Removing rear strut braces??

[vRS_Si]

I need to temporarily remove my standard rear strut braces, and was wondering if anyone has done this before?

Do they simply unscrew? They look like their held on with a few large star bits.

I assume it's not a problem? The car will just be less stiff whilst their off right...:confused:

[Bodge]

just dont hoon it around any corners and twist the car up!

i'd guess it would be ok, as long as you are very gentle.

[bigal rallyred]

The estate doesn't have them so as a temporary removal I can't see any problem without them.

You could always fit a proper rear ARB and remove the one in the boot.

[billy2981]

that wont stop the bodt twist though. mind you i cant see the car having enough grip to do that though?

[Tech1e]

The estate doesn't have them so as a temporary removal I can't see any problem without them.

You could always fit a proper rear ARB and remove the one in the boot.

The braces in the back arent an ARB, nor do they do the same job. They aren't fitted to the estate as the estate only runs 16" wheels.

I can't imagine it doing any damage removing them for a short time.

[bigal rallyred]

What are they for then?

When i had my Octy I always found them a bit of a pain. I thought they would be good if you had tools in the boot and had a bump as it would help stop stuff coming through the boot into the passenger compartment.

[KenONeill]

They're claimed to be strut braces, which hold the tops of the struts a fixed distance apart under hard cornering.

Personally, I'm still waiting for anyone to give a believable answer as to how a 205/45R17 gives more significantly grip than the same make 205/55R16.

[Tech1e]

I was under the impression its not due to gip but loading. As the bigger wheel and lower profile tyres alters the stiffness/loading of the rear axle they added braces to compensate. However the golf nor Bora have the braces and have 17's fitted as standard, but I guess they are slightly different bodyshells.

[cloverleaf]

An ARB transfers suspension forces from one side of the car to another in an attempt to equalize movement between wheels.

A strut brace (or any other body shell braces for that matter) stop twist in the body shell or chassis, giving a more rigid structure and therefore more precise reactions to suspension, movement and steering.

Also, with the above post mentioning the Golf/Bora. As the Bora is a saloon, the body shell is much stiffer anyay than the 5dr hatchback Octavia. Impreza 4 doors are saloons but due to their high cornering forces and intended nature, most of the high powered versions have a solid bulkhead behind the seats to stiffen things up. As the Golf is such a short shell anyway there really is little need for extra bracing on the standard car although there are braces available for high power cars and those doing track work.

[KenONeill]

I was under the impression its not due to gip but loading. As the bigger wheel and lower profile tyres alters the stiffness/loading of the rear axle they added braces to compensate. However the golf nor Bora have the braces and have 17's fitted as standard, but I guess they are slightly different bodyshells.

Ah right. I can see the lower walls and stiffer springs giving higher vertical shock loadings to the tops of the strut towers, but I'd have thought some extra seam welding on the towers was a simpler and more practical way of dealing with that.

[Tech1e]

Ah right. I can see the lower walls and stiffer springs giving higher vertical shock loadings to the tops of the strut towers, but I'd have thought some extra seam welding on the towers was a simpler and more practical way of dealing with that.

I'd agree, probably in practice more expensive than whacking a few metal bars in.

[JohnRS]

So does this mean a vRS estate should'nt have larger wheels with lower profiled tyres? If the above is true, i.e Golfs are shorter & Bora's Saloon, estates are neither, what "extra" supporting structure does an estate have. Is the estate not just a hatch with a bit extra on top so to speak. Or does this mean estate drivers dont corner hard because they have the dog in the back:rolleyes:.

[Tech1e]

So does this mean a vRS estate should'nt have larger wheels with lower profiled tyres? If the above is true, i.e Golfs are shorter & Bora's Saloon, estates are neither, what "extra" supporting structure does an estate have. Is the estate not just a hatch with a bit extra on top so to speak. Or does this mean estate drivers dont corner hard because they have the dog in the back:rolleyes:.

