Hey everyone I'm getting a used Stillen FSTB tomorrow and I doubt that it's going to have the instructions on how much torque I need for the bolts and anything else on installing it. Anyone wanna help a brotha out? Thanks!

 

Three 14mm front strut nuts. The torque specification is 29-40 ft/lbs...35 is fine('95-'98). If you have a '99 maxima,the nuts are 22 or 23mm.

 

Thanks for the help, now I just need to find a torque wrench somewhere!!

 

Few options on torque wrench's. Auto parts stores sometimes rent them out. Perhaps Sears, X-mas is coming and you'll need a torque wrench for your springs/struts install

And I don't agree but... Sears has a good return policy too, if you catch my drift.

 

Ha ha, the funny thing is I used to work for them, so I might just have to go that route and um, take em up on that offer. Although I might just go to napa down from where I work and see if I might be able to rent one for the day. Decisions, decisions....

 

I got my "used" Stillen bar in the mail today. . . I appreciate this thread as I would have had to ask the questions also. . . Oh I also read somewhere else that the bolts that connect the bar to the supports are suppoed to be torqued to 25-30 ft/lbs. Is this correct? I was expecting it to make a slight difference in the way the car cornered, but I didn't realize how much. This is really a great mod.

 

I've had my '97 SE 5spd, stock, for about 6 months. Its been a peppy fun drive, handled pretty well, but did't feel that great. Lotsa weird lean, sorta unpredictable.

With helpful advice here on the board, I ordered a FSTB from Courtesy and, today, installed it. Wow! This really tightens up the car and it feels a lot better. In fact, now I can feel the lean in the tires whereas before there was just too much other stuff going on to make much sense of anything. Great mod thanks!

I have some sorta questions.

- I assume that the right thing to do was to tighten everything related to the FSTB. No instructions came with the it. So, as suggested here, I torqued the strut nuts to 35#, that felt right. I also tightened the lock nuts at the end of the strut bars by feel. And also tightend the allen bolt and nut that hold the brace to the bar by feel. Didn't make much sense to leave these loose as the whole idea is to make a structural box. Right?

- The right side brace was touching what I think is the heater water return. So I shaved of about 1/8" of the brace. It seems that leaves plenty of metal. Good idea?

- The bar touches some small hoses or cables that I think are the throttle cable and other stuff in that area. I'm going to get some foam padding and push it under the bar so that it doesn't rub thru these. Good idea?

 

Anyone know how much a Torque Wrench goes for?????

I think it will be a pretty useful investment, you need to torque every damn thing on the car, wheel lugs, strut bolts blah blah blah...
how much for a really cheap one?

 

There have been complaints about the cost of torque wrenches. The Snap-on #QT3R250 1/2" drive adjustable click-type torque wrench costs $268. That might be affordable for the professional technician but is out of reach for most home mechanics.

Several mail-order and Web-based companies sell a Chinese copy for much less money. These imported tools are less accurate than the Snap-on, but are good enough for most purposes.

Harbor Freight Tools sells their 1/2" drive adjustable click-type torque wrench (item number 00239) for $19.99 + s/h. Sometimes they put this item on sale for $9.99 + s/h. They ran this sale earlier this month, but now it is over. Maybe they will repeat it soon.

I have had one of these inexpensive wrenches for about two years and use it mostly for tightening wheel lug nuts. If everyone used a torque wrench for lug nuts we would read fewer posts complaining of warped rotors.

This is not spam. I have no connection with Harbor Freight other than being a satisfied customer. http://www.harborfreight.com

 

At Autozone you can get one for $10 non-adjustable and I think $30 for the adjustable. If you need it for a day or two, they can loan you one for a deposit of I think how much their torque wrench was, which I think was a lot like $90 for an adjustable. I recently needed a torque wrench for my spark plugs and I ended buying the $10 wrench becuase I didn't have enough for the loaner.

 

I thought this post looked a little familiar. It's from Dec of 2000...

 

Well I jumped on that sale they had earlier this month. (can't go wrong for only $20...) I think they have the 3/8 inch drive torque wrench on sale now for pretty cheap too. Although the link from the 1/2 inch drive still says $16.99, the price listed there is only $8.49!!!

Here's the 3/8 inch one...
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/taf...itemnumber=807

 

anyone know where i can find a used stillen FTSB? there dont seem to be any in the wanted forum

 

I think they have them for around 10 bucks (needlepoint).
I believe one of them also has a smaller ratchet torque wrench for 16 or so.
Sears has craftsman one for $20. (needle)
Good thing about that one is that you can reseal it as new and return. But torque wrench is something you use for a lot of repairs, so I don't see much reason to do that.

 

Another reason is that it is dishonest. Sears is a store, not a lending library.