Yesterday I spent 45 minutes in the freezing cold hacksawing off that damn bracket that comes with the '99 models so that my new FSTB will fit. And now I have to look for a torque wrench. Can anyone tell me the size for the 6 bolts on the strut towers. I read on Cheston's site that it was 19" and somewhere else it said 23".

 

Wow 23mm is really big. I don't think it should be that size. I have a 95 max and the nuts were only 14 mm. The nuts are really easy to remove with a torque wrench, considering how long it is. I bought the torque wrench at a local sears. I got the beam style torque wrench, which is much cheaper than the micrommeter ones and still works as well. Again the nuts cannot be 23mm, so I think chestons website is right.

 

My 95 max used 14mm bolts, but my 98 I30 has much bigger bolts,maybe 19 or 21mm. I am not really sure but the bolts looked just like my lug nut bolts haha,at first I thought it was a mistake.

 

Your post did not identify the make of your new FSTB.

Yesterday I installed a Courtesy FSTB on my '99 GXE. There was no need to disturb that bracket in any way. The FSTB end plate had a notch which cleared the bracket perfectly. However, the '99-up Maxima uses those large acorn nuts on the strut towers. Courtesy Nissan is just plain wrong when they tell the customer to re-use the six large acorn nuts in their original positions. Can't be done. The solution is to replace the two "inboard" acorn nuts with standard hex nuts. Once you do that, everything works as it should and the finished installation looks good.

The size of the nuts you need to buy is M10x1.25. You need only two.

 

Daniel, I bought the same FSTB that is sold by streat-beat but from a local shop. I only paid $50 Canadian which I think is like $35US. There wasn't a notch on mine so I had to hacksaw the bracket off. When you said that you had to change the two acorn nuts to hex nuts, what was the reason for that? Thanks.

 

Daniel, I bought the same FSTB that is sold by streat-beat but from a local shop. I only paid $50 Canadian which I think is like $35US. There wasn't a notch on mine so I had to hacksaw the bracket off. When you said that you had to change the two acorn nuts to hex nuts, what was the reason for that? Thanks.

 

Daniel, is that your first mod? I remember you stating not too long ago that your car was completely stock.

 

The large acorn nuts obstructed the hole for the FSTB plate bolts. You could install one or the other, but not both.

 

Yes, this is the first mod. I'm not a "go fast" guy, so why did I install this mod? Because it was a gift from a friend. To paraphrase a famous proverb: You don't look a gift strut bar in the mouth.

 

Daniel, if you gave out your address on this forum you would then have one of the most modded Maxes in the .org bc you have many friends here who would flood your snailmailbox with mods!

Enjoy the FSTB my friend!

By the way, what is your opinion of the UDP mod?

 

My street beats FSTB will be in the mail today. What kind of torque wrench do I need (size) and where can I borrow one?
Thanks.

 

the bolt size for the 96 is 14mm, so get the 14 mm socket for the torque wrench. I got my beam style torque wrench at sears and it cost me 25 bucks. I am not sure where can borrow one. You can buy it, us it, then return...hehe.

 

I have no first-hand experience with the UDP. IMHO the lighter weight of the pulley is insignificant. Its value lies in the fact that it delivers less engine power to the accessory loads (P/S pump, alternator, A/C).

Along that line, here's an idea for a mod which doesn't exist, at least not that I know about. Suppose you had an electric clutch, similar to the clutch on the A/C compressor, on a standard diameter crankshaft pulley. That would allow you to reduce the accessory load by 100% for the short duration of a race, and permit normal operation at all other times. I'd like that better than an undersize pulley.

 

Was it 35 lbft?
Also, did the sears wrench come with the 14'socket?

 

The torque specification is 35 foot-pounds. Torque wrenches do not come with a socket attached. You use one from your metric socket set.

There are two basic styles of torque wrench: the bending beam and the clicker. The bending beam is the kind with a pointer, and is inexpensive. I've seen them at garage sales for as little as $1. The clicker is superior in those awkward physical situations where you can't readily see the pointer and its scale.

 

Hi. I got the sears torque wrench and 14mm socket.
Nice thing about the sears wrench is that you can reseal the plastic packaging to as new. Tomorrow, this puppy is going back to Sears

 

This is nothing to be proud of. You are stealing.

 

I see this more as borrowing.
They get their torque wrench back good as new.
It's not like I need a torque wrench around anyways.

 

Nathan and how is the quality of the bar is a strong solid bar, have any pics??

Thanks

 

JC unfortunitly I didn't take any picture yet. The weather has been bad the past few days. I think the bar is pretty good quality considering it only costed me $50 Canadian. There are a few minor dents or scratches in the bar but once its on the car you don't notice it. I took the car on a highway onramp yesterday and I found a slight improvement in handling.

 

Hey Daniel, when I installed the FSTB the other day, there was no problem with the acorn nuts obstructing the hole for the FSTB plate bolts. I guess the bar I got is different than the courtesy one. I also bought a 1/2" torque wrench from Sears as well as a 23mm bit that fit a little loose but still did the job.