Yes in theory. The estate doesn't have the braces and thus 'cannot' run larger than 16" wheels. Really.........

[JohnRS]

I was originally looking at these for my estate, only a tad bigger than standard. If I had £600 I would of had them already, I considered selling SWMBO's puppy to fund them. . What implications would it have then, not that i corner too hard.

[Tech1e]

None as fr as I can see, its more than likely Skoda being a little over zealous.

[KenONeill]

:+1: - Yes the stress put into the shell by the lower sidewalls is higher, but that stress goes through the suspension top mounts, so it's at more or less right angles to the support afforded by a bolt-on strut brace (assumes a proper brace, and not an aftermarker "dress up" part which is attached to the mounting plates by a single pin or bolt each side, and hence has all the additional torsional rigidity of a hinge!)

[cloverleaf]

Also, remember that the estate is likely to be purchased as a load lugger and therefore a flat load bed is probably quite important in helping to sell them.

[Banana-Man]

I doubt you will notice any difference to the car twisting and turning if you take these off. I think they are annoying sitting right in the middle of the trumk. It is like they were put there to have the bow of a very small ship in your car when the seats are down and the trucklid is up - how damn useless is that? how many refridgerators have you seen with a vee design

Just don't do what Clarkson did to the Renault Espace and cut the roof off too. I think you would notice the difference in body roll if you did that as well

Edited 13 August, 2008 by Banana-Man

[richm]

won't be any problem to remove them, i have on occasions when i needed to carry bulky loads.

It won't harm the car as such, they are there to impart stiffness to the rear end of the shell on account there is no bulkhead as there would be in a saloon. The added stiffness will make the car behave better in some conditions, on normal driving you won't be able to tell if they are there or not.

[Ender]

I would disagree, I dont think Skoda whome on a budget would chuck useless peices of metal at a car unless they had to, they are their for a reason and god forbid you have a crash minus those well lets just say you wont be coverd, these are 2 of many reason's.

Good luck

[richm]

I would disagree, I dont think Skoda whome on a budget would chuck useless peices of metal at a car unless they had to, they are their for a reason and god forbid you have a crash minus those well lets just say you wont be coverd, these are 2 of many reason's.

Good luck

They aren't there because they "have to", they are there because they provide a benefit in shell stiffness, and hence in performance in certain conditions, not because they are an absolute neccessity. The benefit is evidently worth the cost.

They don't "have to" fit alloy wheels, electric windows, cupholders, etc but they do, since they are considered to provide a benefit (except the cupholders lol and they probably cost more than the bars)

There is no way the car is going to crash because they aren't fitted

If they were "needed" in the hatchback they would certainly be needed in the Estate

Up to the individual as far as whether they wish to take them off of course

[Ender]

Maybe they are not needed in the estate because its stronger somewhere? ill look for this but i strongly suspect it will be.

But yes I wouldnt take them out but its down to the owner.

[richm]

maybe the non-RS spec hatchback shells are stronger too..

The bars and associated threaded insert fasteners are listed as RS variant.

[Ender]

yea maybe they are!

Or maybe SMART **** the RS has differant suspension, wheels, arbs and whole lot else you numpty jeez own a car get on a forum and then make a nob of yourself welcome to the club.....

The differance from a bogo octy to a RS octy is massive not just bumpers and wheels, use the search feature to find out exactly what is differant!

Have a nice day

[Banana-Man]

I think Skoda just tapped into what Citroen were doing with their Saxo and raced it up to get them selling. These rear strut braces as standard are just added value and add to the mystique of the VRS brand? they are very subtle and the estate doesn't even have them? These Vee braces look pretty but are for show me thinks - but will do some digging to find out. Not sure you can even buy upper rear strut braces for octavia via after market route - I don't think they will have the strut brace police lurking around when you crash either?

On the other hand;

Will your insurance company cover or does it not know about the Halfords shopping spree you have added to your octavia - is your car road legal? or a rally/track car Lol :-))

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I confess I didn't tell my insurance company about the valve caps? Ooops!