Strut bar - To preload or not to preload that is the question

[YarisSedan]

So. I had the oppertunity to drive my car without preloading and then preloading the strut bar. Story goes was trying to install my strut bar in my driveway with only basic hand tools and my cars own floor jack. jacked up one side and put my hand under the fender and slipped the bolts in and tightend them from the top. I can say after going for a test drive it made a real big difference.

After driving for awile i put the car on a lift today and then took off one end of the strut bar and it was dificult to pull off. Once off it wouldnt go back in easily being it was under tension while being installed. But not the kind you would want. I could actually turn one of the ends maybe 4 full turns. Reinserted it back and tightend the nuts up. Now the bar is under a slight tension. Put the car back down and went for a spin. All i can say is wow. I couldnt belive that it owuld make that much difference.

If you dont have acess to a rack easy way is just jack up the front of the car to relive the load off the strut towers when you install the strut bar. It is worth the extra effort.