TRD USA front strut brace installation for 01 Corolla

TRD USA front strut brace installation for 01 Corolla

Just got my two point TRD strut brace for my 01 Corolla CE. Only mods thus far are K & N drop-in air filter. Within the next few weeks I'll have a set of Sport Edition D5's mounted with General Evertrek H-rated 195/60's (essentially similar to General Altimax tires).

Is there any trick to installing the TRD front strut brace? Un-bolt the stock towers and put it in place and re-torque to specs? I haven't had a close look at my front strut towers so not sure about nuts/bolts/washers etc. My suspension, struts and strut mounts are stock originals.....for now

Anybody?

yes, it's just as easy as you've described. it's like a 10-15 minute install.

I would venture to say 5 minutes if you have quick hands. There's no need to torque the towers exactly to spec. It's supposed to be a little tighter than hand tight with a socket wrench.

Perfect. Sounds good. Thanks. Now I have an excuse to clean the Engine compartment a bit more. Can't have a nice sparkling TRD strut brace in there without cleaning it up in there.

Worth it to grease the threads on the bolts? Or bad idea? I guess when I go to put it on I'll see how hard it is to remove the nuts/bolts.

P.S. Is there much difference in performance between the two-point TRD strut brace I picked up and a 3 point strut brace? I noticed, after I ordered my brace, that there are some 3 point braces which mount in the middle on the firewall. I imagine they perform a little better. I guess the difference isn't that great. I'll never be racing this car. I'm just doing gradual upgrades to improve the handling.

you'll be fine with it as long as you don't think you're Speed Racer.

I'm going to install it now. Just undid the bolts, rag-cleaned the surfaces and bolts, washers.

Do I re-use the washers when I put my strut brace on? Doesn't look like there is much room, and, it wouldn't make much sense to install the washers below, since it would transfer the stress up the threads of the bolts.Doesn't look like there is an aweful lot of thread room on the bolts.

EDIT - Well that spoils my fun for today. The TRD strut brace won't quite fit over the tops of the bolts. I tried to get it on, but I'm not thinking it's a good idea to take a hammer to it and ruin the threads on the bolts and the machined/anodized hole edges. I think I'll have to put the cars front end up on jacks to take some weight off the struts. Perhaps after I get the tires mounted on the rims I'll put the car up on jacks to mount the wheels and do the strut brace at the same time.

When i mounted mine i didnt have any washers so yeah. but i wouldnt worry too much about it.. just install no washers to get max thread on the nut.lol if anything ask rollatuner about it cuz he knows much more than i do

Ok. Did yours mount ok just removing the nuts while car sat normally? When I tried this, it didn't work as the strut mount holes were off by about 1 mm or more. I am sure I could get it on there, but I would have to use a hammer and surely damage the threads of the bolts and the inside diameters of the strut bolt holes.

I will try to raise the car up and put it on jacks to see if that helps. BTW....my car has never been in an accident, apart from somebody hitting my rear bumper at 5 miles an hour while I wasn't moving. Anyhow, my car has definitely never been in a front end accident.

I don't know if I should use the original washers. Perhaps I could use thinner washers.

yeah, i missed that last night. jack up the front of the car.

what they said... but mine just popped in.. had to bend it SLIGHTLY but i didnt have to raise it..

Use crush washers if you're concerned about damaging the finish.

Not worried about finish. Just concerned about nuts remaining tight.

That's what she said.