I purchased a ebay strut bar, now i know it's no science to put it on, the only question, i dont have a torque wrench, is it really that much of a problem if i dont tighten it to exactly 35-38 pounds or can i just do it till it's tight enough, i read that i could **** my car up, rather not do that, but due to funds, i rather not buy a torque wrench

 

just buy the torque wrench. i remember getting one form walmart for 20 bucks.

 

be safe....torque it.

 

Rent one from advance auto parts if there's one in your area.

 

I wouldnt worry that much about using a torque wrench to do the install, even though it is nice to know everything is torqued to the right specs. Just make sure everything is snugged.

 

i mea ntaht's what im thinkin, didnt tink of renting one though, prob b cheap...guess i'll hit up the local home depot..rent it for 10 minutes, lmao

 

It's normally free to rent tools from an auto parts store.

 

Speaking of strut bars.....has anyone of you lost the locking nut that bolts the bar to the mounting legs? I bought my FSTB used from an org member and we removed it from his car and installed it in mine. The other day, I noticed that the passenger side is missing. I can't find it and I don't understand why it would come off. It seems as though it was never put back to begin with. Anyhow, i was comparing that nut to the nut for the strut mounting bolts and they seem identical. I will remove one this weekend and try it on the strut bar to see if it fits. Does anyone have another idea?

 

Just torque it to spec... investing in a good torque wrench for this and other uses down the road isn't a bad thing either.

 

true, thnx for the input guys...you know,sometimes need that extra push to not be cheap

 

whats da torque spec for the strut bar? sorry to hijack ur thread...but what r the torques specs for the 3 bolts under the hood for the strut assembly? im tired of hearing mechanics at differents shops tell me different specs.

 

39-54 N-m according to the FSM (1999).

 

to be honest with you, i wouldnt worry about torquing it to spec.

I didn't, and it's been working fine for me. If you want, I have a torque wrench you can borrow.

 

I torque everything down to spec simply because it's a habit I started a long time ago...
Alot of the time i'm doing stuff not in my garage and i'll forget to get my torque wrench so i'll just tighten it till it feels right.. haha

A good torque wrench is something that you should definitely invest in... Don't get any crappy walmart sears or pep boys special stuff.... Matco, Snap-on, Cornwell, etc... names you can trust.

Mike

 

my craftsman works great for me........i also woulndt worry about torquing to spec.....other things yes but not a strut bar as long as nolts are snug....i would re-cehck them after driving a little bit

 

werd!!

 

I personally never torqued anything to spec. I just go by the general rule of, "quarter turn after snug" for small or delicate parts and "tighten it good" for larger things. Seems to work for me.

 

And I still say torque it to spec. Just because it has "worked fine" for others, doesn't guarantee that nothing will go wrong for you because some people have better "feel" for torque that others, but that is your decision.

 

Whats wrong with a sears crafts man torque wrench? They have a lifetime guarentee.

 

i like craftsman stuff. if you ever break anything, just take it to any sears and they'll replace it on the spot. don't even need to show a receipt.

the higher you torque, the more effect you'll get from the strut bar, but be sure to stay within the spec range.