Polished Rear Strut Brace - oversize first batch made woes

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Unfortunately, the two polished rear strut braces I bought in the GB a while back proved to be oversize by about 10mm when attempts were made to fit one to my VR recently while the car was at Stealth getting a few tasty bits done.

 

I gather from a reliable CF authority, who fortuitously happened to be at Stealth at the time, that there was such a problem with the first batch of braces made. If that's defo the case, then I need to get them sorted somehow, if it's still possible.

 

I can't remember who did the GB to make contact and don't know what happened as a search proved fruitless and I haven't been on the forum for ages (apart from the occasional furtive peek), having had to promise SWMBO (under penalty of things too diabolical to mention here) to put all car related activity, except driving to the builders merchants & back, on hold until I'd finished the house renovations.

 

I assume the oversize braces would have been replaced when the fault came to light, or maybe payment was refunded. Can anyone help point me towards a solution, please?

 

PS Must say it's nice to be back and how pleased I am with Vince's work on the car, which is completely transformed :D

[KADVR6 0]

are these the ones that i sorted out the postage for? only your username rings a bell.

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Yes, I think so. Rings a bell somewhere in the swirling mist that passes for my memory. It was a fair old while ago...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Hi Anton

 

Hope you're still enjoying the car with it's new found cornering ability!

 

I would give the guy at Trimsport a ring, I think his name is Morris? I'm sure I remember him replacing any that didn't fit. Chances are you could have a MK3 Golf one, which I think is a little wider across the struts, or as mentioned, there was a duff batch. Either way he should be able to help you out!

 

Cheers

Kev

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Thanks Kev, will do.

 

Hope you're still enjoying the car with it's new found cornering ability!

Sure am. One or two kinks to iron out still, but pretty much there. Apart from getting launched out of my seat over bumps flat out (bit of a head banger) and a bit of arch rubbing (bit too soft & rebound's wrong somewhere), car's a dream. Vince is a star. Spent about 4 times what I'd allowed myself, tho'. Hope to god SWMBO doesn't find out.....

 

Just need about 250 more horses and RWD, a good body shop, the necessary sponduliks and I'm sorted :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Launched out of your seat!! LOL, you must have been going at a fair rate!!

[KADVR6 0]

well i sent out approx 20units and i have not heard from any other people that they dont fit, they are a very very snug fit. but they DO fit.

[The_Dude 0]

Mine was incredibly tight, but did just go on, though it did seem like it slightly pushed the towers apart, changing the camber. But i got the full suspension geo done when I had it on as I got coillies at pretty much the same time, so didn't see any ill effects.

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Well mine defo don't fit. Both (bought one for my Mk2, but it got stolen before I could fit the brace) are identical and 10mm too wide. Vince thought about grinding one down but there would have been too little metal left to make that a realistic proposition.

 

It finally occured to me to check my PMs, just in case, and I found I sent payment £103.80 on 15th Jan 2008 to ADZ_VR6. Don't know if that sheds any light. I seem to remember the delivery arriving very promptly after I sent payment.

 

Seems too much of a coincidence that some had to be replaced because they didn't fit and I'm wondering whether the bell that rang for KAD_VR6 on "anto" was actually from the Rear Brake Upgrade GB I organised rather than these strut braces :confused4:

 

Anyway, I'll take a measurement and 'phone Trimsport to see what they say.

[Toad 0]

They weren't trimsport braces. They were off some bloke on E38.

 

And it might be that your car is 10mm too narrow... I seem to remember that there is a lot of variation in Corrado shells.

[Supercharged 2]

Sounds like a MK3 one as they are 10mm wider. The GB forum does not get pruned so should be able to find it if it was bought off here?

 

^ not heard anything about variations before Tom as all the shells should be made on a jig, they aint that old - if there are any it must be from wear on the chassis...

 

I'm running a Trimsport one on both cars and both times fitment was easy and a tightened it up until it matched the figure in the Bentley manual for the distance between the turrets.

 

I wouldn't want to push the turretts out a further 10mm as you don't know what effect it will have passive rear steering and the chassis - the back panel seam may well crack in time like you see on MK2 Golfs.

[Supercharged 2]

Maybe from here -

 

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=63735&p=743152&hilit=brace#p743152

[Toad 0]

Nope, not from there.

 

I'll snuffle around and try to find the bloke out.

