stiff/firm/tight/etc.


Finished Product.


The 2 money pits.


Overall thoughts about the bar.
-I suspect the center section of the bar is probably used for other vehicle applications (cheaper to make one general, than multiple lenghts for different cars). I hope its not the same center bar as those $30 ebay strut bars, because it looks like one (except red).
-Despite the low threading, the bar is very stiff. The whole car shakes when I yank at it. I'm not worried. You can always buy longer threaded fittings from a specialty hardware store.
-Comes with washers to mount under the plates, so it sits perfect.
-The wiring behind the intake tube rubs against the bar, but the wires are loose so they can be moved. Tanabe does include some wrapping to cover these items in case youre concerned, but I'm not using it.
-For the price (cheaper than hotchkis and dc), I'm not complaining. I recommend it.

In case youre wondering, thats grounding kit from Groundfusion.com. They have a special going on in the sponsered sales section.

 

good job man! looking good....

 

I have the chrome tanabe bar. do you hear a ticking sound sometime when your at idle..I did and I took it to the dealer and he said that the evaporater thing(I'm not sure what it is) that make like a TICKING sound and since its touching the bar it sounds like its inside.It was kida weird but I moved those wires and that solved that problem

 

dood ur just like me..you have ur sweet weekend car aka the silvia and ur daily driver the tC..except my weekend cars consst of a 180sx, a silvia, and a hachi, the corolla is mine the other 2 are friends cars and we all go out and drive eachothers cars on the weeknds and ____

 

mMm interesting...

 

If you don't mind me asking, what did it cost you? I bought the DC because it was the cheapest I could find at $86 shipped. If you beat that, I'd be interested.

 

$86 shipped for the dc bar is awesome. i've been looking around for a strut bar for 3 weeks until today. the dc bar looks too industrial, so i held out for the tanabe. the cheapest i found the dc was 105 shipped with california sales tax. i got the tanabe for $89.85, but i picked it up (houseofscion is close by).

 

im tempted to get a strut bar now...

-taek

 

Ptuning.com regularly has the DC bar for $91.95 and free shipping. There was some sort of small discount (ScionLife related) when I bought mine, which brought the total to $86.40. Their website shows them as "on order", same as when I bought mine... they emailed me when it was in stock, I paid, and the item arrived 3 days later. Highly recommended.

They also have the lowest price on the AEM underhood stuff I've seen anywhere...

 

I installed my Tanabe bar a few days ago but I have a few concerns. Does the center piece at all have to be centered? Mines slightly to the right and I was thinking about readjusting it. I kinda wanna redo it since I didnt have a whole lot of time the first time.

 

did u take out the plastic cover where it covers the mounts for the strut bar? if so how do u remove it?

 

A whole thread on strut bars and nobody mentions if it made an improvement in performance?

 

i didnt notice a damn difference, but i drive like a grandma (under 4K rpm, under 30 mph turns, etc).

 

oh I noticed a diff. but I'm used to it now.. a lot tighter in the turns

 

does anyone know if this strut bar will work with the WR engine damper?

 

How do you remove the plastic cover to get to the bolts.

 

very nice

 

Is this a good first mod to do? Or is there other suspension work that would be a better first step? I am new to this stuff and obviously the front and rear bars are pretty cheap - is it worth it or should I look at something else? The front strut seems pretty straightforward to install, what about rear sway?

 

 

You pulled a post from the past just to do this????



Mine is chrome, instead of the red...