3G Protege Sedan: MX-6 rear strut tower bar
 

This will not require you to remove your rear sub deck if you have an MSP or another sedan with the installed MSP sub deck.

What you’ll need, or at least what I used:
A-a hammer and a tap or punch, used to make marks
B-a drill and a hole saw and I ended up needing a file, not pictured (I used 1 ¼” whole saw and had to file it out just a little, I think 1 ½” would be perfect) NOTE: make sure you can use this saw on metal, they are labeled “metal” or “wood” only, some both, but make sure yours is good for metal.
C-rear strut tower bar, in my case, Megan Racing (was free)
D-strut perch mounting brackets included with the strut bar, and hardware to attach to bar.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...l/supplies.JPG

How I did it:

1. Disassemble and familiarize yourself with the rear deck.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...tall%20008.jpg

2. Remove rear struts, I did this while I was adjusting some aspects of the suspension anyways so it was already done in my case. NOTE: I leave the seatbelts where they are in the car, but you can remove them for easier access to the strut bolts, just be careful with them, look up how to remove them properly. They aren’t necessary to remove.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...tall%20010.JPG

3. Drop the brackets down in the wells to see where you are gonna be removing material, align the holes the best you can and mark the center of the bar process. NOTE: the bracket obviously isn’t going to sit flat, do your best to aerially align the holes to see where the process is going to be traveling through the well wall, mark it.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...tall%20014.JPG

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...tall%20015.JPG

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...tall%20016.JPG

4. Use the tap to mark your alignment marks. I marked it from the inside of the well, then went inside the trunk to mark the inside. This is tricky because the mark inside the trunk isn’t the same place as the mark in the well, you have to measure down inside the well to determine how far down the mark is going to go inside the trunk. Just take your time and look at it logically. In the picture, the green circle is the reverse of the mark from the inside of the well and the red circle is the tapped mark inside the trunk. This tap is also gonna function as my pilot for the drill bit. Nice huh?

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...tall%20017.JPG

5. Next use the drill and drill away. Again, I used a 1 ¼” hole saw and it was just a bit too small, use just substitute a 1 ½” saw and you should be golden. I ended up having to file some of the top of my holes just a little to get it to fit properly, but in the end it’s fine, nothing is contacting each other so I shouldn’t experience any knocking or other sounds from them. If I do later or you do, then just shave a little more outta the holes.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...tall%20018.JPG

6. Drop the bracket back in the hole and align it all up, again, check to see if you are making contact anywhere and make adjustments as needed.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...tall%20019.JPG

7. Bolt in the rear struts, bolting in brackets in the process.

IMAGE is coming, I forgot to download it and the camera just died. You get the point though I hope.

8. Bolt in strut bar with the hardware and make sure it is tightened down. Picture shows finished install. from the driver’s side, from the passenger’s side and from the rear. You can see that I did not have to remove the sub deck.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Vel...tall%20024.JPG

Good job! I used an MX-6 rear strut bar on my 03 Protege5