Technical Rear strutbrace...

StiloSport · Oct 7, 2005

Just contemplating wether to get one or not. Has anyone else fitted one? How did/do you go about fitting it through the compartments at the side of the boot? Any improvements? When I got my front one, it made a heap of difference, turn feels much tighter, car seems to stay more level to the road when cornering etc...

activematt · Oct 7, 2005

So would that mean you'd have a bar running through the middle of the boot?

StiloSport · Oct 7, 2005

activematt said:
So would that mean you'd have a bar running through the middle of the boot?

Yup! As long as it clears my sub I'm not bothered though.

activematt · Oct 7, 2005

Oh right i reckon that could look quite cool

StiloSport · Oct 12, 2005

Nobody fitted one yet?

Koa · Oct 12, 2005

I will be fitting one but not this side of christmas. If you get yours done first, let us know what difference it makes and if it's worth it ?

Oh and also post some pics

StiloSport · Oct 12, 2005

KoArAnG said:
I will be fitting one but not this side of christmas. If you get yours done first, let us know what difference it makes and if it's worth it ?

Oh and also post some pics

I was thinking bout getting one in the next week or two but the only thing that's holding me back is how to go around the "problem" of the little compartments at either side of the boot. I don't really want to be cutting holes in them but I neither fancy having them permanently pulled down. Stupid design really!

Koa · Oct 12, 2005

I know what you mean :chin: I will just take mine to the tuning shop and say do it however you can and don't mess it up

I'll just keep my eyes closed and hope for the best.

Ben R · Oct 12, 2005

TBH a rear strut isn't necessary & will probably make the car too stiff for the road, I should imagine it'll be quite twitchy to drive, I'd spend the money elsewhere mate!

Stu DemonD · Oct 12, 2005

Ben R said:
I'd spend the money elsewhere mate!

Like porn

Citizen Smith · Oct 12, 2005

Stuart DemonD said:
Like porn

Can't get a lot of porn for £35

- nothing decent anyway.

I've actually had a rear strutbrace for over 2 months but still not fitted it yet.
I've got figure out a way of cutting holes in the side panels without totally massacring them - project for saturday i think.

StiloSport · Oct 12, 2005

Stuart DemonD said:
Like porn

Got free porn mate!

StiloSport · Oct 12, 2005

Ben R said:
TBH a rear strut isn't necessary & will probably make the car too stiff for the road, I should imagine it'll be quite twitchy to drive, I'd spend the money elsewhere mate!

Can't see how it would make it too stiff TBH. I'm not altering the suspension as such, just adding strength. The front strutbrace made the car feel much tighter and now the back end feels sloppy and wobbly. Sack it, I'll get one next week and just leave the compartments down.

Koa · Oct 12, 2005

I have no choice about getting one. I have a creaking noise when I go over a sloped kerb and the garage recommended one to stop it. It's from lowering the car and having the sky window apparently which makes the car more susceptible to body flex. They say that strutbraces will cure it.

StiloSport · Oct 13, 2005

KoArAnG said:
I have no choice about getting one. I have a creaking noise when I go over a sloped kerb and the garage recommended one to stop it. It's from lowering the car and having the sky window apparently which makes the car more susceptible to body flex. They say that strutbraces will cure it.

I agree with the sky roof adding to body flex (not that I've got one) because they have taken away some of the strength that was in the roof. Never heard of the rear suspension creaking on Stilos. Mine does it on the front going over speed bumps. Just wants a grease up from what I've read.

I'm not sure if I should get one or not now... Think I'll wait till someone else has fitted one and posted pics.

Citizen Smith · Nov 12, 2005

Finally fitted it today... what a pain to fit.
I started by marking up the flip down compartment flaps to allow the strutbrace to pass through them.

Then there is just a 17mm nylock nut and a 6mm on top of the damper - ahhh, problems. You can undo the nut by holding the 6mm which in turn stops the damper shaft from turning.

Undone the nearside ok, but the drivers side retracted so had to get a jack to push it back up. Got the strut brace in place, started the nuts (with added washers) and then needed to get something on the nut, whilst still being able to get to the 6mm to hold the strut still - done it in the end but it was not nice, and i had loads of tools and a workshop to do it in.

Gave it a good 'roadtesting' and was really pleased with the results - reall corners nicer and feels really good.

Not something I would recommend doing yourself unless you have plenty of tools, space to do it, lot of patience and imagination.

Koa · Nov 12, 2005

I like the strut Brolly

Nice job there mate, how'd you get the panels shut with no visible split

It looks like the brace goes straight through them. Did you slide them on before fitting the brace and then push them back into possition ?

It doesn't take up too much room either, I thought the boot would loose a lot of capacity for carrying shopping etc but it looks fine to me.

Do you have a front SB too ?

Ben R · Nov 12, 2005

fiattech said:
Finally fitted it today... what a pain to fit.
I started by marking up the flip down compartment flaps to allow the strutbrace to pass through them.

Then there is just a 17mm nylock nut and a 6mm on top of the damper - ahhh, problems. You can undo the nut by holding the 6mm which in turn stops the damper shaft from turning.

Undone the nearside ok, but the drivers side retracted so had to get a jack to push it back up. Got the strut brace in place, started the nuts (with added washers) and then needed to get something on the nut, whilst still being able to get to the 6mm to hold the strut still - done it in the end but it was not nice, and i had loads of tools and a workshop to do it in.

Gave it a good 'roadtesting' and was really pleased with the results - reall corners nicer and feels really good.

Not something I would recommend doing yourself unless you have plenty of tools, space to do it, lot of patience and imagination.

You've made a nice job of that Matt. Is the ride ok, it doesn't feel too stiff?

Citizen Smith · Nov 12, 2005

KoArAnG said:
I like the strut Brolly

Nice job there mate, how'd you get the panels shut with no visible split It looks like the brace goes straight through them. Did you slide them on before fitting the brace and then push them back into possition ?

It doesn't take up too much room either, I thought the boot would loose a lot of capacity for carrying shopping etc but it looks fine to me.

Do you have a front SB too ?

Basically cut a cross into the panel with a stanley blade, and pushed the strut brace through the middle of the cross on one side slid into the opposite side and fitted to the top of the struts - the corners then relax.

I have a front one too yeah

@benR - cornering is improved slightly, no twitchyness felt and did give it some 'testing', am getting eibach springs soon so will see after that.

James Abarth · Nov 13, 2005

Unfortunately that S/B would make rather a large hole in my Sub Woofer!

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