I have just bought an octavia 1 vrs, , another car i saw had small diagonal braces from the wheel arch to the floor on both sides behind the rear seat . what are they? should mine have them? do they help? where do you get them?

Early ones dont always have them and neither do the estates (hence the 16" wheels apparently)

I have just bought an octavia 1 vrs, , another car i saw had small diagonal braces from the wheel arch to the floor on both sides behind the rear seat . what are they? should mine have them? do they help? where do you get them?

They act as a chassis brace, they stop the strut tower from flexing when giving it the berries round fast corners.

Im sure that your local dealer will be able to get some for you though for a few quid

Early ones dont always have them and neither do the estates (hence the 16" wheels apparently)

Why would 16" wheels help? (I have them on now and the struts).

Why would 16" wheels help? (I have them on now and the struts).

I have no idea. I'd expect the available grip to be a function of tread width for a constant rolling radius, and the lower profile but same section tyres on the 17s give a pretty constant rolling radius.

17's will provide a stiffer ride and with less sidewall will transfer more shocks to the bodyshell. It seems likely that they didn't feel that the estate had the inherent stiffness to cope with the additional cornering forces achievable with the VRS when combined with 17" wheels.

Why would 16" wheels help? (I have them on now and the struts).

They didnt fit the 17's on the estate as they dont have the strut bracing.

17's will provide a stiffer ride and with less sidewall will transfer more shocks to the bodyshell. It seems likely that they didn't feel that the estate had the inherent stiffness to cope with the additional cornering forces achievable with the VRS when combined with 17" wheels.

As per #6, I don't see where this "extra cornering force" is supposed to be coming from, since the contact patch is the same size, and compound (if tyres are same make and model).

As per #6, I don't see where this "extra cornering force" is supposed to be coming from, since the contact patch is the same size, and compound (if tyres are same make and model).

17's are wider than the 16's IIRC and also have a shorter and so stiffer sidewall hence more force going through the suspension at a guess.

17's are wider than the 16's IIRC and also have a shorter and so stiffer sidewall hence more force going through the suspension at a guess.

205 in 205/55R16 /= 205 in 205/45R17?

As per #6, I don't see where this "extra cornering force" is supposed to be coming from, since the contact patch is the same size, and compound (if tyres are same make and model).

I'm sorry but if you read what I posted you would see that I was comparing the stock chassis to the vRS. The vRS has stiffer suspension as standard, stickier tyres and is generally intended to be driven harder. Therefore, cornering forces in the vRS are potentially higher than on a stock 1.6 or so.

Then, in regard to the tyres, it is well known that 17" tyres will transfer more shocks to the body, indicated by a harsher rider. These extra shocks would not be absorbed by the sidewall whereas more would be damped by the increased sidewall on 16" tyres. In an estate, the chassis braces would intrude into the load space which pretty much defeats the purpose of having the estate in the first place. That would appear to be the reason for which they were omitted on the estate. As a result, the body would be less capable of handling the increased shocks transmitted to it from the 17" sidewall. Compare a car with 15" wheels and then after fitting 18" or even 19" wheels and you will notice a worsening of the ride - caused by a lack of absorbtion by reduced sidewalls. Skoda would not void the warranty on an estate when fitted with 17" wheels if there wasn't good reason for doing so.

I'm sorry but if you read what I posted you would see that I was comparing the stock chassis to the vRS. The vRS has stiffer suspension as standard, stickier tyres and is generally intended to be driven harder. Therefore, cornering forces in the vRS are potentially higher than on a stock 1.6 or so.

Then, in regard to the tyres, it is well known that 17" tyres will transfer more shocks to the body, indicated by a harsher rider. These extra shocks would not be absorbed by the sidewall whereas more would be damped by the increased sidewall on 16" tyres. In an estate, the chassis braces would intrude into the load space which pretty much defeats the purpose of having the estate in the first place. That would appear to be the reason for which they were omitted on the estate. As a result, the body would be less capable of handling the increased shocks transmitted to it from the 17" sidewall. Compare a car with 15" wheels and then after fitting 18" or even 19" wheels and you will notice a worsening of the ride - caused by a lack of absorbtion by reduced sidewalls. Skoda would not void the warranty on an estate when fitted with 17" wheels if there wasn't good reason for doing so.

Clues in the avatar and stated output mate. I've got an Elegance, which comes with 205/55R16Ws. I'm not claiming that they don't absorb bump shock better than 205/45R17s; just that they will not have less mechanical grip if the tyres are the same make and model.