Install a Strut Tower Brace on a 93 02 Camaro/Firebird

A strut tower brace is a tubular metal rod that connects the two struts of your car under the hood. The addition of this brace strengthens the front end of the car and improves handling by eliminating flex when cornering. The typical brace retails for around one hundred dollars and will fit any 93-02 Camaro with some exceptions, which are identified when ordering the part.

Steps

  1. Remove the Strut Nuts
    • Open the hood and locate the struts on the fender wells of both the driver and passenger sides of the car.
    • Each strut is held down with two nuts per side. With the 15mm wrench remove all four of these nuts and place them somewhere where they will not get lost.
  2. Install the Brace
    • Place one end of the brace onto the exposed bolts on the passenger side.
    • With the brace in place, loosely tighten using two of the strut nuts (only loosely tighten the nuts by hand so that you can later place the brace on the driver side of the car).
    • Install the other end of the brace over the bolts on the driver side.
      NOTE: Some models require moving two brake lines out of the way so that the brace can rest all the way down the bolts. To do this gently pull on the lines with your hand until the brace falls all the way to the bottom of the bolts then simply release the lines.
  3. Tighten all Hardware
    • Secure all the nuts with the wrench after hand tightening them.
    • Ensure there are no gaps between the brace and the bottom of the bolts.
  4. Check Engine Area Before Closing Hood. Be sure that all tools and packaging are removed from under the hood before closing the hood or starting the motor.

Tips

  • No harm will come to the lines if they are resting against the brace
  • If your car has an after market hood be sure to check for hood clearance before installing.

Warnings

  • DO NOT over tighten the nuts to the point that they become stripped. When it becomes impossible to tighten the nuts anymore with one hand then they are secured.
  • This brace should be installed while the car is on the ground. DO NOT attempt to install the part while the car is on jacks

Things You'll Need

  • 15mm Wrench or Socket
  • Strut Tower Brace

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