Strut Brace on a Vtec - Team-BHP

ajmat · 17th January 2005, 07:47

Well, I bought this during the tyre changeover sometime in early November. The plan was to get it fitted by a workshop. However, living in the middle of town, all the small guys have moved to the suburbs and with golf, wrok etc. (order of priority is intentional!), never got down to driving over there.

That brace was rattling around the boot so I decided to do it myself, having checked on the net that it was an easy task. I got my tool kit out and kept it in the boot. To cut, a long story short, never got down to it and some lowlife stole the tool kit - i cannot figure out how !

And so I bought another tool kit during this long weekend and after a 10 week delay, anyway, a timeslot appeared between church and lunch at the club, so I grabbed the opportunity. I fitted the item in ..................10 mins. It is a case of undoing the 3 bolts on each side of the turret, fitting the brace and tighting the bolts then adjusting the stiffness of the brace

Lets cut to the chase - driving it

Test One - Quick trip around the neighbourhood - As we were due to go to the club 15 min later - potholes - cars is much more settled almost Optra like in attacking bumps and potholes - does not shudder like it used to. Steering felt smoother like the time I switched to the NCT's

Test Two- High speed 270 degree turn at traffic light - turn-in was very eager - comment from the General (my wife) - you are the only person I know who accelerates in a corner!

Test Three - Inner Ring road - after the gym took it upto around 100 - a subtle improvement in stability, more confidence in high speed curves - could not push it further due to traffic

Test Four -Spiral ramps in the office multistorey car park - these have small mini humps - normally, I shoot up, windows down, you can feel the steering fight against friction and the vtec forces and hear the tyre scrub. Today, the fight is reduced and the wheel seemed to be well in control

Conclusion - Has made the car more confident at speed and complex situations. Steering is more eager - The contrast is subtle during normal speed driving but at extremes the value of this comes out. Don't tell you wife about this, it can be bought and fitted in a jiffy and she will never know.

GTO · 17th January 2005, 09:06

Umm, where can I get it? Who did you buy it from? Brand?

GTO

P.S. Great review. I am sold.

iceman91 · 17th January 2005, 09:44

strut braces...if u want a genuine sparco or recaro adjustable it will set u back by 15-20k...if u want sparco/ recaro made in india it will cost around 5-6k wheras the strut brace made by u using a specific grade of stainless steel or aluminium...cost you around 3-3.5k

speedsatya · 17th January 2005, 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

Umm, where can I get it? Who did you buy it from? Brand?

GTO

P.S. Great review. I am sold.

hey GTO,

automech has strut braces for almost all cars.

i got mine for 1200rs and and as ajmat said it's only a 10 min work.though not drastic ,i can still feel the diff in handling

ajmat · 17th January 2005, 10:06

I got it in Bangalore - imported from SE Asia cost me around Rs 3500, could have bargained harder but since I was getting a good deal on my old Bridgestone tyres, I let it go, I will upload pics later.

anoops · 17th January 2005, 10:10

hey ajmat, where in bangalore did you pick it up from??
anoop

ajmat · 17th January 2005, 10:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by anoops

hey ajmat, where in bangalore did you pick it up from??
anoop

Hot tracks, cottons complex

bhp · 17th January 2005, 12:11

guys but how does an strut braces help ???

bhp · 17th January 2005, 14:13

i had called up automech and asked them for the same
they said that it is available for rs 1250 and are available for zen wagonR city accent etc etc . they dont have it for the ikon and will also not be available in future bcoz its needs some alteration in the car .

nitroxx · 17th January 2005, 14:47

got it from automech for the city definitely makes a difference

iceman91 · 17th January 2005, 15:45

hey guys..the strut brace plays quite an important role in the car. its not just a piece of rod which u place under your hood..it has certain parameters to be followed. the strut brace cannot be too strong nor too weak..if its too weak then the purpose of it is not met while if its too strong it damages your struts....for example if the brace is too strong and u have a heavy impact on the side the force is carried to the other side and u end up with both struts outta commision rather than one....!!!!

Rudra Sen · 18th January 2005, 06:31

Ajmat, think it's high time you give me the car for a spin. Probably need to alter your golf schedule on coming Sundays.

And yeah, I think your wife's comment is right

Rehaan · 18th January 2005, 07:11

Hey Ajmat,

Very entertaining writeup i must say :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajmat

To cut, a long story short, never got down to it and some lowlife stole the tool kit - i cannot figure out how !

Driver? guy who washes the car? sent the car for service?

or maybe the guy who washes the car just put the toolkit under the carpeted layer in the boot, with the stepnee ?

cya
R

Rudra Sen · 18th January 2005, 07:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Driver? guy who washes the car? sent the car for service?

or maybe the guy who washes the car just put the toolkit under the carpeted layer in the boot, with the stepnee ?
R

Nice guess Rehaan. You're pretty close to Hercule Poirot.
But knowing Ajmat, my hunch is it's somewhere in his house only.
His pullover is with me for a month now

ajmat · 18th January 2005, 08:26

Today, the watchman tells me that the bag with some tools is lying in his cupboard....grrrrr, I searched there but never saw it

BTW - too many tournament in the weekend for next few months so golf restricted to weekdays early morning