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Haven't 'phoned Trimsport since Toad's post that they didn't come from there. Have racked the brain but still can't remember any useful details, tho' I do remember that they were made up by a guy - just can't remember who............... Have also tried searching again but get nothing at all. Anyone got any idea who actually ran the GB back then? Might help for me to contact them - ADZ_VR6?

 

Defo don't want to push the turrets out 10mm, so I won't be fitting one to the car LOL. Vince did try to fit one and abandoned it, since it just wasn't on. Looks like the car took a whack in the rear right corner some time before I got it - got some rust just starting on the arch, but everything lines up OK and when Vince did the geometry/wheel alignment after fitting a set of KWs there were no issues.

 

Very much appreciate the effort to help sort this out, chaps.

[ADZ_VR6 0]

Thats the ones i picked up and passed on to karl i should have the blokes details somewhere ill have a look, mine fitted ok btw :shrug:

 

*edit* : I've looked through my posts and cant find the thread anywhere don't no if it will have been deleted, i cleaned my inbox up a while back and can't find any details for the bloke. I no i picked them up from scotter in north lincolnshire but i havent his number, who started the post was it KipVR? maybe he has some details?

[ADZ_VR6 0]

Maybe from here -

 

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=63735&p=743152&hilit=brace#p743152

 

 

Not that one mate

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

mine fitted ok btw :shrug:

 

Thanks chap. Any chance you could measure your brace when convenient? Better be doubly sure it's not the car..............

[ADZ_VR6 0]

Just happen to have mine in the house mate and it is 871mm in the middle tube outside flanges, it looks square too mesures same all round pal hope that helps u.

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Cheers mate. I'll grab a measure and wander up to the garage this arvo.

[mariojoshi 1]

I got one 2nd hand recently, and it was an incredibly tight fit, but eventually went in.

10mm is a huge amount in relative terms for something like this, so something must be up.

 

Does anyone know if there's a certain way to tighten the u bolts up, and how tight they should be? Or, the correct distance between the turrets?!

 

Hope you get this sorted chap, sorry for the mini thread-hijack!

[BILLCOR 1]

It was me that started the GB :wave: ADZ collected them and Karl posted them out, they were bought from a guy on ED38 as Toad said, I'll check my messages on ED38 to see if I still have the guys details, I remember someone else? having problems fitting theirs but they did manage with a bit of grinding I think :shrug:

 

Edit: Guys name is Chris, I'll PM his mobile number

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

it is 871mm in the middle tube outside flanges

 

Mine are 871mm, too! Unless the turret brackets are a different size on mine, which seems unlikely, they're both identical to ADZ_VR6's and, presumably, the others', after all...... :scratch:

 

I immediately set about fitting one to the VR myself and discovered the rear right speaker cable was routed round the inner side of the turret! Routed it round the back of the turret instead and almost got the brace to fit. It's actually more or less exactly the width of the flange too wide - about 3mm! The other 7mm Stealth reported oversize must have been a longsighted somebody at Stealth not noticing the speaker cable in the way! :roll: :lol:

 

Had a good look around the rear right turret and boot floor, just in case, and there's no sign of any damage or repair work, thank god. I did get a bit worried about whatever might have happened to the rear right corner when filler was found while getting the arches rolled and pulled a couple of weeks ago. It does seem it was more or less just cosmetic damage to the arch, but I'm looking at a new quarter panel some time in the future.

 

3mm's easily grindable I think, so I'll get that organised and, hopefully, get the brace fitted very shortly. I really appreciate everyone's input. Thanks to all. :D

[Toad 0]

Three mm is easy to wedge your way past. My Trimsport in the VR actually needed a 3mm spacer though.

[Jon_vr6 1]

It was a tight fit on my VR and on the GF's 16v went straight on no hassle someone suggested that over time the turrets move futher towards eachother thus making for a tight fit! As someone i remember saying they had new suspension fitted and was very easy to fit not tight atall!

[ADZ_VR6 0]

It was me that started the GB :wave: ADZ collected them and Karl posted them out, they were bought from a guy on ED38 as Toad said, I'll check my messages on ED38 to see if I still have the guys details, I remember someone else? having problems fitting theirs but they did manage with a bit of grinding I think :shrug:

 

Edit: Guys name is Chris, I'll PM his mobile number

 

Mate can you pm me this guys number im selling mine and seem to have missplaced one of the u bolts :D cheers pal