DIY : TRD Door Stabilizers

[HotLavaMann]

Installed the TRD Door Stabilizer kit today. Ordered it from Carson Toyota in CA for $190 or so and shipping was free as it was included with the TRD spoiler I ordered at same time.
The instructions are all in Japanese of course but the few diagrams included gave good hints as to how it would be installed. This photo is one side not yet installed.




Seems to be fairly straight forward. The black part in upper left is heavy duty plastic. The new screws are “star” screws so took a run to Harbor Freight to buy the bits for it. I also needed to pick up a screw driver socket set as I didn’t have one and it was necessary. Not bad for $20 total but then again it’s harbor freight so I get what I pay for. Tools I had to buy from Harbor Freight:




This of course is what it looks like before we start:




The hardest part of this whole project is getting those damn screws loosened. I thought a breaker bar with a Philips head would do the trick:



(As n2oinferno points out, you shouldn't use a torque wrench as a breaker bar but this is a very old and abused one so it's not doing it any more harm. You should use a real breaker bar if one is available)

But the breaker bar just started to strip the screws despite how hard I pushed. So I resorted to using an impact driver and hammer just to loosen them a bit.



Hold it differently from picture or you’ll break your wrist with the hammer. After getting the old one off, it’s then just a matter of holding the “spring” section back and screwing in the new plate with the star screws:



I found in the Japanese documentation that the torx screws should be tightened to 23 nm (~17 ft lbs). Thanks to Hanasuko for pointing out this fact.

Here’s how it looks when complete:



The screws on the actual door are trivial in comparison. It’s just a matter of loosening two screws and putting the metal bracket on:


Note that the lower screw isn't yet installed just to show how the bracket fits quite well into the screw hole. According to the doc, these screws should be tightened to 6.5 nm (~ 4 ft lbs). Then the plastic piece snaps in as so:

Push it into the bracket at the point above and then just gently push it to the outside to lock it in place. This is what is looks like complete:


I had no issues with fit or function, it did not affect the door alignment.

Are they worth it? Meh, probably not as I’m not auto-crossing or racing the car at this point. It’s just some silly bling for now.

Cheers.

[campy]

How does the door fit now that there's something wedged in there? Does it feel harder to open/close? Does the door still sit flush?

[Hanakuso]

The screws made the job much harder then anything. I added a very thin layer of rubber gasket so it doesn't scratch the paint between the metals

Btw you should include the proper torque specs.

[White64Goat]

What are these supposed to do?

[n2oinferno]

Thanks for the writeup.

Two things I want to point out though. Using a torque wrench as a breaker bar (I assume this from the picture) will ruin the calibration on the torque wrench and make it useless for its intended purpose.
Secondly, the proper name for those "star" screws is torx, just for future reference.

Originally Posted by White64Goat

What are these supposed to do?

Extra bracing and less movement tolerance on the hinge for when the door closes, to stiffen the body, if I remember correctly.

[ThaBigUnit]

I'd pay maybe $30 for those. Def not $190!

[funbeatsfast]

Thanks for taking time for pics. I've been thinking that these are a pretty cool idea, but maybe a solution to a nonexistent problem. Keep us updated if you can offer any feedback.

[HotLavaMann]

Originally Posted by Hanakuso

The screws made the job much harder then anything. I added a very thin layer of rubber gasket so it doesn't scratch the paint between the metals

Btw you should include the proper torque specs.

Thanks for the suggestion. I found in the doc that they are specifying 23 nm for these screws.

[HotLavaMann]

Originally Posted by campy

How does the door fit now that there's something wedged in there? Does it feel harder to open/close? Does the door still sit flush?

Both doors fit great. No issues with opening or closing. I can't really say it gives any louder "thud" when closing. Sounds about the same.

[Pacific]

Hi,
In fact, I agree that the main problem is to unscrew the screws on body side as they are put in place with blue Loctite. This means that you have to first of all release them with the help of an impact driver and hammer and finish the total unscrew with screwdrive.(not by hands)
For the assembly, it is quite easy and do not need any particular setting, the pieces are well in place and take 5 minutes by side.(more longer for the unscrew...)
I did not noted any difference in opening or closing the door. It remains quite and easy.
Now, it is know what exactly this material make change to the car, I mean in a normal driving, excepted for the look.

[Alabang 86]

nice job hotlavaman! I dig it.

[Beyer Subaru]

Good job!

[tripjammer]

Damn $190?!?! WOW!

[Orthow]

Originally Posted by ThaBigUnit

I'd pay maybe $30 for those. Def not $190!

QFT!

Hey guys, "look at my door stabilizers" ... this seems like something you would sell the Honda crowd.. I know this because I'm from that crowd lol

To the people asking "did your doors make a thud sound after install" are you also from the Honda crowd? How would shimming the door latch make the door itself more solid? Common sense here folks. Want a heavier door shutting sound add sound deadening material it will help.