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Strut bar install without torque wrench

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Old May 10, 2005 | 09:29 PM
  #1  
killerVQ30DE's Avatar
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Strut bar install without torque wrench

Can't wait to put my front strut bar on tonight, but I'm worried about torquing the bolts without a torque wrench.... Can you just tighten hard and back off a 1/4 like i've heard?
Old May 10, 2005 | 09:34 PM
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Personally I would wait for the torque wrench.
Old May 10, 2005 | 10:01 PM
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Just buy a torque wrench. I picked one up at Pep Boys for not much more than $20 dollars. It is a handy tool to have, especially when working on the car.
Old May 10, 2005 | 10:21 PM
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yeah, if you do'nt have the torque wrench as part of your toolset, time to buy one.
Old May 10, 2005 | 10:36 PM
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i have seen one in repco for under 3o dollars i think it was. i didnt use a torque wrench on mine ?
Old May 10, 2005 | 11:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Ceasars Chariot
i have seen one in repco for under 3o dollars i think it was. i didnt use a torque wrench on mine ?
Yeah repco it is then.. thanks guys

btw, I had a crack at the bolts tonight, think I'll need either a breaker bar or some penetrating oil there pretty stuck. 235kms on the clocks probably helped
Old May 10, 2005 | 11:35 PM
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man you might have to drop by someplace with some high dollar tools and let them power drive them off, lol ! just to loosen them up
Old May 11, 2005 | 05:43 AM
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I bought a torque wrench at Autozone for 10 dollars. It'll come in handy for a lot of other things too.
Old May 11, 2005 | 05:48 AM
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Torque Wrench

I installed my strut bar with no torque wrench, they are strut bolts, IMO they should be a tight as an air wrench can make them.
Old May 11, 2005 | 05:52 AM
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I didn't have a torque wrench either, but do now. I just took a 1ft wrench and put about half my body weight against it, boom 75ft-lbs.
Old May 11, 2005 | 06:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Chris99SE
I installed my strut bar with no torque wrench, they are strut bolts, IMO they should be a tight as an air wrench can make them.
You couldn't be more wrong. Spec is only 30 ft-lbs which I believe is about 1/10 of what an air wrench could do.

From the maxima.org modifications page:

"WARNING.. bling! bling! When you're putting back the three nuts, DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN! Torque to 30 pounds +/- 2. You do not want to have the bolts stripped. If you have them too tight, when you corner hard, you might rip the bolts off, so be smart. don't over tighten"
Old May 11, 2005 | 06:58 AM
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you don't need to tq it down. but it is a good idea.
Old May 11, 2005 | 07:22 AM
  #13  
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so wats the correct lb to torque it too 30 or what cause i even read one time as low as 14
Old May 11, 2005 | 07:27 AM
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I thought it was more like 40 lb/ft for a 4th gen?
I definitely suggest using a torque wrench...I have seen someone break off the bolt and it was not fun having to replace the strut mount.

You can probably rent for free a torque wrench from autozone or pepboys.
Old May 11, 2005 | 08:00 AM
  #15  
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i believe its 34lb for the fstb
Old May 11, 2005 | 09:11 AM
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29-40 lb/ft per the FSM.
Old May 11, 2005 | 10:37 AM
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Originally Posted by BLaKtOut
...i even read one time as low as 14
I think that's the rear.
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