I purchased a Courtesy ftsb but not sure if i should adjust the bar pushing the struts away from each other or pulling towards each other. Does it make a difference? Also the bar is pushing up against the insulation blanket. Do you think it will hurt the hood at all, maybe damage the hinges or cause the hood to fold a little with time?
Help I love my max, dont wanna mess it up.

 

Well You dont want to pull the strut tops together or push them apart. Just make sure there is NO movement once the FSTB is installed, such as the top bar should not wingle or move from side to side.

Pulling or Pushing the strut tops will cause a mis-alignment in the tires.

As far for the FSTB pushing against the Hood protector, no problem as long as it aint cutting off the line to the washer nozzles, some people on the board complained about that.

 

ok, i did that no side to side play but the bar still has some twist play in it. is that ok?

 

Twist play is fine.

 

I just installed mine. It only took 15 minutes. No play at all. Just tighten the crome nuts on the bar itself to eliminate "twist play".

 

While we're on the subject.

Did you guys take off the black metal rings on top of the strut towers when you installed the bar. When I installed it first with the rings on and FSTB brackets on top of the rings - bar rubbed against the liner and was cutting of the driver side nozzle. I've readjusted the hose and it worked OK since. So about two weeks ago I decided to re-tighten the bar and also took the black rings off. Now the bar desn't rub against the hood liner as much and nozzle works fine when I put the hose back where it used to be before the bar install. So the question is should I put the rings back on or the bar brackets alone should the the job fine (whatever the function of it is) ?

 

there should be no twist at all...thats why there is a bolt on each side of the bar in between the strut tower and the start of the bar where the screw part is...tighten those bolts up as tight as you can and it won't wiggle...you should be able to pull on the bar if your car is in park in an auto and have it rock back and forth or you should be able to pull the car with the bar if your manual is in neutral