Fitted Lower Strut Brace Pictures Anyone?

[DaveK 0]

ive got a lower strut brace but cant see where it is supposed to be fitted

 

any1 got some pics of theirs fitted so i know where it goes?

 

thanks

dave

[DaveK 0]

i managed to find a picture so i now know where it goes......except my car seems to have some reinforcements welded/bolted between the subframe and the front chassis below the radiator.

 

these are in the way of fitting the lower brace

 

is this normal on gtis?

 

cheers

dave

[Jonmurgie 2]

Does sound right to me?! Can you get a pic of your subframe at all?

 

To fit the lower brace you simply undo the front wishbone bolts on both sides and refit the bolt with the brace in place.

[DaveK 0]

yea ill get a pic tomorrow and stick it on. i can see where it goes just doesnt seem to fit with the strengthening bits in the way.

[tom_m 0]

To fit the lower brace you simply undo the front wishbone bolts on both sides and refit the bolt with the brace in place.

 

simply! ha! its a pain the fooking arse getting a socket on the bolt once the brace is installed!

[markrnorton 0]

 

across the front like this (this one isn't bolted up yet)

Edited April 3, 2006 by markrnorton

[DaveK 0]

i managed to get some pictures taken so this is what it looks like underneath the car.

are the strengthening parts (below the alternator belt and next to the sump) suppsoed to be there?

 

 

there is no way the lower strut brace is going on cos these are in the way

 

dave

[pug_ham 242 3 Cars]

They aren't standard, never seen them on another 205 before.

 

What do they fasten to at the front?

 

Graham.

[DaveK 0]

they go onto the plates just above where the eyelet is for towing the car, same on the passenger side.

 

ill get a pic up tomorrow.....this is kinda gettin me worried tbh, then again maybe the guy before me just wanted them there for extra strength or something :S

[DaveK 0]

this is where they join to at the front of the car

 

 

thats them going to the bit with the towing eyelet and just below the oil filter

 

anyone shed any light on this? bodge job pug?

 

dave

[rjw205 8 3 Cars]

Maybe these bars are to attach an engine / sump guard to?

 

Rich

[jonah 1]

Maybe these bars are to attach an engine / sump guard to?

Possible but I don't see how that would work, they're above the level of the sump.

 

Very unusual. If anything they're there to strengthen the towing points... looks like the LH tow hook has been replaced with a homebrew job made out of a piece of tread plate. Any idea of the history of the car?

[DaveK 0]

got reciepts for the past 4 or 5 years worth of parts and it doesnt looks like its been in a crash before, seems pretty straight to me.

 

ah well ill not bother worrying about it, just wont bother with the lower brace

[jackherer 543]

they are very unusual

 

I'd worry that a minor front end shunt would end up causing a lot more damage with those fitted as the force would be passed back to the subframe.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

simply! ha! its a pain the fooking arse getting a socket on the bolt once the brace is installed!

 

Heheh exactly! Mine was worse than that, I had to jack the engine up to get even a small 1/4" drive extension inside the bracing tube. I ground a bit off the ends after where it's braced to make it a bit easier. Also found that it had only a couple off mm gap from the gearbox bellhousing and rear engine mount.

 

Then when I drove the car it bang and vibrated under hard acceleration so took it off and it might go in the bin now

[jonah 1]

got reciepts for the past 4 or 5 years worth of parts and it doesnt looks like its been in a crash before, seems pretty straight to me.

Wasn't suggesting it had been in a crash, just wondering what it could have been used for (competition of some sort?) that needed stronger towing eyes.

 

Either that or a misguided attempt to strengthen the subframe location - which wouldn't do much because the subframe is already much more sturdy than the towing eyes that it's now attached to. Or are they there to try and solve the problem of a snapped subframe mounting bolt??

 

wont bother with the lower brace

Good call

[DaveK 0]

i think its probably just there to strengthen it, i wont let it bother me lol.

 

just a wee question tho....is the mi16 block and sump wider than the 1.9 gti engine? was gonna do a conversion but if these are going to be in the way i mite not bother

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

The Mi16 sump has slightly larger extremeties in some places but I don't think its in areas where the lower brace is fitted (towards the back of the sump).

[findlay 0]

I fitted one of these wishbone braces to my 1.6 but to be honest, is it worth it? I can't see it offering much more strength to the car over and above the subframe...

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

Me neither really, particularly the part of the subframe it joins, plus the fact that I can bend the brace with my hands fairly easily as its not a straight bar.

[Jonmurgie 2]

I fitted one of these wishbone braces to my 1.6 but to be honest, is it worth it? I can't see it offering much more strength to the car over and above the subframe...

Do a search as there was a BIG discussion a few months back about the benefits of fitting one (I personally rate them very highly).

 

That bar does look odd, can you not remove it?

 

And there are no fitting/space issues with an Mi sump and the OMP Lower Brace

[DaveK 0]

yea i could prob angle grind the bugger off but ill just leave it, not really doing much harm being there

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

And there are no fitting/space issues with an Mi sump and the OMP Lower Brace

 

Maybe not on yours but with mine there was, hence its edging closer to the bin each day.

[DaveW 6]

that looks like it would do f* all but then thats for another day....

[Jonmurgie 2]

it DOES do something, and that's FACT... whatever it LOOKS like to you, don't knock it until you try it