1.4 strut brace fitting guide

[EnGbudd]

Hi guys, so i fitted my OMP strut brace to my 1.4s, it was a strut brace for the GTi but it fits any model. I thought i would put a quick guide up to show you how simple and easy it is to do.

So first i got the strut brace out the box and placed it roughly where i wanted it (on the car, not the ground. i didnt take a pic of it roughly on the car)

Once i placed it where i wanted it i took the screenwash bottle off and the clips that hold some of the pipes off. You will need a hacksaw to cut some bolts off. I had to cut the 2 bolts off that support the top of the screenwash bottle mount but this is not a problem as it supported well without them. I also had to cut the bolts off the other strut.

Once these little sticky out bolts were cut off i used a file to file them down so they were level.

After everything was level i put the strut brace back on to see what it looked like.

Once this was done, i got a 4mm drill bit and started to drill some pilot holes, keeping the strut brace on when drilling the holes helps. Once all the pilot holes were drilled i then advanced to a 5 mm drill bit and re drilled the holes and then onto a 5.5mm drill bit.

I then just put the bolts in and did them up tight, but not mega tight

 

[EnGbudd]

Heres how it looks on the car.

 

[CraigW]

You had to cut bolts off each side?? I didnt have too. There was a hole in the strut brace in the passenger side of it for the bolt to go through and if I remember correctly there wasnt one on the drivers side.

Did you have to move the expansion tank a little?? Mine had to be moved ever so slightly. Oh you will have fun trying to get the airbox out now with the strut brace, its akward but you can just get it lifted up enough to just clear the throttle body and slide out from underneath the strut brace.

EnGbudd, what do you use to clean your engine cover and airbox to get it as black and shiney as that??

 

[Pantygirl]

are the bolt you used to bolt this on proper bolts or self-tappers?

 

[EnGbudd]

You had to cut bolts off each side?? I didnt have too. There was a hole in the strut brace in the passenger side of it for the bolt to go through and if I remember correctly there wasnt one on the drivers side.

Did you have to move the expansion tank a little?? Mine had to be moved ever so slightly. Oh you will have fun trying to get the airbox out now with the strut brace, its akward but you can just get it lifted up enough to just clear the throttle body and slide out from underneath the strut brace.

EnGbudd, what do you use to clean your engine cover and airbox to get it as black and shiney as that??

Yeah i had little bolts all over the show, i didnt have to move the expansion tank at all. i used some silicone spray on the airbox and engine cover comes up lovely.

 

[EnGbudd]

are the bolt you used to bolt this on proper bolts or self-tappers?

yeah i used the bolts that came with the strut brace.

 

[F2 Stu]

Which are soft as **** and snap easily - or is that me being heavy handed?

 

[Dolly_Gti]

nah i snapped all of them....

 

[crezz]

heavy handed silly billys

 

[EnGbudd]

I just didnt put them in really really tight, i only did them up till i had to use a bit of force. They seem ok. Its not going anywhere.

I can see results, when cornering quickly i can feel a bit of a difference

 

[F2 Stu]

You should use somthing a bit more substantial on what is really a structual brace, I use M8 bolts on mine

 

[ibiza_95]

stu did you drill all the way through and use nuts on the other side or tap the strut top?

Think i should be investing in one of these and wouldnt trust a 5mm bolt to hold it in place to be honest

 

[Dolly_Gti]

i bolted mine dont know what size, but i agree the soft self tappers supplied arent going to be much good if you hit a track, but for day to day mcdonald runs they are fine.

 

[F2 Stu]

stu did you drill all the way through and use nuts on the other side or tap the strut top?

Think i should be investing in one of these and wouldnt trust a 5mm bolt to hold it in place to be honest

Nut in the underneath, you can get to the nuts in the top of the turrets if you have coilovers if not you'll have to drop the struts

 

[CraigW]

Mine are bolted through the strut top.

Im sure its M8 bolts thats been used on mine.

 

[kkcupra]

do you need to jack car up for either front or rear upper strut and are these m8 bolts alot better im fitting my front and rear on satuarday !!!

 

[F2 Ed]

I've never seen such a clean 1.4

 

[Ieuan-J]

What engine EnGbudd? coz my engine doesnt look like that... i dont have an engine cover and your manifold heat shield looks much nicer then mine aswel... ive gota 1.4 AEX.

 

[CraigW]

What engine EnGbudd? coz my engine doesnt look like that... i dont have an engine cover and your manifold heat shield looks much nicer then mine aswel... ive gota 1.4 AEX.

Its an APQ I think, the same as my one. I have the engine cover on mine. You could fit an engine cover though if you found one.

I think he painted the manifold heat shield because he did the rocker cover at the same time.

 

[Ieuan-J]

i found a cover on ebay... buh its a bit much 4 a piece of used plastic.... i wana get a new manifold heatshield and paint it black... and paint my rocker cover blue...