Celica Hobby - APR Flex Control Bar / Upper-Strut Tie Bar

APR Flex Control Bar

I love this upper strut tie-bar! - I've had it installed to my Celica for the past year and dont think I could ever go back to driving without it!
This tie-bar gives noticeable difference with aftermarket or stock suspension

Install takes about 10 minutes.

On an install difficulty scale of 1 through 10, with 1 being easiest - I'd give this a 3.

Available for the Toyota Celica in either BLUE or RED

Also includes the Battery Tie Bar in matching color..

ok, on with the install....

The APR upper-strut tie-bar is a tight fit - but it still manages to get in exactly where it needs to be.

You'll need a ratchet with 12mm socket for the strut's nuts and a 10mm socket for the battery tie-down nuts.

Park your car on level ground, and point your wheels straight forward and set your parking brake.

APR Flex Control Bar Box

Flex Control Bar Packaging

This package comes with an Allen wrench and a battery tie down bar

Flex Control Bar

First, loosen the battery's positive terminal and rotate it towards the passenger side. Re-cover it once you're done... to avoid an unintentional shock and a trip to the hospital.

Next, do the same thing to the ground battery connection, rotating it towards the driver's side. Then securely tightening those bolts again.

Use a 12mm socket to remove the 3 nuts on either side of the strut (6 total)

Once the strut bolts are off, take a slightly damp rag and wipe down the area so that it's free of dirt or other debris. Be sure this area is clean & dry before proceeding. If you skip this step, there is a chance that the control bar plates will not sit tightly and you may hear a grinding or clicking noise when you drive around corners.

Remove your factory battery tie-down...

Replace it with the one included with your new flex control bar. DO NOT tighten the bolts yet.

NOTE: The battery included with some celica are smaller and won't have room for the included battery tie-down. No worries, you can still fit the flex control bar onto your car without problems >>CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW<<

Now take the smaller of the two included Allen wrenches and tighten the bolts on the underside of the silver bar. Then use the included larger Allan-wrench to slightly loosen the flex-control bar's plate fixture so it can be manipulated into the correct position for the next step.

Place your new flex control bar over the strut tower bolts and rotate the plates so they slide over your car's suspension strut bolts.

Re-install the factory nuts you removed earlier to the strut tower bolts.... just attach them to the point where they start grabbing the bolt's threads.

AFTERMARKET SUSPENSION NOTE:
(if you still have stock suspension, you can ignore this note)
If you DO have aftermarket suspension, you MAY need to use a vehicle jack. IF your plates ride high and the nut's threads are difficult to grab onto the bolts (a factory supplied vehicle jack is located inside trunk area, drivers side, behind the tail light panel). Use the vehicle jack to raise the side of your car and bolt on the strut plates - tightly (as next step mentions). Do this for both driver and passenger side.

Once all 6 nuts are loosely attached, tighten them evenly across using a crisscross sequence until they are secured tightly. Do not fully tighten one side then go to the other. Take your time and tighten each one a little bit at a time (similar to how you would correctly install lug nuts to your wheels).

CAUTION - Do not apply too much torque when tightening these bolts, you could strip your strut nuts or worse, the strut bolt's threading - causing the entire strut to require replacement. Use common sense when tightening these.

Once the strut plates are securely installed, tighten the plate-bar nuts with the included larger Allen wrench.

Check the spacing of your engine bay and the flex control bar. It is tight - but you should have at least a 1/16th inch gap between the two.

Finally, center your battery tie-down and tighten the bolt. If you are installing using the factory battery tie-down, follow the pictorial located >>here<<<

That's all... you are done.

I know all the installation may sound obvious, but its all about sequence in which you do the installation.

Good luck and enjoy your improved suspension

Write-up by isaac@everythingcelica.com

Additional install photos can be found at...
[celicahobby.com]
and...
[celicahobby.com]