17th January 2005, 07:47	#1 (permalink)
ajmat Team-BHP Moderator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,139 View My Garage	Strut Brace on a Vtec Well, I bought this during the tyre changeover sometime in early November. The plan was to get it fitted by a workshop. However, living in the middle of town, all the small guys have moved to the suburbs and with golf, wrok etc. (order of priority is intentional!), never got down to driving over there. That brace was rattling around the boot so I decided to do it myself, having checked on the net that it was an easy task. I got my tool kit out and kept it in the boot. To cut, a long story short, never got down to it and some lowlife stole the tool kit - i cannot figure out how ! And so I bought another tool kit during this long weekend and after a 10 week delay, anyway, a timeslot appeared between church and lunch at the club, so I grabbed the opportunity. I fitted the item in ..................10 mins. It is a case of undoing the 3 bolts on each side of the turret, fitting the brace and tighting the bolts then adjusting the stiffness of the brace Lets cut to the chase - driving it Test One - Quick trip around the neighbourhood - As we were due to go to the club 15 min later - potholes - cars is much more settled almost Optra like in attacking bumps and potholes - does not shudder like it used to. Steering felt smoother like the time I switched to the NCT's Test Two- High speed 270 degree turn at traffic light - turn-in was very eager - comment from the General (my wife) - you are the only person I know who accelerates in a corner! Test Three - Inner Ring road - after the gym took it upto around 100 - a subtle improvement in stability, more confidence in high speed curves - could not push it further due to traffic Test Four -Spiral ramps in the office multistorey car park - these have small mini humps - normally, I shoot up, windows down, you can feel the steering fight against friction and the vtec forces and hear the tyre scrub. Today, the fight is reduced and the wheel seemed to be well in control Conclusion - Has made the car more confident at speed and complex situations. Steering is more eager - The contrast is subtle during normal speed driving but at extremes the value of this comes out. Don't tell you wife about this, it can be bought and fitted in a jiffy and she will never know.

17th January 2005, 09:06	#2 (permalink)
GTO Super-Admin Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 11,825 View My Garage	Umm, where can I get it? Who did you buy it from? Brand? GTO P.S. Great review. I am sold. __________________ GTO Self-imposed limits are the only type that exist. Break them....then, make it a habit. Exceed. Please don't PM for support. Use the Contact Form instead. Please read the NEW Team-BHP FAQ section for all your queries.

17th January 2005, 09:44	#3 (permalink)
iceman91 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: melbourne/bangalore Posts: 1,224 View My Garage	strut braces...if u want a genuine sparco or recaro adjustable it will set u back by 15-20k...if u want sparco/ recaro made in india it will cost around 5-6k wheras the strut brace made by u using a specific grade of stainless steel or aluminium...cost you around 3-3.5k __________________ "...that's MISTER Iceman to you...": Ron 'Slider' Kerner

17th January 2005, 10:10	#6 (permalink)
anoops BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: bangalore Posts: 162	hey ajmat, where in bangalore did you pick it up from?? anoop __________________ AAKGC- Activist Against Killing a Good Car

17th January 2005, 12:11	#8 (permalink)
bhp BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: lokhandwala mumbai Posts: 614 View My Garage	guys but how does an strut braces help ??? __________________ 05 suzi baleno 07 city vtec Live Life in the Fast Lane "vvvrrrooooommmmmmmm"

17th January 2005, 10:06	#5 (permalink)
ajmat Team-BHP Moderator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,139 View My Garage	I got it in Bangalore - imported from SE Asia cost me around Rs 3500, could have bargained harder but since I was getting a good deal on my old Bridgestone tyres, I let it go, I will upload pics later.

17th January 2005, 14:13	#9 (permalink)
bhp BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: lokhandwala mumbai Posts: 614 View My Garage	i had called up automech and asked them for the same they said that it is available for rs 1250 and are available for zen wagonR city accent etc etc . they dont have it for the ikon and will also not be available in future bcoz its needs some alteration in the car . __________________ 05 suzi baleno 07 city vtec Live Life in the Fast Lane "vvvrrrooooommmmmmmm"

17th January 2005, 14:47	#10 (permalink)
nitroxx BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: MUM-DXB-mUM Posts: 761 View My Garage	got it from automech for the city definitely makes a difference __________________ "Aerodynamics is for those who cannot manufacture good engines" - Enzo Ferrari

17th January 2005, 15:45	#11 (permalink)
iceman91 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: melbourne/bangalore Posts: 1,224 View My Garage	please be sure of the type of strut brace.. hey guys..the strut brace plays quite an important role in the car. its not just a piece of rod which u place under your hood..it has certain parameters to be followed. the strut brace cannot be too strong nor too weak..if its too weak then the purpose of it is not met while if its too strong it damages your struts....for example if the brace is too strong and u have a heavy impact on the side the force is carried to the other side and u end up with both struts outta commision rather than one....!!!! __________________ "...that's MISTER Iceman to you...": Ron 'Slider' Kerner

18th January 2005, 06:31	#12 (permalink)
Rudra Sen Team-BHP Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,580 View My Garage	Ajmat, think it's high time you give me the car for a spin. Probably need to alter your golf schedule on coming Sundays. And yeah, I think your wife's comment is right

18th January 2005, 08:26	#15 (permalink)
ajmat Team-BHP Moderator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,139 View My Garage	Today, the watchman tells me that the bag with some tools is lying in his cupboard....grrrrr, I searched there but never saw it BTW - too many tournament in the weekend for next few months so golf restricted to weekdays early morning

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