strut brace - worth it just to stop the dash creaks!

david burton · Post by **david burton** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:26 am

I fitted my strut brace on Sunday, was a mission to squeeze round the turbo box thingy on the driver's top mount, but got there in the end and I love it.

I always was sceptical that these made much of a difference. I'm an mechanical engineer by degree so obviously it makes sense to me, but I thought some cars would be strong enough without these, and really how much did they flex anyway?

The dash has stopped creaking! it's worth Â£100 alone just to stop that bloody plastic from driving me mad. There's still the creaks when the heater heats it up, or when I go over vicious bumps, but round the twists and turns and generally there's now no noise.

Steering wise, the initial turn in is ever so slightly heavier and more responsive. At high speed I can really feel a difference, a couple of corners I take every day to work felt a lot safer at speeds I only ever used to do at the uppermost limit, and I even had to correct myself after turning too soon in a couple of places - the car has a much nicer feel to it.

it's not a huge difference, but it is definitely there without a doubt.

I wonder if it will effect tyre wear at all. currently my tyre wear is very even.

DanDiesel · Post by **DanDiesel** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:08 am

glad you like it mate, was bloody quick delivery as i posted that on thursday morning!
as far as i'm aware, if the tracking a camber are correct then tyre wear should remain constant!

david burton · Post by **david burton** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:48 pm

any tips on how to remove the filter easily with the brace in place?

Chris-85 · Post by **Chris-85** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:38 pm

I have to agree that its worth fitting one to stop the dash creaks didnt realise until I turn the stereo off and thought there was something missing.

Did you have trouble getting it under the weather seal as I have had to lift it off slightly?

david burton · Post by **david burton** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:59 pm

yeah, just lifted that up ever so slightly, doesn't matter at all because the seal is still working.

very happy, just a pain with the air filter box!

Jeff GTi · Post by **Jeff GTi** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:28 pm

glad your happy mate, as you was asking my opinion, i have the forge motorsport one and it seems it has better clearence, as it is free from the airbox and firewall

glad you have lost your rattles

DanDiesel · Post by **DanDiesel** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:39 pm

no tips to remove the air filter unfortunately, have never had to do it myself but Seat said they would remove the brace to change the air filter during a service!

rs_tdi · Post by **rs_tdi** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:58 pm

What brace did you get? Pictures? Same brace for 1.8T and 1.9TDi?