SolaraGuy.com

Best advice for a noob with no mechanic skillz (like myself). Find a shop to do it for you. Cost $40 but well worth it to me.

No headaches, but no pride of doing yourself (I can live with that)!

First impressions at the middle setting? Much better control and no noticeable difference on speed bumps.

Excellent purchase and now I appreciate the convertible even more.

I gotta tell ye - as heavy as the convertible is and driving with the RSB at the innermost setting for a couple weeks, I notice no difference in ride quality whatsover - and I fly over RR tracks like I was still in my Tundra!

All I notice is much less tire squeal around tight corners now and it doesn't lean like a U-Haul truck anymore!

Anything less and I say Why Bother with the TRD RSB?

I have not noticed any deterioration of ride quality, and I am using the innermost setting. If anything, the ride is actually better because the rear doesn't move around on bumpy corners/curves like it does with the stock RSB. Between the TRD RSB and summer tires, body roll is minimal...it really does feel like a completely different car over an off-the-lot Solara.

Now I feel like the front end is a little loose and am wondering if the TRD front strut bar would help make the front equal to the rear, though I keep reading it really doesn't do anything over the stock bar. Thoughts?

I know this is going to start a sh1tstorm as it has in the past but...
a metal brace is a metal brace. The stock braces DO NOT flex and will NEVER WEAR OUT. If youre driving you car sooo hard that you snap one of these babies the rest of the car will snap in half first.
It is human nature for guys to justify spending alot of money for something that does nothing. All the trd strut braces do is look nice and allow room for the supercharger that was never actually produced for us.
I would definitelty save the money on that and spend it somewhere else like a cai. Or by all means get the trd fsb cause it looks nice if thats important to you. JMHO. Please dont flame me TRD FSB guys.

Yeah, I cannot justify $170 for a piece of metal if it will not do anything above and beyond what the stock bar does. Could care less about the looks...I actually prefer the black bar anyway...kind of wish the TRD RSB was black but at least you cannot see it without looking for it.

cablemn wrote:a metal brace is a metal brace.

Uh... By that logic alone, then the TRD RSB should be useless as well then?

Don't get me wrong - I haven't spent $$ on the FTSB yet, but from seeing them side by side, I've noticed this:

The OEM FTSB is rolled sheet metal - not solid meal bar like the TRD.

I have no idea if the TRD version has been proven to work better or not, which is why I haven't dropped the $$ for one yet. I thought I might wait until I get new wheels/tires and see if that stabilizes the ride a bit - the tires really do feel spongy now I have the RSB installed.

PXLpainter wrote:I thought I might wait until I get new wheels/tires and see if that stabilizes the ride a bit - the tires really do feel spongy now I have the RSB installed.

It is unbelievable how performance tires flatten the ride of this car. You do not realize (well, maybe you do but I did not) just how much the stock Bridgestones flex, though I sure knew how little traction they had.

PXLpainter wrote:

cablemn wrote:a metal brace is a metal brace.

Uh... By that logic alone, then the TRD RSB should be useless as well then?

Don't get me wrong - I haven't spent $$ on the FTSB yet, but from seeing them side by side, I've noticed this:

The OEM FTSB is rolled sheet metal - not solid meal bar like the TRD.

I have no idea if the TRD version has been proven to work better or not, which is why I haven't dropped the $$ for one yet. I thought I might wait until I get new wheels/tires and see if that stabilizes the ride a bit - the tires really do feel spongy now I have the RSB installed.

Difference is that the RSB's job is to flex a given amount. The TRD flexes less because it's thicker/stronger and will not torque as easy when the tires want to be at different distances from the strut tops. The question is... what makes your FSTB flex and how much. If there is flexing (I imagine on the ragtop it takes some stress) then you'd feel an improvement. I just can't think of any driving force that makes the strut tops want to separate or move together. It's not a twist action like the RSB, just a lateral brace. How much give can it really have?

My RSB has begun squeaking like mad! I'm assuming it's either the shop that installed it didn't put enough or any grease (although I reminded them). Or I need to switch to the Mobile One lube.

I'm in norcal so I figured the included lube would be enough. But maybe they didn't put enough or any on it?

It didn't squeak the first two days after the mod but by day three it was squeaking from initially taking it out of the drive way til I get home at the day.

I'm planning to take it in this Saturday when I have time. I'm not sure dude has Mobile One lube so should I bring some or trust that he has something similar?

mpvpapabear wrote:My RSB has begun squeaking like mad! I'm assuming it's either the shop that installed it didn't put enough or any grease (although I reminded them). Or I need to switch to the Mobile One lube.

I'm in norcal so I figured the included lube would be enough. But maybe they didn't put enough or any on it?

It didn't squeak the first two days after the mod but by day three it was squeaking from initially taking it out of the drive way til I get home at the day.

I'm planning to take it in this Saturday when I have time. I'm not sure dude has Mobile One lube so should I bring some or trust that he has something similar?

Dayim! Sounds like no lube at all!

I've had mine for almost a month and no squeaks. Installed it myself and just used the synthetic lube they provided with the kit.

I'd definitely take it back and beotch!!

Maybe I should just lube it myself. How hard would it be to lube it while on the vehicle? Can I just loosen some of the bolts and liberally apply in and around the collar?

My bar didn't come with instructions so where exactly are the lube points? Just so I can specify to the shop if I decide to take it back to them.

Thanks!

You can take off the clamps around the nylon collars on the bar, the the barr should swing away enough to pop off the collars (they have slit it them) and lube like crazy before putting them back on and bolting everything up tight again.

Okay, maybe I'll take the afternoon off and get some Mobile One lube. I gave the shop the included lube and since they screwed this up I'd rather just get it done with no worries.

So let me get this right:

The pic below is where I'm going to lube and I'll lube the bar where it contacts the collars right? I don't need to lube on the outside of the collar where the mount contacts it do I? Nothing on the ball joints either right?

Lube only the nylon bushing:RSB contact. You need to remove the bushing, put the grease in the bushing and spread, then reattach the bushing to the sway bar. Repeat for the opposite side.

Concur. But you can just slide the bushing to the side.