Seat Strut Brace

shadw_uk

Active Member
Aug 3, 2007
75
0
By the sea, Cleveleys
I've been looking at the strut braces also, do people mostly just go for the SEAT sport strut brace or is it worth paying the tenner extra for the forge motorsport adjustable one? Are they as easy to fit as I think they are?
 

Guinness

Finally got the BMW
Nov 29, 2006
4,422
1
Newcastle
they are piss easy to fit, and I prefer the seat on to the forge one but thats just me. Mainly becuase it is red :p
 

Deleted member 19188

Guest
Just had a quick scan under the bonnet this morning and there seems to be a couple of things in the way on my TDi, on the drivers side a control box of some sort and something else on the other. Does it require removal of these bits ?
 

Guinness

Finally got the BMW
Nov 29, 2006
4,422
1
Newcastle
no it doesnt require removal, Im sure they can be put in. I have heard however of people needing to move it down and people needing to stop the brace rubbing on the engine cover.
 

sooty22

sooty22
Dec 28, 2006
726
0
nera richmond north yorks
there is a box in the way on the left hand side of the engine bay dond disconest anything coming from the box as it will pop alsorts of lights on the dash, like i said my strut brace made a diference feels better to me.
 

Ad Lav

vRS...
Nov 10, 2006
4,230
1
Kent
It unscrews mate, then fits to the top of the strut and the box goes on top of it, piece of cake to fit, very good mod, helps level cornering etc
 

muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
1
Well I'm interested in that last comment, because I'm quite alarmed by the amount of understeer I get on my TDi. Considering I had the same engine in a Passat (OK it's heavier) and I don't think I EVER had any understeer in that.

Given how many people have suffered from severe inner edge tyre wear on the fronts of Mk4 Ibizas, I'd say it's well worth getting your alignment checked (and I mean properly, not at Kwik-Fit etc). It's happened to soooo many people and it could well be the cause of your poor handling. If it stops your tyres wearing down to the wire within 5k miles then the check will pay for itself.
My Passat handles like an ocean-going oil tanker compared to my Ibiza, something doesn't sound right !

Also check your tyre pressures are correct. Use a decent gauge (ie not at a filling station) and check them when they are cold.
 

Ad Lav

vRS...
Nov 10, 2006
4,230
1
Kent
there is a box in the way on the left hand side of the engine bay dond disconest anything coming from the box as it will pop alsorts of lights on the dash, like i said my strut brace made a diference feels better to me.

Bad pic but you get the idea...
P1060399.jpg
 

Deleted member 19188

Guest
the cause of your poor handling. .
The handling was as I expected, too fast into a wet roundabout, so I knew of course I could back off and it would tuck back in again. I was just a little alarmed at how easy it was to get it to do it, but then I suppose the Passat did have traction control and the Ibiza doesn't.
So from various explanations, do I take it that the ends of the brace are removeable, so it can be fitted?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Ad Lav

vRS...
Nov 10, 2006
4,230
1
Kent
Nope, the whole thing is solid, it unbolts from the top of the struts.

Have a look under bonnet, the bolts undo and the strut brace goes on, bolts back in place, 10 min job.
 

RichieRich

Mk4 Golf GT TDi
Sep 17, 2005
2,367
0
Oxfordshire :)
www.bebo.com
it did lol because the reason is if you have an accident it is one clause to say that they ill not cover you at all.... plus the damage will have an impact on the other side (front) due to them being connected....
 

GoldenBunip

Guest
Bottom Strut Brace

So I have a TDI Cordoba 2004 model that suffers understeer as expected in a front heave car.

So a strut brace is the first order, but my question is:
Is it worth getting and fitting the bottom strut brace with the top, or is the bottom one a waste of time/money?
 

techathy

^^ my name, my thought >>
Jul 9, 2009
115
0
Cambridge
Why ? Its hardly a performance enhancing device. Did it increase your premium?
Any modification from factory supplied, & possibly optional extras if you've got a really unfriendly insurance company, need to be declared so the insurance co can properly gauge the risk & costs. If you do not provide complete information technically you're driving without insurance & if you have an accident you've got problems.

For something like a strut brace there is extra on pay-out because you've connected the two sides of the suspension together in such a way that accident damage can be transmitted across the chassis. Also this gives the insurance company extra information about the driver, this doesn't always mean higher premiums!
 
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