My 2012 Prius Plus Kit installed

Thanks bro. I have always been into simple modding. But most of it not on my own. I've fully bolted out an 07 Civic Si, 08 Mazdaspeed 3, and (you guys won't know these two) a 2003 Toyota Runx Z Aerotourer and a '97 Toyota Glanza V. In fact the Glanza was putting down close to 200whp and embarrassing all kinds of Evos and Sti's. My M3 is the first car I've ever bought that I didn't do some kind of modding to. And even that has on different wheels, spacers and a bunch of other cosmetic mods. Just kinda want to buy something I love enough to "just drive" these days. But I'm happy to do simple things to make the Prius more appealing to the eye and also more fuel economical. I won't do a single thing that goes against the true beauty of the machine, i.e. mpg's. That's why i won't go with the 5 Axis kit, or bigger wheels, no matter how blingy they look.
Would gladly get into another project that gives me the opportunity to use my new drill like a boss tho

 

U know that ur new drill can also serve as a power screw driver? Got any lose screws

 

Ah springs aren't that nutty to install The fun part is when you are loosening that nut on the top of the strut and all of a sudden the long factory spring takes off across the garage looking to nail sumthin good Then you have to go find the nut and other small parts that just took a flying lesson Spring compressors work wonders.

Mike

 

Yeh yeh! I discovered that and used it quite a bit as such during this project . I got plenty loose screws!

 

lolol...You have now erased even the tiny dream I could have of possibly doing that install myself. It's all good though. Made me laugh first time today.

 

Yea springs are a serious install. The front ones on this car anyhow. The bottom two strut bolts are torqued real tight like yank your shoulder out tight. I remember back in the '80's me & my cousin working on his Shelby Charger changing springs. It took both of us on the torque wrench just to get it to click Those were some tight nice person bolts holding the struts to the spindles. We didn't own a spring compressor back then so the method to remove the long factory springs was to let 'em fly, and oh man did they put some dents in the garage sheetrock We learned after loosing some parts to let them fly into a cleaned out corner so we could pick up the loose pieces to put them back together with the shorter springs.

You could do the rear swaybar as long as you have a pair of jack stands so you don't end up real skinny if the jack settles down once you are under the car. Again years ago we didn't own jack stands so we used to pile firewood under the car so we knew it wasn't gonna flatten one of us out if the jack failed. Both of us are still hear today to tell stories, so sumthin must'a worked fine

Mike

 

Haha, u had that happen? I just used my impact wrench laid into my chest when removing the bolt........was surprised at the kick.......next time will just run to auto zone & get their spring compressor loaner tool.

SCRWGas5, the sway bar is prob a eaiser install than the plus body kit. As Mike mentioned, a good pair of jack stands should be used & since ur under there its only 4 more bolts to losing to swap the rear springs. The front however will require the removal of the windshield wiper & the entire tray the wiper motor sits on. It being ur first time it looks like alot of work, but its really only about a 15min job to gain access to the strut bolts.

We can walk u through the entite process if u'd like.

 

Oh funny Sounds like a challenge...

Way back in the old school days we couldn't afford an air impact so we used the hammer impact to break bolts loose then the trusty wrench while wearing leather gloves. We did a few cars that way. Not particularly safe but got-r-done

Question since you have seen the strut towers in the Prius, how close are the towers to the firewall and are they attached to the firewall if real close?

Mike

 

I believe there's a good 1/2 a foot to a full foot between the firewall & the strut tower.

 

So plenty enough reason to have a strut tower brace. Me thinkin I should buy one. Suppose I could wait until X-Mas and let my wife buy one for me. Getting close to the time to put my car away until spring so no real reason to install one for a months worth of driving.

Mike

 

once installed with tannabe's strut tower brace, you lose access to your fuse box. the bar blocks the box from being opened. you could cut the box in half or something. theres a few pictures here that show the problem. i didnt know until i installed it.

 

That would be an issue Thanks for the heads up

Mike

 

Holy hell that's good looking out. I assume that will be the case for all front strut braces. Any other companies make one for us? Like TRD perhaps? I'm trying to keep it all Toyota/TRD if I can. I'm not that crazy about fully bracing this thing up tho

 

Only the Tanabe STB has this issue.

 

The more braces the less chance of getting rattles & squeaks later on. With time, a vehicle loosens up from chassis flex. Brace it up well when it is new and come back here in 5 years and tell us how rattle free it still is. I've done that with other vehicles and had a nice tight vehicle for many years. The best bracing would be a full cage but I doubt you'd want to go that nuts

Mike

 

Can I ask how you integrate your fuelly into your signature on here?
Also, question. Fuelly describes the difference between tracking by odometer and tracking by trip distance. Under odometer, they state if you choose that, you won't get mpg numbers with your first fill up. But subsequent ones you will. My question is, how on earth can putting in my trip number on the first fill up get fuelly my mpg for that tank when I don't know how much fuel I put in THAT tank. Am I not to put in the fuel I am putting into THIS tank? Confused about that.

 

Go to your Fuelly page and look down to the lower right for "Share Your MPG" and click it. It then tells you what text to enter into your signature on the forum. As far as that ODO setting, good question. I use actual tank mileage Easier that way I think.

Mike

 

what are you thoughts: ground effects kit black on a BP? or stick with BP with BP.

i have a bp solar roof with cf hood + ... black bumper + black aero kit? too much black?

 

Might be too much black. If you can do something on your computer to see your car with those parts in black, then post a pic. Otherwise old school would be to print a picture of your car now and take a black marker to it

Mike

 

I don't have anything saying "share your MPG." Maybe it's cause I haven't filled up yet. And what is "actual tank mileage"? I assume you mean the trip odometer which you reset at each fill up. I'm gonna use that too because I do always reset it. What I don't understand is how fuelly can use that data to give me an MPG after I fill up the first time. Since it has no clue how much gas I put in last time to get the quoted current mile reading? Maybe to clarify you can tell me exactly what data you are referring to when you fill out your fuelly.
Eg. When you fill in the "number of gallons of gas", you're not filling in how much you put in last time are u? You're putting in how much you JUST filled up with I assume? Yet, the miles you are quoting, are miles you achieved off the LAST tank of gas. This is why I'm confused I think. Maybe I'm too dumb for fuelly.