Strut Brace

[ssk2]

Hi all,

Before I start, I'd like to say that I've had a thorough look through the forum by searching, so these questions are unanswered anywhere else (before anyone flames me!).

After talking to clarky today, I reckon a strut brace might be worth having on my SR when I get it.

However, there are a few points I'm not sure about:

- Is it possible to have just a rear strut brace, or a front upper and rear strut braces? The objections I have seen to the front lower is that they scrape on speedbumps, I'd like that not to happen! Is it worth just having the rear strut brace by itself, or will the improvement only be substantial with a front brace too.

- How is the insurance affected with just a rear strut brace? I've read here that front strut braces will twist the car if hit side on and insurances goes way up if you have one fitted, but do rear strut braces have the same effect, and do I need to tell my insurer about a rear brace?

Thanks in advance!

[RossP]

Yeh it's possible to have just just a rear brace. Personally i'm going for a front brace and rear under brace. As regards improvement, i can't comment i'm afraid as i don't have mine fitted. yet.

As regards insurance, it depends from company to company. It's best to give your insurers a bell and ask them about it. Mine don't care what i do to my car as long as it's roadworthy and safe...but i doubt you'll find my insurer in UK :P

[armoredfist2002]

I've got a front upper and you can tell the difference, the front lower I had removed last week as it was catching.

It's entirely your choice which braces you go for, i've got no room in by boot to try a rear beace

[clarky]

Ok - the front upper will provide a noticeable improvement as will the rear upper.

You MUST declare both the upper and lower braces to your insurer - probably worth getting a quote before you buy them. It didnt make any difference with my insurer but Im older and using Adrian Flux who specialise in modified cars.

Ray Wong has a TRD front upper brace and not so long ago added the rear OMP one like mine. He said at the time that there were improvements with both. Rays is an SR by the way.

The lower brace is an option - mines doesnt rub or catch at all - Im running 16s in the summer with 35/38mm lowering front and back. The effect is less noticeable than the uppers but at the end of the day it all helps.

Good to meet you by the way - enjoy your car!

[knightrider]

you will notice a huge differance with a front upper brace as the car will stay rigid when cornering, as for the rear one the improvment is not as notceable but it does make a differance

[ssk2]

Talked to CIS, who are going to insure my Yaris (they work out a load cheaper for a new driver), and they said that its very rare for them to insure people with mods because its too risky for them.

They reckon I should fill out the form before and put that I have mods and see what the outcome is. If it doesn't like it, they can manually authorise it, but most of the time its on a per-case basis.

I'll probably leave them until after I get the car, and phone them up and see what they say. They absolutely don't want engine mods, but they don't mind suspension mods as much (which I'm guessing this is?).

If I do get, I'll prolly go for rear and front upper, and is there any major problem with the OMP struts? People have said they are heavier, being made out of steel, but is the extra outlay for other brands made out of alloy worth it?

[ssk2]

Oh, sorry to keep posting, but talking my friend, he seems to think that Toyota's designers would have put strut braces on if it had helped - because preventing the car from rolling into corners would cause it to roll over if taken particularly fast?

Anyone have any counter arguments to this point?

[earpl]

yeah, put a rear strutbrace in and it wont handle like a fish :)

[jaxx]

Oh, sorry to keep posting, but talking my friend, he seems to think that Toyota's designers would have put strut braces on if it had helped - because preventing the car from rolling into corners would cause it to roll over if taken particularly fast?

Anyone have any counter arguments to this point?

←

toyota dont fit them as standard as body flex helps with suspension 'comfort' issues

a rigid bodyshelll transfers more vibration and bumps though the car

the m2 comes standard with 'sem-strutbraces' ;)

ive always like earpls cardboard box theory... take a box with no top and bottom and itll just collapse and fold up

but a bar inside to support the sides and itll remain rigid

[knightrider]

and toyota wud of turbo'd it if they had any sense, cars are made for cost not outright handling, why do companys make them if there no gud

[earpl]

living in a box........... living in a cardbord box...........

no point having good suspension if your tires are ****

[armoredfist2002]

Talked to CIS, who are going to insure my Yaris (they work out a load cheaper for a new driver), and they said that its very rare for them to insure people with mods because its too risky for them.

They reckon I should fill out the form before and put that I have mods and see what the outcome is. If it doesn't like it, they can manually authorise it, but most of the time its on a per-case basis.

