Team-BHP > Modifications & Accessories


Reply
  Search this Thread
8,252 views
Old 17th January 2005, 08:47   #1
Team-BHP Support
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 14,842
Thanked: 27,798 Times
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.
ajmat is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 10:06   #2
GTO
Team-BHP Support
 
GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 70,337
Thanked: 298,738 Times

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

GTO

P.S. Great review. I am sold.
GTO is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 10:44   #3
Senior - BHPian
 
iceman91's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: melbourne/banga
Posts: 1,961
Thanked: 34 Times

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
iceman91 is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 11:00   #4
Senior - BHPian
 
speedsatya's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: bangalore/manga
Posts: 3,169
Thanked: 738 Times

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

speedsatya is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 11:06   #5
Team-BHP Support
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 14,842
Thanked: 27,798 Times

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.
ajmat is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 11:10   #6
BHPian
 
anoops's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: bangalore
Posts: 183
Thanked: 3 Times

hey ajmat, where in bangalore did you pick it up from??
anoop
anoops is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 11:15   #7
Team-BHP Support
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 14,842
Thanked: 27,798 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by anoops
hey ajmat, where in bangalore did you pick it up from??
anoop
Hot tracks, cottons complex
ajmat is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 13:11   #8
bhp
BHPian
 
bhp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: lokhandwala mumbai
Posts: 840
Thanked: 168 Times

guys but how does an strut braces help ???
bhp is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 15:13   #9
bhp
BHPian
 
bhp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: lokhandwala mumbai
Posts: 840
Thanked: 168 Times

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 .
bhp is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 15:47   #10
Awaiting Email Confirmation
 
nitroxx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: DXB
Posts: 816
Thanked: 31 Times

got it from automech for the city definitely makes a difference
nitroxx is offline  
Old 17th January 2005, 16:45   #11
Senior - BHPian
 
iceman91's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: melbourne/banga
Posts: 1,961
Thanked: 34 Times
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....!!!!
iceman91 is offline  
Old 18th January 2005, 07:31   #12
Team-BHP Support
 
Rudra Sen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 11,553
Thanked: 6,477 Times

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
Rudra Sen is offline  
Old 18th January 2005, 08:11   #13
Team-BHP Support
 
Rehaan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 24,019
Thanked: 33,985 Times

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
Rehaan is offline  
Old 18th January 2005, 08:25   #14
Team-BHP Support
 
Rudra Sen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 11,553
Thanked: 6,477 Times

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
Rudra Sen is offline  
Old 18th January 2005, 09:26   #15
Team-BHP Support
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 14,842
Thanked: 27,798 Times

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
ajmat is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks