Strut Braces

[Guest C_F]

I would like to eliminate the tiny amount of body roll on me car. Its on standard suspension and i don't want to tamper with the suspension too much. I've read that strut braces help the chassis to become more taught.

So are they worth it?

Which one is the best value for money?

How easy are they to fit?

 

Thanks!

[Guest Bigj]

Yes they're worth fitting, tighten up the front end nicely

 

No they won't stop body roll

 

HTH

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Bought my adjustable sparco one from MotorsportWorld cost me just under £50, have not seen them cheaper anywhere else. Takes roughly 15mins to fit.

Edited December 12, 2003 by Simes

[Guest mrswampy]

after haveing one on my goodwood(rip) the first thing i did when i got my s16 was get a strut brace.

im now after a lower one for it as im told these make even more diferance than the top one

[Adi 0]

No they won't stop body roll

 

A brace won't stop body roll......but it can certainly reduce roll on sharper turns.

On longer corners......the brace will make little difference.....but on turn in and direction change......the brace will make a large difference.

[Guest rob s]

How about fitting under a standard GTi bonnet with that Sparco one? Does it work?

[Guest Antoni1.9]

I have an OMP adjustable brace on a standard 1.9 gti, bonnet also has the sound deadening - it is OK - had to drill out 2 of the mounting holes on the brace though to make it fit - not a big issue. Was £40.00 from Demon Tweeks.

 

Antoni

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Have a read of the pinned topic at the top of the main page but as said the strut braces will not stop but can lessen the bodyroll & help sharpen the front end up nicely.

 

I have a sparco one & it fitted straight on under a standard bonnet with no problem.

 

Graham.

[Guest jonnie205]

you will need an auto bonnet with omp brace

[Snowman 0]

Might be a stupid question but does the Sparco one fit under a standard bonnet and over an Mi engine?

 

Chris

[Guest CB-Dave]

you will need an auto bonnet with omp brace

No you won't - me mate had one on his 1.6 gti rallycar and it closed fine when he had the sound deadening in...

[Guest Antoni1.9]

Jonnie,

 

You do not need an auto bonnet with the OMP brace, as i said in my post, i have this fitted to my standard 1.9, it is OK even with the bonnet sound deadening.

 

Antoni

[Guest hux309]

if it helps omp do a strut for my 309 that fits both the 8v and the mi16..

[Guest jonnie205]

i have two omp braces both on j plate mi16s and the standard bonnet would shut but it would push up the middle of the bonnet and leave it out of line with the wing, ime only saying because it has happened to me twice now

[Guest Antoni1.9]

Jonnie,

 

Take your point on board -

 

I think OMP quality has someway to go !! - As i said, the holes didnt line up on the brace, and if your brace was built by the guy that made my roll-cage, then that would explain your problems .

 

Regards

 

Antoni

[Guest simmy]

I'll back up Antoni on this one

 

I've got an OMP brace on my gti... it fitted fine with the standard bonnet and sound deadening.

 

Simmy,

 

 

P.S.

Cheers for sorting the speedlines out for me antoni, Diesel passed its MOT first time yesterday!!

[Guest simmy]

also staying on the topic my car is so stiff now with the strut brace...

 

to be fair i do have non standard suspension but its so stiff now i have like... virtually NO body roll, the car starts understeering and the car still feels perfectly level and pics from trax show theres hardly anything in it!!

 

IMO it'd be much more effective to upgrade the suspension first though.

[Guest seb]

Since some say OMP fits and some don't, I'm wondering if it's the case that the 2-bolt (U-shaped ends) OMP brace fouls the bonnet, but the 3 bolt (circular ends) one doesn't? Or maybe the other way around.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

I'm wondering if it's the case that the 2-bolt (U-shaped ends) OMP brace fouls the bonnet, but the 3 bolt (circular ends) one doesn't? Or maybe the other way around.

AFAIK the two holed brace is a turret brace & not a strut brace, both do basically the exact same job.

 

If either of them were to foul I'd guess at the three bolt ones as they have a slight arch to them when compared to the two hole ones.

 

Graham.

[pacey205 2]

Ive got an alloy OMP brace and although it does touch the bonnet it dosent actually bend it as far as I can see. It is a tight fit though.

 

Michael

[Guest Andy Mack]

is that with a standard airbox?

[pacey205 2]

Yes it is, ill try and get a picture at the weekend if you want.

 

Michael

[Super Josh 4]

No point in fitting a strut brace WITHOUT Grp N. top mounts. The standard top mounts will flex far more than the chassis ever will......

 

 

 

 

Josh

[sorrentoaddict 1]

QUOTE: "No point in fitting a strut brace WITHOUT Grp N. top mounts. The standard top mounts will flex far more than the chassis ever will......"

 

I feel this might be true - but I was wondering wouldn't Grp N top mounts accelerate the wear & tiring of the chassis (on bumpy roads, that is - since here in Bulgaria some of the roads are decidedly bumpy & uneven)

 

I have firmly decided to buy a strut brace exactly because of the bumpy roads, but I am wondering if I fit also Grp. N top mounts (w/o them does it make sense to have a brace at all?), wouldn't it reduce the life of my 'caisse' on the bumpy roads?

 

[Guest Andy Mack]

so you want some of these

 

and one of these

 

and your sorted?