BT Tech Strut Tower Brace install pictures and Text

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by Boo

I know. I'm being lapped left and right. In NYC, it's still too cold for my tastes to want to spend an hour outside installing the brace. But it's doable and I'm getting antsy. So my guess right now is that barring rain, the brace is going in on Thursday -- a mere 6 weeks after I received it.

Come on Boo, get a move on.

[cairo94507]

I installed my strut tower brace and it seems to have tightened up the front of the car. Turn-in seems better and the car feels more solid on the twisties. I commute through an 8 mile canyon road 4 days per week at an average of 50 MPH. I give this a "good improvement" rating.

[efusco]

Ok, folks, I got mine installed today.
It took me an hour and a half due to a few difficulties I encountered...mostly with reassembly.

I haven't driven with the strut brace yet so will reserve any comments about handling until later.

Fit and finish is exceptional.
Disassembly was quick and fairly easy after reviewing Gadgetdad's pictures and textual comments he links to in the first post of this thread. I intended to photograph my install, but frankly couldn't find much of anything that needed photographing b/c Gadgetdad covered all important aspects.

The only things I'd add to disassembly is that I didn't recall comments about releasing the clips at the forward edge of the plastic cowl from the metal pan beneath...that must be done before the plastic can be pulled forward and removed.

Also, releasing the clips holding the wire loom is best accomplished by pinching the expanding part of the clip inside the metal pan and levering the part on the outside of the pan with screw driver.

Assembly of the strut:
Very straight forward with one exception. The bending of sheet metal. On my driver's side the strut support didn't seat neatly (passenger side did). I couldn't get a decent angle to flatten out the sheet metal with just a screw driver. Ultimately I took a metal bar and a hammer and beat down the edge that was interfering.

Reassembly of the car:
This is where I got a bit frustrated.
I never got the forward-most driver's side screw for the metal pan to rethread...ultimately I stripped the end of the thing. I don't know what the issue was. If I were to do it again I'd put that one in first before putting any other screws in, even loosely. Ultimately I decided it wasn't that important and gave up. The rest went in fine.

Wiper motor assembly. Again, the middle/center screw was a PITA to thread. Put that one in first. I stripped one screw and had to use a different one to get that secured. It has to be secured so be careful. Proceed to the outer screws only after the middle is well threaded (but maybe not tightened all the way down to leave a little play to get the rest of the screws in.

Plastic cowl....another PITA. There are clips that go under the bottom edge of the wind shield...make sure you get those on first. Then try to get your 2 outside clips in place. Then make sure the clips on the underside of the forward edge clip back into the metal pan...I found that to be pretty difficult. It's really important that this plastic cowl goes on properly or you could have water leaks. For those of you with an '04 Prius you'll recall that there was a recall b/c of water leaking into the engine compartment causing leaks...they fixed that with a piece of weather stripping. But if you don't have that plastic cowl on just right you could get new leaks and new problems.

Wipers. Make sure the wipers rest where they're supposed to before tightening. Once you have them set I found it easier to seat the wiper on the bolts by lifting the arm up.

That's about all I can think of...the rest of the clips and parts and bolts went in easily.

[Boo]

Uh-oh. That's another 6 more weeks of winter for me and mine.

[BT Tech]

Thanks Evan for your detailed report. I am glad to see that you were able to install our strut tower brace without too much drama!!

Please let us know your impressions after you put some miles on it!!

Originally Posted by efusco

Ok, folks, I got mine installed today.
It took me an hour and a half due to a few difficulties I encountered...mostly with reassembly.

I haven't driven with the strut brace yet so will reserve any comments about handling until later.

Fit and finish is exceptional.
Disassembly was quick and fairly easy after reviewing Gadgetdad's pictures and textual comments he links to in the first post of this thread. I intended to photograph my install, but frankly couldn't find much of anything that needed photographing b/c Gadgetdad covered all important aspects.

