Remove the three nuts on each strut tower. (see arrows) Install new brackets and re-install nuts. Tighten nuts to proper torque specs. 

Connect strut brace to tower brackets. Insert bolts only into brackets. (not nuts) so don’t tighten brace bolts at this time

Before you start the down bar installation you need to bend the tabs flat. (brake line hold bracket-under plate see red arrow) Disconnect the front sway bar bracket and move it out of the way and drill the two nutserts out with a 1/2" bit. (do not drill thru to top holes) (NUTSERTS ONLY)

Remove bolt holding strut brace and insert the  bolt into the downbar, bracket and brace.   Mark the two top holes on the plate and drill with a 5/16" bit. Take the sway bar bracket, bottom plate,  (2) - 3 1/2" bolts with washers and put the crush sleeves together. Install the assembly into the bottom holes and through the holes in the top plate and install the washers and lock nuts.

Before you remove the stops measure height and record you will need these measurements later. Remove the hood stops and set them aside. While you have the hood stop bolt out find (2) nuts to fit them. (you will need these later) Remove strut brace bolt and insert it into the A-frame then into the strut bracket (this holds it in place while you mark your firewall brackets)

Hold the A-frame in place and make a mark where the hood stop nut is on the bracket and then remove the arm to drill. The size of this hole depends on your hood stop bolt size.  (Do not drill the nutsert on the cowl) only the A-frame.

Bolt the A-frame in place by screwing in the hood stop in and putting a nut on the bottom of the stud. (nut not supplied) clamp the other arm in place and drill a 1/4” hole through the cowl and bracket then insert supplied bolt. Tighten the A-frame bracket bolts.

Check A-frame bolts and diagonal bar frame bolts and tighten. Re-insert the strut brace bolt (supplied) and tighten. Strut brace bolt has a  3/8” allen head. Insert the bolt from the A-frame side and nut the down bar side. You can use a large screwdriver to hold the nut while you tighten the allen head bolt.

SPECIAL NOTES on some models

 

1.   The cold air valve might have to be removed from the intake manifold on     some models.

2.   On some models you may have to grind a little off the top of the strut brackets in order to clear the hood.

3.   The bars that go from the strut towers to the frame rails run directly through the AC plumbing on the 77 and 78. (Possibly on the 75-76 as well but we haven't tested them personally.) There is a very easy solution to this problem - the AC bracket from a 280zx (at least the turbo motors we've taken them from) angles the compressor up and closer to the engine so that the plumbing is completely out of the way of the bar. An added bonus is that the zx bracket is aluminum and weighs 9 pounds less than the stock steel bracket.

---- If you run into any problems please feel free to call us

and we can walk you through the installation ----

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