BT Tech Strut Tower Brace install pictures and Text

This is really a Big Loss.
My condolence to Brian Family members.

 

I never got an explanation as to the long delay. I had hoped to install it before an earlier trip I took this summer to Yosemite. I imagine it might have something to do with Brian's passing.

 

I should have read further but did not. Everything WRT the tabs seems to be holding fine, thankfully.

The most annoying part was that the "top" sticker was on the bottom. The online instructions said that it might be a little difficult to install the relay box back in but it was damned near impossible. After reading further down I saw someone else had the problem and spent the next hour tearing things apart to fix it and put it all back together.

I haven't yet gotten a chance to really test it out but I can already feel the difference in improved handling. Tomorrow I will be taking the car over [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonora_Pass"]Sonora Pass - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] in the Sierra Nevada mountains which will give it a real workout.

It would be nice if there were a similar brace to go under the car (besides the stiffening plate). Tom's looks interesting except for the fact that it rubs against the exhaust or catalytic converter, potentially rattling or causing damage.

 

I think Tom's sells an exhaust to address that issue.

 

Besides or as an alternative to TOM's different braces, you might consider getting beefed up front and rear stabilizer/sway bars.

You can get the OE Touring Edition front and rear stabilizer bars for around $214 plus shipping.

Or you can get the even bigger C-ONE front and rear bars for $698 plus shipping.

Sigma Automotive sells these as well as other handling improvements:

Toyota Prius 2004 ~ 2009 NHW20 Performance, Handling & Electronic Accessories :: Sigma Automotive

Personally, I'm leaning towards getting the Touring Edition front and rear bars. Although in flusher times, I might have gone for the C-ONE bars and the TOM's braces in pursuit of slot-car type handling.

 

Over the weekend I got a chance to really try it out. Wow! It feels like a whole new car. The handling on Sonora Pass was much better than the previous trips I've taken. Cornering was much tighter and more controlled and it seemed to lean less.

Unfortunately it sounds like I may need to replace the bushings on my Prius with only 45K miles on it since it's getting creaky going over bumps.

 

i'm having the same fitment issues as others have mentioned in this thread. . .relay box not fitting in original spot, bar laying over caps that cannot be removed with bar in place. . .

maybe the top sticker is on the wrong side on mine too?

glad i read this thread. . .i'll flip it and see what happens. . .

 

flipped it today and fit's great now. . .

 

That's great. How do you like the brace's performance?

 

I can't say there is a nite and day difference. . .but then I don't take corners like a madman. . .

. . .and my prius is lowered with springs and big wheels which made a very noticable difference in handling from stock.

. . .for the money i'd go with a set of springs first. . .

 

Thanks. I think that if you didn't have the lowering springs and big wheels, the strut tower brace would make a nite and day difference.

 

With as much as the body rolls without the strut bar it must be one helluva placebo. That and the stiffening plate really change the character of the car in corners. They are worth ~10 mph on the clover leafs.

 

Hmmmm. I have paid for mine, seems like long ago. I have not received it. In fact no communication at all on status/refund. Strange way to do business.

 

Brian passed away in the spring, and since his passing things have been slow with BT Tech in terms of filling orders. But I understand that Danny is now stocking the BT Tech items so he can ship them out withing twenty four hours after receiving the order.

In any event, if I were you I would send Danny a Private Message about your situation.

 

I just did this install, have not even hit the highway yet. I have one comment on the install...
The bracket fit on the strut tower but not the bolts. Could not bend with a screwdriver....
So I hit the bracket with a rubber mallet
until I could tighten the bolts.

It reminds me of a story in "From Passaic to the Moon" about an engineer having to write in the specs for a jet, "If needed, bend with pliers to fit"

 

Does the STB block access to the oil fill?

 

Not completely. Fortunately, I have 3-5 months to worry about that.
There's some other fluid fill tube
that is blocked completely.
If it needs to be used, it will need
to be unbolted.

BTW, what's with those stupid
plastic screw substitutes?
Just another thing the mfr can
count on customers breaking
and needing to replace?
I need 4 after this project.

(For at least some of them, 1/4-20
might be my answer...

 

It will not block the oil fill. And it's not supposed to block access to any of the coolant fills.

Here are pictures of mine installed:



I have approximately 7/8" clearance between the bar and the [inverter] coolant cap:



With the 7/8" clearance and the curve and location of the strut bar a little behind the cap, I am able to tilt the cap enough to clear the reservoir opening:



Cap removed:




So, my brace went on easily and did not block any fills.

However, others have reported that they either had fitment problems and/or fill block issues (see previous posts in this thread). But AFAIK, if the issues were brought to the attention of BT Tech, they were resolved.

 

Great thread -- I plan to instal this tower brace this summer. Will it continue to be available for an 09 now that the 10s are out?

Thanks for all the great info!