Page 1 of 1

front strut brace

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:47 pm
by timrosser
Just seen a pic of a 480 which has had a volvo 5 cylinder turbo & crammed under the bonnet along with a front strut brace, while I'm not brave enough to do the engine thing a strut brace seems like a good idea- have any of you tried buying or fitting one?

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 11:18 am
by Captain Slow
I think a well targetted search of the forum will yield you some information from some of the ''boy racers'' there used to be around on here the best part of a decade ago. Posts by martinholmesuk amongst others, or including the fabled car named 'vader' may be somewhere to start.

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 12:50 pm
by jamesy12345
You can get universal adjustable ones apparently....I had a look for 480-specific ones but couldn't see anything

http://www.scarbro-racing.co.uk/sparcostruts.html

My S70 has got a Volvo one and it helped a little with the handling, nothing startling though

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:29 pm
by timrosser
This is an obsession I had forgotten about but seeing the pic reminded me of driving a martini-stickered delta turbo back in the day which had one and had the sharpest turn in of any car I've ever driven- probably partly the fact that its a delta rather than car with a brace then ;-) Thanks again guys

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:47 pm
by glasgowjim
Be warned a strut brace for a 480 turbo wont fit on a NA 2ltr 480 engine.

I got one a few years ago and it was a big surprise that it didnt fit :eek: :shock:

I felt real stoopid :crazy: :bla: :nuts:

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:23 pm
by timrosser
Thanks Jim! Wouldn't want to add to my pile of incompatible 480 trinkets ;-)

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 6:08 am
by Van
Was it the position or the size of the engine that didn't fit the Turbo strut, Jim?

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 8:46 pm
by nigel poustie
Does anyone know where/how I can get hold of a strut brace for a 2.0L I saw a thread from 05 where someone called Lee was making them. I don't surpose that still the case but has anyone got any other knowledge.

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 9:50 pm
by jifflemon
the only time I've ever found strut braces making a difference to a road car was when they were missing their roofs!

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 6:41 am
by nigel poustie
I have done a track day in mine and it was brilliant! So got the bug a bit. It great through the corners but there's a fair amount of body roll. Just hoping to firm things up

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 6:54 am
by jifflemon
a strut brace will do nothing for body roll; Anti-roll bars do that. Sadly, you're into custom stuff there too!

You've do the usual lowering and shocks I presume?

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:29 am
by nigel poustie
No it's standard, speaking to my machanic and he said it would be a good first step to firm things up and then maybe bigger wheels. Which would work quite well just for track days, save tyres for normal road use?

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:27 pm
by jifflemon
First step would be to make sure what you've got is working properly. From experience, I'd say your shocks will be long overdue a change.

A set of Bilstein's and lowered springs, new front wishbones and drop links all round, with a good Geo setup would be first step.

Tyre technology has come on in leaps and bounds in the 20 years since they were introduced, and since normally you'd go larger only to accommodate bigger brakes (which, again, there's no bolt on option for), then you would probably only need to go a 15" rim, so something like a Toyo Proxes R888R in a 195/55 R15, probably on some Taurus wheels (no stupid offsets, cheap enough to find) would give you some terrifying grip.

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:41 pm
by doingitsideways
What he said.

My old Celebration was lowered 40mm on new shocks, with 195/50 Toyos on Taurus wheels.

Looking back now, the ride was pants, probably not helped by the cheap springs, but my god it handled well for what it was.

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:45 am
by jamescarruthers
Are you sure that just because a car's body rolls relative to its axles that it is not handling or holding on to the road? I think lowered cars just give the perception of handling better because they don't make you feel like you're going to fall out the door and replace it with the feeling you're going to bounce off the track at a corner which feels more "on edge" but maybe no faster in reality.

I'm not sure the 480 is known for flexing and therefore making it's geometry go off-design but I'd be inclined to at least try stiffening it with a brace, beefing up the anti-roll bars against twist, make the standard suspension perfect with only slight lowering and install ‎race tyres should you want to take a few thenths of a second off its lap times. So, basically, I agree with Jeff.

Of course all this sprung suspension  crap is just a set of compromises between handling ‎and comfort. In my opinion Hydropneumatic cars are the kings of this balance. If I were a millionaire I'd have a 480 with Citroen Xantia Activia suspension built, or even their last Hydractive system before they bowed out of the game.

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:48 am
by nigel poustie
Yeah, it still is my daily driver, so want the ride to still be okay.
I was just looking to be kind to the car and firm things up a bit.
I have obviously thought about the things you've said but not sure the family would thanks me.

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 7:04 am
by jamescarruthers
I don't know how a lowered 480 with 4 people in (even two small ones!) would feel. I presume pretty awful. Might be nice with two minus luggage. 

@Jeff: have you filled your blue Turbo one with people? ‎

When I was in my early 20's, we used to travel from Newcastle to Glasgow in an acquaintance's lowered Astra with tools and luggage in the boot and it was just appalling! I got out of that lift share pretty quickly! ‎


Re: front strut brace

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 10:28 am
by jifflemon
jamescarruthers wrote:
Sat Jun 20, 2020 7:04 am
@Jeff: have you filled your blue Turbo one with people? ‎
Its not even filled with interior at the moment! :rofl:

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 10:53 am
by jamescarruthers
jifflemon wrote:
Sat Jun 20, 2020 10:28 am
jamescarruthers wrote:
Sat Jun 20, 2020 7:04 am
@Jeff: have you filled your blue Turbo one with people? ‎
Its not even filled with interior at the moment! :rofl:
Hahaha

Re: front strut brace

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:55 pm
by Alan 480
jamescarruthers wrote:
Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:45 am

Of course all this sprung suspension  crap is just a set of compromises between handling ‎and comfort. In my opinion Hydropneumatic cars are the kings of this balance. If I were a millionaire I'd have a 480 with Citroen Xantia Activia suspension built, or even their last Hydractive system before they bowed out of the game.
or the old Austin 1100/1300 type which is 'half way there' ? :wink:
th eSS1 feels faster thna it is cos it is so light and two folk are a large percentage of the weight, having your back-side six / seven inches off the tarmac also makes it 'feel' nippy, and to be fair with a decent set of tyres and big balls they can be made to go rather quickly both straight and around corners . . ..
about 180-200BHP in some guys 'tweaked' versions :shock: