Am I likely to have done much damage?

[Dr Zoidberg]

i wouldn't try to undo the bolts on the strut brace as they will be under tension from the strain of the bent strut brace , get someone to cut it in half with a hacksaw , thus releasing the strain , bolts should come undone easier then and not risking further damage to the shocker top mount threads , i agree with everybody about getting an alignment check also .

If it's out of shape and still under load then when you cut through the brace it will go with quite a bang.

Best bet is to try and push it straight before removing it

[TeflonTom]

just for your reference this is where the maf sensor is

i would suggest that the rattling you can hear is because the plastic engine cover is rattling against the strut brace.

the steam/smoke might be coming out throught the oil filler cap... from the picture it looks like it is broken... i expect the lugs on the back are bent and it isn't sealing properly and it's allowing smoke out instead of going out throught the crankcase breather. the only problem you might have is if the lugs from the back of the filler cap have broken off and fallen inside the engine......

[Goochie]

Does anyone (like the previous owner) have a photo of that make of strut brace on the car before the incident?

Emily - multiple photos of each end of the brace would be handy, as would a close up of the filler cap where it is touching the brace.

[ric04vrs]

If it's out of shape and still under load then when you cut through the brace it will go with quite a bang.

Best bet is to try and push it straight before removing it

its always easy bending a tube one way but just try and get it back straight again but yes you're right it may go with a bit of a bang , but better to go bang when cutting in the middle instead of undoing bolts at the shocker tops and having it spring off there when it pulls the last 2 threads out of the top mount with your fingers on the spanner/socket

[Neo_VR]

Does anyone (like the previous owner) have a photo of that make of strut brace on the car before the incident?

Emily - multiple photos of each end of the brace would be handy, as would a close up for the filler cap where it is touching the brace.

Its just the std seat-sport brace that every man and his dog has to allow it to out-handle ferraris etc..

tbh im pretty sure it wont have screwed the geometry.. unlike REAL strut braces, these are very weak at their mount-points and flex quite alot.

[TeflonTom]

emily, can you post up a more detailed picture of where it bolts onto the top of the suspension please??

edit: one more thought on this also.... iirc the strut mounting on the drivers side is very close to the brake fluid resovoir/servo.... have a look this side to see if anything has been misaligned/broken/bent...

[Goochie]

emily, can you post up a more detailed picture of where it bolts onto the top of the suspension please??

There's an echo in here

I hate posting just before a corner

[rosscofurby]

Does anyone (like the previous owner) have a photo of that make of strut brace on the car before the incident?

Emily - multiple photos of each end of the brace would be handy, as would a close up for the filler cap where it is touching the brace.

same strut brace but in its original red colour. sorry its a poor photo.

[Emily-Elizabeth]

Lots of conflicting information!!!

This is my situation at the moment. Me and the furby are at home with my mother. I do not want to panic her by saying that the car might be badly damage as far as she knows 'one of those boyracer parts has got bent'. There is no way I can get the sturt off on my own - I tried but it would not budge.

I can drive it to the nearest garage (TVR/lotus) which is a mile away and have them look at it. I could drive to qwickfit/skoda/peugoet (where it would be free) which are all about 8 miles away.

What should I do, because I am having kittens at the moment.

[Goochie]

tbh im pretty sure it wont have screwed the geometry.. unlike REAL strut braces, these are very weak at their mount-points and flex quite alot.

The more I look at it the more I'm sure of that too. Unlike a "real" brace it doesnt fit on a ring around the turret.

[TaviaRS]

Feck her's is bent badly :(

That will have pulled the turret tops, but hopefully that is all. I think the alignment will be fine. The rattle may be the top mounts shifting within the turrets, had it on my when some muppets at the dealer decided to fit my top mounts upside down so they came partly through the turrets. Nothing a lump hammer won't sort

[Emily-Elizabeth]

Going out with my carmera now/

Brb

[faboka vrs]

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Like everyone has said. Get the blood ything off and get an alignment check.

Off topic. Col isnt your camber well out :confused:

[Goochie]

Drive to the TVR/Lotus place as they will know about boy racer parts, get upset and cry when you get there - then it may also be free.

Looking at the strut brace in its original condition, I think you may have had a lucky escape.

[Neo_VR]

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Like everyone has said. Get the blood ything off and get an alignment check.

Off topic. Col isnt your camber well out :confused:

Yes.. its always been like that from the factory.. but nothing (cheap) can be done about it

[Dr Zoidberg]

its always easy bending a tube one way but just try and get it back straight again but yes you're right it may go with a bit of a bang , but better to go bang when cutting in the middle instead of undoing bolts at the shocker tops and having it spring off there when it pulls the last 2 threads out of the top mount with your fingers on the spanner/socket

So instead it launches a hacksaw across the garage.

I know how I'd bend it back into shape , but it has a good chance of going wrong (again) so I won't post it here

[Neo_VR]

Pics of a normal strut brace bar-ends (mine is slightly thicker bar, but the mount is the same)

Ya see its more likely to bend on these joins then ever actually pull the turrets anywhere.

(and before Faboka comments... yes i need new top-mounts lol)

[Ants]

The brace is pushing on the engine, so it won't be able to move on its mounts as it should. This could be causing the rattle, it could also be doing other nasty things too, so don't drive it too far.

[EddyH]

Pics of a normal strut brace bar-ends (mine is slightly thicker bar, but the mount is the same)

Ya see its more likely to bend on these joins then ever actually pull the turrets anywhere.

But if the brace bends in that direction then it isn't going to do a very good job of bracing. The idea of a strut brace is that it controls the position of the turrets so should be stronger than them or won't work.

[Neo_VR]

But if the brace bends in that direction then it isn't going to do a very good job of bracing. The idea of a strut brace is that it controls the position of the turrets so should be stronger than them or won't work.

Its more a Pimp-mod than a functional one

[faboka vrs]

Looking at a forge one. The forge looks alot stronger around turrets than the seat/momo ones. Also fits to all 3 bolts.

[Emily-Elizabeth]

I tried to get photos from all the angles I could think of. Please excuse the sausage sandwich on the engine.

Are they of any use?

[Neo_VR]

I think the off-side mount has given... Em is just getting a better pic of it.

[VRStu]

Emily I am afraid that would really worry me, you have bent that bar an awful lot.

All I can say is have it taken somewhere, bodyshop maybe and get it looked at. It isn't going to be free but hey that'll teach you to try and help someone. I wouldn't even want to think of you driving it in that state as you have no idea of the damage caused as yet. On a lighter note, that is a very strong part of the chassis and until you get it checked out properly there is little point in trying to guestimate what might be wrong.

Exactly ho much pulling did you do with it?

Phil - I very much doubt that the insurance would cover this sort of incident as the car was being used for something which it is neither designed nor insured for.

[Goochie]

I reckon the weld has broken at the bottom of the bracket.

Good point Stu on the insurance front.

Get a quote on the check and any work required, it could be less than the policy excess, Emily. If needed, get someone a little more experienced to read your policy documents very carfuly.

Emily, a photo of the brace end viewed from the side of the car would be useful.