The only things I'd add to disassembly is that I didn't recall comments about releasing the clips at the forward edge of the plastic cowl from the metal pan beneath...that must be done before the plastic can be pulled forward and removed.

Also, releasing the clips holding the wire loom is best accomplished by pinching the expanding part of the clip inside the metal pan and levering the part on the outside of the pan with screw driver.

Assembly of the strut:
Very straight forward with one exception. The bending of sheet metal. On my driver's side the strut support didn't seat neatly (passenger side did). I couldn't get a decent angle to flatten out the sheet metal with just a screw driver. Ultimately I took a metal bar and a hammer and beat down the edge that was interfering.

Reassembly of the car:
This is where I got a bit frustrated.
I never got the forward-most driver's side screw for the metal pan to rethread...ultimately I stripped the end of the thing. I don't know what the issue was. If I were to do it again I'd put that one in first before putting any other screws in, even loosely. Ultimately I decided it wasn't that important and gave up. The rest went in fine.

Wiper motor assembly. Again, the middle/center screw was a PITA to thread. Put that one in first. I stripped one screw and had to use a different one to get that secured. It has to be secured so be careful. Proceed to the outer screws only after the middle is well threaded (but maybe not tightened all the way down to leave a little play to get the rest of the screws in.

Plastic cowl....another PITA. There are clips that go under the bottom edge of the wind shield...make sure you get those on first. Then try to get your 2 outside clips in place. Then make sure the clips on the underside of the forward edge clip back into the metal pan...I found that to be pretty difficult. It's really important that this plastic cowl goes on properly or you could have water leaks. For those of you with an '04 Prius you'll recall that there was a recall b/c of water leaking into the engine compartment causing leaks...they fixed that with a piece of weather stripping. But if you don't have that plastic cowl on just right you could get new leaks and new problems.

Wipers. Make sure the wipers rest where they're supposed to before tightening. Once you have them set I found it easier to seat the wiper on the bolts by lifting the arm up.

That's about all I can think of...the rest of the clips and parts and bolts went in easily.

[Gadgetdad]

Originally Posted by efusco

Ok, folks, I got mine installed today.
It took me an hour and a half due to a few difficulties I encountered...mostly with reassembly.

I haven't driven with the strut brace yet so will reserve any comments about handling until later.
.

Glad you got the brace in and all back together OK! My install was on an 07. I wonder if there are any differences between the year models, as I didn't encounter any of the challenges you did. Your points are well taken for the pins on the plastic tray and the wiring harness.

Let us know what you think on the handling now!

Lee

[HardCase]

Originally Posted by patsparks

Every respect to BT Tech but I think Toyota have the crumple zone thing pretty right. I'm not planning to have a crash either.

Very few crashes are planned.

[Boo]

Originally Posted by patsparks

Every respect to BT Tech but I think Toyota have the crumple zone thing pretty right. I'm not planning to have a crash either.

Originally Posted by HardCase

Very few crashes are planned.

Don't know much about this stuff, but it seems to me that given the location and apparent strength of the strut tower brace: (1) it will not interfere with proper, impact-absorbing crumpling, and (2) it will only help in stopping intrusions into the interior cage.

[Pinto Girl]

Originally Posted by cairo94507

I installed my strut tower brace and it seems to have tightened up the front of the car. Turn-in seems better and the car feels more solid on the twisties. I commute through an 8 mile canyon road 4 days per week at an average of 50 MPH. I give this a "good improvement" rating.

I'm thinking more and more about this one. My car does seem to have a mild case of the jitters over uneven pavement; the weighty 16" Bridgestone RE01's aren't helping any, either, I suppose.

As far as the brace's effect on the car's deformable structure, I think the best we can do is speculate.

[Boo]

Originally Posted by Pinto Girl

I'm thinking more and more about this one. My car does seem to have a mild case of the jitters over uneven pavement; the weighty 16" Bridgestone RE01's aren't helping any, either, I suppose.

I thought you put TOMs braces on yours?