S13 Tension Control Rod Install

Forum for Nissan wheel fitment, tire selection, suspension setup and brake discussions.
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positron1
Posts: 3610
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:29 am
Car: Project: 1993 Nissan 240SX Coupe SR
Daily: 2010 Honda Civic Coupe
Location: Starkville, MS.

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I had these pics laying around since I first began my suspension upgrades a couple of months ago so I compiled some of them into this tension control rod install. This was my very first suspension upgrade and at the time I didn't really have a lot of know-how or confidence in my abilities to install these parts but I did my research, made sure I had the right parts/tools and just dove into the project head first. At this point the only suspension upgrades to my car was a strut/spring combo which was put on by a friend of mine who worked at a car dealership. Thinking back, I really wish I had done that myself but enough about that and on to the install.

Tools needed:Jack JackstandsSocket wrench17mm socket17mm wrenchSmall hammerTorque wrench

The following are just some random pics showing the terrible condition that my front suspension and undercarraige was in before I started.Painting brake calipers while they are still on the car...big mistake. Check out the grime build-up and the swaybar endlink that was not connected.More grime.Yet more grime! Notice the bent tension rod bracket and the cracked tension control rod bushing leaking the dreaded goo from around the bolt. Time to put an end to that!Nismo tension control rods, I wanted to go spherical bearing but I couldn't pass up this deal from RHDJapan for $85(They retail for $250). They were used but I didn't care I just wanted a Nismo suspension part and they were in excellent condition. First, you jack the car up, remove the tires and place your jackstands in the appropriate places.Stock tension control rod, 13+ year old part and bushing.You need a 17mm socket and a 17mm wrench to remove the tension control rod bolt from the brackets. Turn the socket with one hand while you hold the wrench with the other to keep the bolt from spinning.Use a small hammer to tap the bolt out from the tension rod bracket.Now you need to remove the two bolts holding the T/C rod to the lower control arm.Use a 17mm socket to remove both bolts from below the lower control arm.Use a prybar to pop the T/C rod loose if you can't pull it away.Done, halfway there!This is what it looked like when I first removed it. Phantom menace...dreaded goo!The OEM T/C rod and the Nismo T/C rod, they look quite similiar.I cleaned up the frontend and put a Nismo power brace on also.Take the new T/C rod and position it on the lower control arm...and the T/C bracket.The head of my T/C rod didn't want to line up...so I used a screwdriver as an alignment tool.Now you can run the bolt through.Use the 17mm socket and the 17mm wrench to put the bolt back on.PAY ATTENTION TO THIS! DO NOT TIGHTEN OR TORQUE THE BOLTS UNTIL YOU PUT THE TIRES BACK ON AND LOWER THE CAR TO THE GROUND OR YOU WILL BUST THE HELL OUT OF ANY RUBBER OR POLY BUSHINGS THAT YOU HAVE!!!! At the time I hadn't done all my research and I made that mistake. I can get a new set from Nismo for fairly cheap but it's still a waste that I did that. You live you learn!Next, put the bolts back on the ends of the T/C rods that connect to the lower control arm and torque to 69-83ft. lbs.Finished.Put the wheels back on, lower the car and NOW you can tighten the head of the T/C rod and torque to 80-94ft. lbs. Torque wrench.You probably could have tightened the rods before if you had T/C rods with spherical bearings.


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sleepersilvia92
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Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:39 am
Car: 1993 240sx coupe s1 rb25det,1989 hatch sr20det

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so you can torque the bolts if you have adjustable with no bushings because i have no ground clearance at all i was wondering about that

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sleepersilvia92
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Car: 1993 240sx coupe s1 rb25det,1989 hatch sr20det

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????

gumby74
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Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 4:00 am

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If you have a t/c rod with a spherical bearing (heim joint), then you can do the complete install to include torquing while the suspension is unloaded.The ball end allows the rod to twist unlike a rubber or urethane bushing. This becomes more apparent the lower your ride height is set.

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mick
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Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:57 pm
Car: 1990 240SX

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Is there a difference if you just change the bushings in the stock rods compared to buying new ones?

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positron1
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Car: Project: 1993 Nissan 240SX Coupe SR
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No difference at least with the stock rods versus the Nismo rods. You will feel a difference with spherical or heim joints though.

ser20det
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:22 pm
Car: Silvia K's 88

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PAY ATTENTION TO THIS! DO NOT TIGHTEN OR TORQUE THE BOLTS UNTIL YOU PUT THE TIRES BACK ON AND LOWER THE CAR TO THE GROUND OR YOU WILL BUST THE HELL OUT OF ANY RUBBER OR POLY BUSHINGS THAT YOU HAVE!!!! At the time I hadn't done all my research and I made that mistake. I can get a new set from Nismo for fairly cheap but it's still a waste that I did that. You live you learn!

When you say that: it is already wrotte on the fsm... but how do you want to torque the bolt with the wheel back on and the car on the ground ?

We just have to tight it a little bit and maybe take a small drive in the street and re-jack the car up and final torque it ?

i also have the 200sx fsm and they said 65-80lbs torque for both front and rear tension rod bolt and nut.

Thank you !

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mick
Posts: 204
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Car: 1990 240SX

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Where did you get the Nismo rods from? I have looked for a month for them.

Do the spherical end types work ok with street driving? People tell me it will mess up the Lower control arms.

94_240sx
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Quote »We just have to tight it a little bit and maybe take a small drive in the street and re-jack the car up and final torque it ? [/quote]Yes, it'll mess up if you torque arms with rubber bushing when the car is on jack stand. I had this dilema too. Right way is, you have to use "On the ground rack" and do it. Some alignment places have this for lowered cars and you have access to the bolts and nuts while car is on the ground.

Quote »Where did you get the Nismo rods from? I have looked for a month for them.Do the spherical end types work ok with street driving? People tell me it will mess up the Lower control arms.[/quote]I think you are better off with good quality tension rods with ball joints. I wonder why and how it'll mess up lower control arm.

Get Nismo power brace and ball joint tension rods. You will love them. Car feels totally different.

94_240sx
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94_240sx wrote:Yes, it'll mess up if you torque arms with rubber bushing when the car is on jack stand. I had this dilema too. Right way is, you have to use "On the ground rack" and do it. Some alignment places have this for lowered cars and you have access to the bolts and nuts while car is on the ground.
Or you can drive up your car on these and torque them.

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positron1
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Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:29 am
Car: Project: 1993 Nissan 240SX Coupe SR
Daily: 2010 Honda Civic Coupe
Location: Starkville, MS.

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Like 94 said, get some ramps...and I got those tension rods from RHDjapan. I wish I had gotten rods with balljoints like he said too.

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BusyBadger
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mick wrote:Do the spherical end types work ok with street driving? People tell me it will mess up the Lower control arms.
I've been running Battle Version TC rods on the street for years with zero problems.



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