Expected (And Unexpected) Changes After Installing A Strut Brace

[Jimxms]

Hi guys,

Just installed my strut brace this evening (took about 4hrs with frequent trips to Halfords for tools!), and wow it's made a big difference. Steering feels tighter, cornering is less rolly-polly-like. Great purchase IMO.

There are a few changes that I wasn't expecting though:

- engine pitch sounds 'different'

- i can feel engine vibrations through the pedals and steering wheel.

- everything is a bit louder

I assume this is because the strut brace sits within mm of the engine, and the vibrations get fed through to the steering etc via the suspension?

I just wanted to make sure it's normal, as I've never heard anyone else mention similar observations.

[iceman67]

hi mate is the strut brace sitting or rubbing on air filter box on righthand side?

if so need to put washers under strut brace mounting and noise will go or file under strut brace were sitting on air box hope this helps

all the best neil

[Bazza]

it will be vibrations where it is now touching as said

i hope your Halfords is a distance away !

4hours ? its only six nuts and one spanner !!

glad you feel such an improvement

[Jimxms]

it will be vibrations where it is now touching as said

i hope your halfords is a distance away !

4hours ? its only six nuts and one spanner !!

glad you feel such an improvement

My install went like this....

1) Took off induction kit because it was overlapping the bolts on drivers side.

2) Realized that none of my sockets were deep enough to clear the bolts and get to the nuts.

3) Found a spanner that fitted after lots of hunting around house.

4) Got the nuts on one side off, fitted the tower part of the brace, realized that couldn't do nuts back up with spanner!

5) Put car back together and drove to Halfords to find a deep socket.

6) Only had imperial markings on spanner, Halfords only had metric. Purchased wrong one.

7) Got home. Took induction kit off again, realized that socket was wrong size

8) Put car back together again, drove to Halfords, got correct socket this time!

9) Got home, took it all apart. Had trouble with one nut that was rusted to f*k

10) Had real trouble getting it all to bolt in - one of the bolt holes was about 0.5mm out and there was absolutely no give.

11) Finally got it all bolted up nice, then noticed that a little black box (Denso Ignition) which was originally bolted on to one of the suspension bolts wouldn't go back in its original place due to its mounting bracket not clearing the strut tower.

12) Had to bend the crap out of the bracket to get it to fit nicely somewhere else.

13) Job done!

The easiest jobs are always the hardest with me :@

[Bazza]

it will be vibrations where it is now touching as said

i hope your halfords is a distance away !

4hours ? its only six nuts and one spanner !!

glad you feel such an improvement

My install went like this....

1) Took off induction kit because it was overlapping the bolts on drivers side.

2) Realized that none of my sockets were deep enough to clear the bolts and get to the nuts.

3) Found a spanner that fitted after lots of hunting around house.

4) Got the nuts on one side off, fitted the tower part of the brace, realized that couldn't do nuts back up with spanner!

5) Put car back together and drove to Halfords to find a deep socket.

6) Only had imperial markings on spanner, Halfords only had metric. Purchased wrong one.

7) Got home. Took induction kit off again, realized that socket was wrong size

8) Put car back together again, drove to Halfords, got correct socket this time!

9) Got home, took it all apart. Had trouble with one nut that was rusted to f*k

10) Had real trouble getting it all to bolt in - one of the bolt holes was about 0.5mm out and there was absolutely no give.

11) Finally got it all bolted up nice, then noticed that a little black box (Denso Ignition) which was originally bolted on to one of the suspension bolts wouldn't go back in its original place due to its mounting bracket not clearing the strut tower.

12) Had to bend the crap out of the bracket to get it to fit nicely somewhere else.

13) Job done!

The easiest jobs are always the hardest with me :@

sounds an epic job

at least you got there

btw all nuts/bolts are metric on the IS

[sprinter2012]

Just out of curiosity, what strut brace have you got? Pictures of it fitted?

Thanks :)

[steveboiboi]

just fitted mine this second and took me 10 mins! but i suppose when you have the tools there its a touch easier... but not driven with mine just yet but when i do ill let you know if i hear or feel much difference.. cheers

[steveboiboi]

Driven mine and driven it pretty hard ...

Felt No reasonable difference that I can tell as I've got coilies would down and the dampers

turned on stiff as fu*% so noises I normally hear seem the same... More of a showy thing

IMO as it's not a solid one and had the removable bar and bolts and Allen key to tighten it

So can see it helping as much as a solid? As the flex will go straight to the movable parts...

Got anymore feedback on your situation?

[Nick1881]

Jim did you sort yours?

I'm wandering if its worth me getting one.

Which one did you get steve and how much was it?

I'm looking at one for £80 on eBay from epracing.

[steveboiboi]

Well I paid like 31 pound and then Just like 8 quid shipping so quite a steal and it was brand new... Got mine off the bay and off a seller called 2 fast to cool or something like that... He normally has a buy it now on one auction and a bid on the other and I got it like 10 pound off what he was asking BIN so worth a look :)

[Jimxms]

Jim did you sort yours?

I'm wandering if its worth me getting one.

Which one did you get steve and how much was it?

I'm looking at one for £80 on ebay from epracing.

Yeah that's the one I went with IIRC. I haven't got around to sorting it yet, but from what I've read over on my.is, it looks like I need to chop an inch off my K&N induction kit to get it to fit nicely.

I'd imagine that those with IS200's or standard airboxes wont experience the same issues as me though.

@steveboiboi - Yeah I imagine if you're running coilovers there's little point in a brace as you're not going to get much body roll. For me its helped make the car a bit more nimble. Though i still need to sort out the 'drifting' issue I get at roundabouts :P

[steveboiboi]

Yeah I'm making it do that ;) and I know it wouldn't do much I just put it on to make the bay look pretty ha! And if I were you I'd get the uprated anti roll bars that will stiffen her up a treat! Cusco make some and a few other companys.... I might be getting some sometime but it's stiff enough for me at the mo!

Jim did you sort yours?

I'm wandering if its worth me getting one.

Which one did you get steve and how much was it?

I'm looking at one for £80 on ebay from epracing.

Yeah that's the one I went with IIRC. I haven't got around to sorting it yet, but from what I've read over on my.is, it looks like I need to chop an inch off my K&N induction kit to get it to fit nicely.

I'd imagine that those with IS200's or standard airboxes wont experience the same issues as me though.

@steveboiboi - Yeah I imagine if you're running coilovers there's little point in a brace as you're not going to get much body roll. For me its helped make the car a bit more nimble. Though i still need to sort out the 'drifting' issue I get at roundabouts :P

[Jimxms]

Yeah I'm making it do that ;) and I know it wouldn't do much I just put it on to make the bay look pretty ha! And if I were you I'd get the uprated anti roll bars that will stiffen her up a treat! Cusco make some and a few other companys.... I might be getting some sometime but it's stiff enough for me at the mo!

Yeah I'm having a hard time deciding whether to go for arb's or coilovers at the mo. I've already spent about 1/2 what I paid for the car on upgrades in the past few months and the wife is threatening to leave me :P

I was hoping the slightly wider 18's that I put on the car would help make the back end a bit more sticky, but after i exited a roundabout almost going backwards the other day, it doesn't seem to have worked.

[steveboiboi]

how funny!!!! well id get the coilies if i were you but they will cost more... but im thinking on getting both... but ahhh we shall see, and about you getting wider wheels.. have you got decent rubber on them? as the grips only as good as the rubber pal..

[Jimxms]

Not the best, but by no means the worst - Avon ZZ3's

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Avon/ZZ3.htm