Am I doing something wrong? front strut bar Q - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

dpanda88 · 06-10-2007, 06:45 PM

Well i'm helping my friend install his front strut bar which I gave him for his birthday. He has the exact same car as mine almost...his 97 camry LE v6(mines XLE hehe) anyways I tried to fit it into his car but the bar wouldnt go in. When I have one side with the 3 bolts in, the other side wouldnt go in except maybe 2 bolts while the 3rd hole is like about half a bolt size length before it can go in. What should I do?? I'm surely not going to force it. I also see on the bar that I can bend the side ends with the correct tool. Would this be the problem? That its not adjusted to the length? And if it is... Whats the tool called? Its look like a pentagon figure shaped end.

Thanks for the help.

touringcamry · 06-10-2007, 07:24 PM

What do you mean you can bend the side ends? Do you mean that the parts that bolt to the strut mounts are bolted to a bar in the middle and that you can loosen the nut and adjust the ends? If yes, just loosen the bolts, on both sides, and then tighten them down after you have the strut mount nuts tightened down.

As for the pentagon shaped thing....I'm not sure what you're talking about. Can you take a photo?

MIC0417 · 06-10-2007, 07:34 PM

Your hammer is a great friend, that's what you need to do to get it to fit. Just hammer the Strut brace while it's off and make it fit. If you don't want to do this then you won't have a strut brace so don't post back saying "I Don't want to hammer it"

trninhds · 06-10-2007, 08:03 PM

File the hole bigger, thats what I had to do...

Kevs Toy · 06-10-2007, 09:08 PM

Did you just start one side then torque them down? Make sure you start both sides first. I've actually heard of people doing that before

Venom_5 · 06-10-2007, 09:16 PM

sorry 2 jack, but u dont havta support the struts or anything when u add the strut bar right? you can just loosen the bolts and slip it on, right?

touringcamry · 06-10-2007, 10:51 PM

Just leave the car on the ground and take the three nuts off with an impact or breaker bar.

dpanda88 · 06-11-2007, 12:03 AM

I have gotten the bolts off the car with no problem. I was thinking about filing the one hole thats causing the problem. But if the filing doesnt work. How am i suppose to hammer in the bar? I just tried pushing with a bit of force but that bar wont budge. The bar is the TRD front strut for 97 camrys(eh well this is describing what bar is as I don't have the pic of it). I'll try some of the methods mentioned and hopefully can get it to fit.

Thanks for some tips guys.

touringcamry · 06-11-2007, 12:41 AM

Have you tried loosening the two bolts that hold the two ends to the bar? You are supposed to loosen those to allow the two ends to flex. When you have the two ends secured, only then do you tighten down those two bolts.

dpanda88 · 06-11-2007, 08:56 AM

that's EXACTLY what i meant when i said pentagon shaped end tool. That's the tool im looking for or trying to find the name of it.

Venom_5 · 06-11-2007, 09:02 AM

like an allen wrench? o.0

dpanda88 · 06-11-2007, 09:09 AM

eh thats the other end of the bolt thats on the bar but like ON the front theres a pentagon shaped end like i mentioned. The wrench will be to hold the bolt while I unscrew it from the other side. I'm going to the store today anyways to check out the tool and hopefully find it.

Venom_5 · 06-11-2007, 09:20 AM

can u take a picture cuz i dont think any of us so far have any idea what ur talking about, lol

dpanda88 · 06-11-2007, 10:52 AM

arghz ok.. ill have to go outside >_<

Kevs Toy · 06-11-2007, 04:46 PM

It's an allen head. I forget the size, prob. 14-17 mm. I fortunately had a brake caliper tool that worked for taht