Strut Brace on Pre VY cars

[macca_779]

Just wondering how many guys have fitted strut tower braces to their VT's and VX's. I've recently installed one on mine. The main reason I did this was to offset the issue of a cracking tower. Mine has come away about 1mm from the main body. I've been informed by my panel beater that this is very common on VT and later cars. This is the main reason Holden started fitting braces on VY's. So I figured if its good enough for Holden its good enough for me. Picked up a VY brace from Alan Mance Holden for $55. Installing was fairly easy. I measured up many times to get the holes right for the fit. This involved me running a string line across the strut tops to get it right. Drilled the holes out and discovered the lack of room to get the bolts in so out came the struts. Bolts in and re assemble. The final outcome is as can be seen here. It looks ok. But its mainly there to prevent my tower from getting any worse and cracking further. Its something many guys probably haven't even noticed but its something to certainly look out for.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i39/macca_779/MY%20GEAR/19032007185.jpg

[Mungrel]

Gday Macca, nice tidy setup you have

I had a gm strut brace installed on my old vt, seemed to work good. Then when i lowered my vu i installed a whiteline adjustable strut brace. I cant remember how i installed the vt's brace, but the whiteline brace in my ute uses one of the holes that holden has pre drilled in the brace. Made installing easy. In the vt we tack welded the nuts underneath, didnt do this on my vu, cause the bar is removeable from the mounts

[gasguz]

Do you really need to take the struts out to get these onto a VX?? I hope there is another way as I was planning on getting 1 of these for the SS.

I havnt noticed your problem with either my SS or the R8, but tomorrow I am going out to have a closer look

[macca_779]

Do you really need to take the struts out to get these onto a VX?? I hope there is another way as I was planning on getting 1 of these for the SS.

I havnt noticed your problem with either my SS or the R8, but tomorrow I am going out to have a closer look

yes mate you will need to drop the struts to find the room. Its not a big job. Just jack up the car. Unbolt the sway bar (optional but necessary for me as the HSV bar is to heavy to fight against). Unbolt the top strut cap nut in the engine bay, remove the plate. And push the strut down enough to get your hands in. Piece of piss and because on the VT's the strut locates in a socket, you don't have to worry about alignment issues.

[GMMAD]

i fitted a strut brace to my VX last week i only put one bolt on each side for now as i didnt want to drop the strut tower because i didnt wont to put the alignment out(only just got a wheel alignment),but from what macca said it doesn't put the alignment out

[BLACK 346]

I had a Whiteline adjustable put on mine not long after I bought
it. One of my best mods, really tightened the front end up.

[macca_779]

To be honest I haven't noticed any increase in front end rigidity with mine. As opposed to when I fitted one to my VN which made a noticeable difference mainly in improving initial turn in characteristics.

[shep]

It's a good move especially with all the speed bumps in the suburbs now.
I got Alan Mance's gang to fit mine while they were fitting new struts to the barge, they rang and said I had the wrong brace as it didn't match the holes in the WH strut towers (one in each), I educated them a bit. The VY brace I got was from Preston Holden and cost $30.00.
Christmas Present for the Barge.

[RIDE:42]

Also one of the first and best mods as well :thumbsup:
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/jamo/IMG_0025.sized.jpg

[throttlehappy]

i wanted to put a pedders strut brace on my ss but after reading up about dropping the struts and drilling holes in the towers i thought f*ck that

they do look good though

[x_er_o]

I fitted a pedders one to mine, about two weeks ago will post pics up tommorow, it uses the pre drilled hole

[Muscrat]

yes mate you will need to drop the struts to find the room. Its not a big job. Just jack up the car. Unbolt the sway bar (optional but necessary for me as the HSV bar is to heavy to fight against). Unbolt the top strut cap nut in the engine bay, remove the plate. And push the strut down enough to get your hands in. Piece of piss and because on the VT's the strut locates in a socket, you don't have to worry about alignment issues.

If you can get assistance wouldn't undoing both struts at the same time be easier? ( Car on stands both sides)You would not be fighting the bar then.

[x_er_o]

Here you go, bit shitty cause it was at night

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u90/x_er_o/Car/Strut1.jpg

-adam

[CV8UTE]

Looks good mate!! I'm getting a strut brace shortly. But will get it fitted when I do my suspension.

But what sort of coolant is in your tank? I thought Gen 3 have to use the red dexacool?? I may be wrong though.

[BLACK 346]

Looks good mate!! I'm getting a strut brace shortly. But will get it fitted when I do my suspension.

But what sort of coolant is in your tank? I thought Gen 3 have to use the red dexacool?? I may be wrong though.

Have seen a few LS1 getting around with green coolant. NATRAD
told me you can run either the red or the green provided you
flush all of one out before replacing with the other.

[CV8UTE]

Have seen a few LS1 getting around with green coolant. NATRAD
told me you can run either the red or the green provided you
flush all of one out before replacing with the other.

Thanks for that.

[Lloyd1986]

Ive been wanting to get one for ages, tigten up the front end and keep the cassis stiffer for longer. Juts havent has time yet.

[macca_779]

If you can get assistance wouldn't undoing both struts at the same time be easier? ( Car on stands both sides)You would not be fighting the bar then.

It doesn't help. I did try that but it can't physically roll down enough to get enough room. Its not hard to unbolt the sway bar anyway, only 1 nut