Strut brace

[djw113uk]

At the local meeting yesterday we spotted a strut brace on a MK11 car. I didnt think these were necessary on the 2000 or stag as they are solid cars. I cannot see them in CW lists, but obviously Monarch do them.

I have tried to find info on the benefits or otherwise, but cannot find any comments. Mine are not track cars, but regular, high mileage use, with some "enjoyment" of A and B roads.

Will the stag one fit? Where do you get one for a 2000? And is it worth it?
Cheers

[CAR]

I'm fairly sure Alan Chatterton has one on his estate, knowing that he has owned many of these cars, both saloon and estate, I'm sure that he can answer most of your questions.
So how about it Alan?

Colin.

[owen1183]

I once had a strut brace on a flimsy French car (a citroen AX) as it was highly reccommended as the body work was thinner than an annorexic worm on a diet.

there was that much body roll though that even with stiffer springs it was pointless.

I would suggest if you have an anti roll bar, that will be of more benefit.

I can't imagine the 2000 flexing too much to be honest, I would only think it necessary for race / track use.

You could easily make one up though, piece of square section and some brackets to bolt under the strut fixing nuts in the engine bay.

[Alan Chatterton]

Yeah, it was mine that he was looking at!

I often wondered if it made any difference even after I fitted it (to be honest, I only put it on in the first place 'cos I thought it looked nice!!)

After about 6 months I took it off (needed to get at the rockers and couldn't be bothered to put it back on!) and then drove the car....... THEN I noticed the difference.. front end all floppy and felt like the suspension was no longer attached to the car!

It went back on pretty swiftly!

Also, even having been painted (badly!!) about 18 years ago now, the joint between the front wings and the front panel on top....... the paint has not cracked.... unlike every other 2000 I have had.

I don't think the Stag one will fit.........and these are not available off the shelf........... our old Chairmans David Tattersall made a batch up about 25 years ago and mine is one of those.

Craig Bennett has one on his PI too (I put it on when I had the car!!).......... same thing, he reckons it makes a difference too!

[djw113uk]

Yes, it was Alan's car I saw it on last night. was after a few more thoughts, and where to get one from really! However, one thing he just mentioned, that hadnt occured to me, has just put me off.

"(needed to get at the rockers and couldn't be bothered to put it back on!)"

.... With my fortnightly valve clearance adjustment due to LPG, I either need a pretty imaginative shape, or quick release.....
I suspect a parallelogram shape would loose its rigidty....

I'll also be checking out my stag, as I thought they would be the same. Also, Ii I swap back to the V8, (and hopefully efi), I suspect that would collide too.

You got one on yours Ken?

[ken]

Hi all no dont have one one mine. most of the panels are seem welded and it would be a work of art to get round the inlet manifold.I only have about 1/4 inch between the bonnet and the top of the inlet. mite be an worth looking at. I think the cross member takes most of the shock as the front end is almost on the bump stops anyway

regards Ken

[John Weston]

I'm looking at doing this myself - any pics of yours (or previous ones ) fitted?
I was thinking of a brace back to the centre of the bulkhead - meeting in the middle - from both sides - perhaps mirrored around the front of the rocker cover to make a haxagonal shape overall.....

John

[mikeyb]

I'm looking at doing this myself - any pics of yours (or previous ones ) fitted?
I was thinking of a brace back to the centre of the bulkhead - meeting in the middle - from both sides - perhaps mirrored around the front of the rocker cover to make a haxagonal shape overall.....

John

Interesting idea, but would that not just increase stiffness front to back? as opposed to side to side where you need it?

I suppose you could put a removable cross piece in linking the strut tops, all chrome would look tasty

[Alec]

Hello John,

I don't think that bracing back and possibly forward will add any real strength in the direction a strut brace normally works. That is to say to keep the top of the strut turrets from moving inward. I have to say that there are plenty of designs out there, commercially available, that are no more than decoration. Any strut brace that is not straight is a waste of material as bending the tube makes it much weaker.

If you do want to stiffen the strut area, then seam welding would be one way. However, unlike many (most?) cars the Triumph shell is double skinned so the wing and inner wing form quite a reinforcement for the turret anyway?

This modification is predominantly for cars that use very stiff front springs, and tend to be driven on rough surfaces, e;g rally cars.

Alec

[Allen Walker]

Only other one I've seen is the one on Pat Walker's East African Safari car which is made from square-section steel tubing fabricated like so:

Strut Brace Diagram

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