2nd gen strut bars install.
Front Bar
The Front strut bar is probably the easiest suspension mod you can do. It takes about 5 mins and you only need a ratchet and a 14mm socket. If it's an adjustable bar you'll need a wrench as well.
Remove the rubber strut covers by pulling on them, underneath is the strut which has one nut in the middle, and 4 around the outside holding it to the body. DO NOT touch the one in the middle. But undo the four 14mm ones around the outside, don't drop the nuts!
Unless you have a one piece bar (racing beat etc.) Mount the bar ends first and retighten the 4 nuts on each side. If it is a one piece bar, try and mount the whole bar. If the holes don't line up, you might need to jack up the car to basically "flex" the strut towers farther apart.
Now the middle piece. If it is adjustable, adjust the length till it fits, if it's not adjustable (cusco etc.) hope it fits as above, if not you might need to jack up the car.
If it's the adjustable one. Once it's on, tighten the bar by twisting it, then tighten the nuts on either side. One of them will be reverse thread (left to tighten)
Done! Wasn't that easy!
Rear Bar
The rear bar is harder, you need to remove some interior pieces and cut some metal.
First step is to remove the speaker cover and speakers. On my 89 there are 2 metal screws and 2 plastic ones holding on the covers, and a few screws holding on the speakers. Just unplug the speaker wires and move them out of the way.
On the series 5 (89-91), they have a trunk light on the driver side. It took me a good few mins to figure it out :) there are only 2 screws you can see from the outside. But there is a 3rd one hiding under the lamp. You need to remove the lamp lens, then remove 2 more screws to remove the lamp, then you will find the last screw underneath.
You then need to remove the plastic trim right above the light, as well as on the other side. It was a couple screws and some clips that come off when you pull.
After you can remove a few plastic knob things to free up the side carpet so you can pull it out of the way. I held mine back with some string tied to the e-brake :) Then I just kinda guessed where the bar would go, you need to make the hole bigger then the bar is as it goes in at an angle before you get the other side in.
The metal is allot thinner then I expected. Very easy to cut though. A dremal with a cutting disk is perfect.
After you cut the hole in the metal. You can put the carpet back into place and cut a matching hole in there. Remember, unlike the metal one, this one will be seen! so try and make it neat. The metal one will never been seen :)
Now you can remove the 2 nuts holding the strut to the body, same as for the front one, DO NOT touch the nut in the middle. I had to put my bar through first and center it before I could put the end plates down underneath. Put the 2 nuts back on holding the end plates down and tighten them up. Then put the bolts in to hold the end plates to the main bar and tighten. Now just put everything back together (speakers, covers, carpet) and you are done!!
Lower front Control arm bar
As soon as I have some extra money I'll have one :) but for now here's a pic from www.rx7.com
It is only 2 bolts but I'm sure they are tight and kinda hard to get off
