[ZuMBLe]

I just installed my quick release whiteline RSTB. I noticed that I can bend the bar up and down a bit with my hands. I then rotated the bar so the flat part is facing the hatch so I can no longer bend the bar up and down. Anyone see any problem or actual benefits of this? Maybe someone more familiar with suspension physics.

 

[tre36]

Sounds like you need to preload the bar by tightening the two nuts at both end. All Whiteline strut bars allow you to preload the strut bars after install on the vehicle.

 

[Peaty]

Preload by haveing the force outward, just make it snug though. Don't go too tight, strut studs are known for not taking kindly to too much force.

 

[Guest]

I don't think you're supposed to have any preload on the bar, especially not an outward one.

 

[mikebike357]

Sounds like you need to preload the bar by tightening the two nuts at both end. All Whiteline strut bars allow you to preload the strut bars after install on the vehicle.

how do you turn those bolts once it's already installed?

 

[The Black Box]

I just installed my quick release whiteline RSTB. I noticed that I can bend the bar up and down a bit with my hands. I then rotated the bar so the flat part is facing the hatch so I can no longer bend the bar up and down. Anyone see any problem or actual benefits of this? Maybe someone more familiar with suspension physics.

The bar should be installed in the vertical positon. That is the direction that it sees the most body flex.

 

[The Black Box]

how do you turn those bolts once it's already installed?

You can't. You'd need left handed threads on one end to do that. I just turned one end until it was a tight fit for the Q/R bolt. After further inspection, I don't see there being a great advantage to doing this unless the bar had a lot of play anywhere and it doesn't.

 

[Peaty]

Preloading the bar makes it come into play that much quicker. You do not want slack. Strut towers want to move inward, putting a slight force out prevents that. Not all bars can be pre loaded though, usually the cheaper ones can't. My Cusco I had previously did in the rear and a Sparco in the front. When I say preload with slight force I do mean slight.

 

[mo_boost]

Peaty is right. The strut towers on FXT's want to move in ward or towards each other. Second, your bar will bend up an down since there are not cross braces. However this does not mean that the bar is not doing it's job. You are forgetting one very important thing................................BUCKLING. Your brace only sees a buckling load(not a load like a simply supported beam so to speak). It takes a lot more force to deflect a bar from buckling than bending. Therefore it does not matter which direction you orient it. One more thing, Be careful not to preload it too much you can easily snap the studs on your top hats. As peaty says you only want take the slop out of the system.

PROD

 

[Guest]

Now I'm a little confused. When I first got my bar, I put a little preload on it like everyone said, until I found out that Whiteline specifically states NOT to preload the bar, and do NOT install it while the wheels are off the ground. Doing so reduces the effectiveness of the bar. Is the FXT suspension changed from the SF that much that the geometry is different?

 

[tre36]

how do you turn those bolts once it's already installed?

You leave the nuts loose and adjust the length of your strut bar to fit into the strut brackets first. Then use a 18mm open end wrench to tighten the nuts after the QR studs are in to secure the bar in place. Once the nut contacts at both ends, just tighten the nuts again just a tad.

 

[ZuMBLe]

Hard to preload the bars qith the quick release. I don't think I could put the bolts back in easily. I think someone mentioned that whiteline should have made opposite threads on each side so you can preload by turning the bar. But this isn't the case with the whiteline bar. Turning the bar only moves it left and right.

 

[The Black Box]

It seems there's a bit of confusion here regarding what the term preload actually means but you're right it needs a left handed thread on one end to do this easily. Making the Q/R fit tight is the best you can do as the threads on the center section are pretty coarse.

It's not as scientific as one would be led to believe. It's just a bar that's supposed to keep the strut towers from flexing with the body.

 

[mikebike357]

Ok... that's what I figured... Just get it snug enough that the QR's still fit through and be done with it. I thought I was missing something when it came to preloading the whiteline. Technically, you can't "preload" it... you can just install it in a snug fashion.

 

[The Black Box]

Correct. The bottom line is unless you're running stiff suspension and bushings, there's so much play everywhere that I don't think it's a big deal.

I'm going to try and create a small amount of play in mine and see if I can here it rattle when I hit some bumps in a fast turn to check it's efficiency.

 

[mikebike357]

I just threw my whiteline bar in and haven't tightened the nutz on the bar. It's a little loose, but it doesn't rattle.

 

[ZuMBLe]

I think the whiteline quick release bar should be on the list of should haves. I also ordered the front bar.

 

[SKSTI]

I'm going to throw Cusco's carbon bar on and see what happens. I hope it'll perform as well as it looks.