I'll probably leave them until after I get the car, and phone them up and see what they say. They absolutely don't want engine mods, but they don't mind suspension mods as much (which I'm guessing this is?).

If I do get, I'll prolly go for rear and front upper, and is there any major problem with the OMP struts? People have said they are heavier, being made out of steel, but is the extra outlay for other brands made out of alloy worth it?

←

I'm with CIS, maybe they have changed their policy???

No problems with my mods, and they havn't charged me extra for anything.

As long as you don't increase the capacity of the engine, anything else is fine

[ssk2]

Oh thats really weird. Presumably you've declared all your mods to them? And if so, has the insurance gone up much each time you do so?

Ah, I'll tell my friend about the cardboard box thing, thats a good analagy.

I'll prolly go ahead with it, providing CIS are okay with it, its only £35 for the rear at least, which isn't going to break my bank.

Btw, armoredfist, where did you get your front upper brace from? Its nice and shiny.

[Viper_7]

you will notice a huge differance with a front upper brace as the car will stay rigid when cornering, as for the rear one the improvment is not as notceable but it does make a differance

←

As already said really....yes the car is much more rigid and more responsive...but I've said it before..take a knock on one side...and it travels across the brace to the other..and usually twists the chasis resulting in a write off..rather than just a repair...needs to be a bit of a knock though for the forces to hit the spring mountings.

Sure insurers sometimes don't add anything onto the premiums...but if you don't mention it..they can easily use it against you, and declare your cover null and void.

also handy when working on the engine..something to lean on!

Overall I'd say the pros outweigh the cons...but tell your insurers.

vipes

[jaxx]

well my crash was a full force smash on the drivers side wheel area... with a strut brace

the passenger side its totally fine... verified on a jig aswell... so i see that as a bit of a myth

id be more inclined to say the brace would crumple under such an impact

[ssk2]

Ah right, I see. Sounds like a worthwhile upgrade, providing my insurers don't mind!

[alanbradley]

Oh, sorry to keep posting, but talking my friend, he seems to think that Toyota's designers would have put strut braces on if it had helped - because preventing the car from rolling into corners would cause it to roll over if taken particularly fast?

Anyone have any counter arguments to this point?

←

toyota dont fit them as standard as body flex helps with suspension 'comfort' issues

a rigid bodyshelll transfers more vibration and bumps though the car

the m2 comes standard with 'sem-strutbraces' ;)

ive always like earpls cardboard box theory... take a box with no top and bottom and itll just collapse and fold up

but a bar inside to support the sides and itll remain rigid

←

Bizzarely, my Mum's 5 door RAV diesel has a front upper one...

Good luck, hi and welcome ssk2

A

[clarky]

The OMP front upper brace will improve the handling, but yeah it is made of steel is heavier than others and does hold get very hot - which my alloy one doesnt.

[ssk2]

Ah okay, mind you, I'm not looking at speed *that* much, so as long as I don't start adding extra tonnes, I should be ok I guess.

[armoredfist2002]

Oh thats really weird. Presumably you've declared all your mods to them? And if so, has the insurance gone up much each time you do so?

Ah, I'll tell my friend about the cardboard box thing, thats a good analagy.

I'll prolly go ahead with it, providing CIS are okay with it, its only £35 for the rear at least, which isn't going to break my bank.

Btw, armoredfist, where did you get your front upper brace from? Its nice and shiny.

←

All mods declared, they didn't charge nothing for the mods

I had my upper brace from someone on the forum, i'm sure it was knightrider, I can't remember it was a while ago. But i'm sure it's one from envy.

also try elephant for insurance,

just been paying £1800 (cheapest i could get) with all mods declared with cis and 0 NCB

They want £1300 to reinsure and i've just had a quote from elephant for £734 with mods declared

[ssk2]

Oh wow, I'll try elephant then! Thanks for the heads up!

[clarky]

I know Im an old !Removed!, but I'd still try adrian flux - always found them superb

[armoredfist2002]

I know Im an old !Removed!, but I'd still try adrian flux - always found them superb

←

i've tried them and even though they specialise in modded cars, they work out dearer than most of the others

[clarky]

I guess it comes down to how many mods and what sort along with age and no claims?

The main reason I was so keen on them is they do a like for like replacement on the mods themselves as part of the policy whereas all the others I tried wouldnt.