General Calling everyone who has fitted a strut brace

[hairyaardvark]

I hope you can help me .... anyone who has fitted a strut brace to their Panda (100HP or otherwise).

In common with some others on here I've purchased an OMP item. However it has arrived from strutbracer without any bolts to attach it to the car!

Questions:
- should there already be four retaining bolts attached to the bulkhead of the car (my 100HP doesn't have them although it does have the holes)
- alternatively, have you guys purchased bolts separately (and if so, could you lend me any advice as to the correct ones)

- when fitting the brace, how did you manage to get it underneath the various wires and pipes that cross that same area? In the pics I've seen, the brace is neatly underneath all the wires and pipes .... did you guys remove these from the car before fitting?

any advice appreciated

thanks a mill
David R
(hairyaardvark)

 

[PNL]

Garry has one on his 100hp ..and there is a guide for fitting one but not necessarily in the panda section.. strut barcer dont supply the bolts any longer with the braces..tight wads..

https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo-guides/47410-how-fit-front-upper-strut-brace.html

 

[Gary]

Garry has one on his 100hp ..and there is a guide for fitting one but not necessarily in the panda section.

Well i have one fitted, The brace will squeeze behind the cables just about.

As Philll says they dont get supplied with bolts

 

[laverda]

If you take the brace apart it's easy to pass under the wiring and put the parts together after that. As I rember you should use 8x30 mm bolts.

 

[PNL]

If you take the brace apart it's easy to pass under the wiring and put the parts together after that. As I remember you should use 8x30 mm bolts.

The strut brace is crap on the stilo and not that well thought out so quite a while back now I decided to look at the problem and make a new one up ..I found if you fit the omp one to one car it doesn't necessarily fit another one hence the adjustment but the problem is that if you need to get it off again due to engine work the whole lot has to be removed again weakening the threads cut by the tappers in the turrets and all you had to do in my case was pull the long bolt leaving the mounts in place..so that is what I came up with on the stilo ..you need tappers around 21mm long or 3/4" they should be ample for the job..think they were M6/ M8 iirc..once they are in they stay in with my mounts..

 

[R1NGA]

Just fitted one to my Panda 4x4 as it happens. As answered already by someone else, there are indeed no bolts with the strutbrace. I bought a set of M8x30 tigh-tenside black hex-headed bolts and nyclock nuts/star-washers from Halfords.

It does indeed fit behind wiring when the thing is taken apart but I had to carefully shave about 2 mm off one of the highspots on the offsite mount to clear the edge of the turret area body (offer it up and it will be obvious if yours needs it too).

The holes in the turrents are already there, but you'll need to jack up BOTH sides at the front to let the suspension drop on its mountings so that you can get the bolts in. This requires removal of the 19mm nuts holding the anti-dropout washers (those big rubberised saucers on top of the suspension legs). To do this you'll need a 19mm ring spanner and a suitable Allen Key to stop the strut turning as you undo the nut. This will allow you relatively free movement of the top of the suspension to push the bolts up from the underside.

I elected to go from underneath, putting the nutes and washers on from the engine bay side. And with hex bolts I could get an 8mm Allen Key up under and behind the springs to hold from below (you won't get a spanner or socket easily from underneath.

A bit of a fight, but got there in the end. Remember to 'spread' the bar via the adjuster before youu tighten everything up - this lets it do its proper job!

Phil G

 

[farnboroflyer]

Can anyone say what these strut braces actually do????...........They look very sexy and all that but..................does the Panda need one???


Just interested, Ian

 

[Trefor]

Can anyone say what these strut braces actually do????...........They look very sexy and all that but..................does the Panda need one???


Just interested, Ian

Stop flex in the suspension turrets and firm up the handling/responsiveness. The last thing the Panda 100HP needs IMO.

I put a strut brace on my MK1 Ford Escort ... because the inner wings were folding inwards due to my new boy racer stronger suspension. The strut brace solved the problem

 

[farnboroflyer]

Stop flex in the suspension turrets and firm up the handling/responsiveness. The last thing the Panda 100HP needs IMO.

I put a strut brace on my MK1 Ford Escort ... because the inner wings were folding inwards due to my new boy racer stronger suspension. The strut brace solved the problem

Thanks for that..............

As you had 'modded' the Escort, it clearly needed the bracing of the cross strut. but outta the factory, the Panda 100HP...........do they flex???


Ian

 

[Trefor]

Thanks for that..............

As you had 'modded' the Escort, it clearly needed the bracing of the cross strut. but outta the factory, the Panda 100HP...........do they flex???


Ian

All cars flex, in this case causing the front geometry to move out of kilter by a small amount. Would 99% of drivers notice? No.

Of course a strut brace looks good next time you open the bonnet in McDonalds/Halfords carpark...

 

[R1NGA]

Can't say I've noticed an improvement in handling (it's a 4x4 after all!), but it's stopped an annoying clonk I had before. Whether this is a result of less flex in something that was flexing before, is anyone's guess. All part of the 'personalisation' process really, as I just can't leave cars alone for 2 minutes. More to come on this front too I hope...

Phil G

 

[trackdayqueen]

Can anyone say what these strut braces actually do????...........They look very sexy and all that but..................does the Panda need one???


Just interested, Ian

No, a Panda does not need one. Look how close the struts are to the bulkhead, they are pretty well braced as standard, so I don't think it will reduce flex to any significant level.

 

[306maxi]

I would tend to agree. NCAP ratings mean that modern cars are pretty stiff in terms of bodyshells and the difference between driving a modern car like my 500 and driving an old car is pretty obvious. That said some of the 500 guys swear by the lower strut brace you can get for the 500.

 

[pandasam]

its all good practise really

when you improve one aspect of the car it shows up the poorer areas

things can always be improved

 

[306maxi]

its all good practise really

when you improve one aspect of the car it shows up the poorer areas

things can always be improved

Errr no. As TDQ said the strut mounts are so close to the bulkhead that there will be sod all flex.

On the track with stiff suspension and sticky track tyres it would probably make a difference but on a road car with road tyres and road suspension? It will just cost you money, add weight to the car and not really do anything for you.

Uprated bits aren't a bad idea, IF there is a problem with the current bits. I'm currently buying bits to get the front end of my wifes Subaru completely rebushed and all the bits in the steering renewed as well as the front end is stupidly vague.

I've got polyurethane control arm bushes which will be better than the original rubber ones and will last longer, I've got poly steering rack mount bushes for the same reason, I've won some uprated alloy ARB droplinks with poly bushes on ebay to replace the plastic (yes! Plastic!) ones it came with as standard. It'll be a huge improvement and probably cheaper than actually just going out and buying replacement rubber bushes from Subaru.

If something's knackered or badly designed then by all means replace it with something better, but don't just think that because you're putting a strut brace on that it'll make any difference. If it aint broke don't fix it.

 

[trackdayqueen]

its all good practise really

when you improve one aspect of the car it shows up the poorer areas

things can always be improved

Things can be improved yes, but probably better to concentrate on the areas that need it rather than those that don't.