[JonoQ2]

Hi guys, any reccomendations for a particular make of strut brace, steel or ally, adjustable or fixed?? Seen the ones on alfisti.net weichers, novitec, omp.... Anyone had experience with any of these, and do you know whereabouts I can source one from the U.K.
Cheers Jono:thumbs:

 

[Rob3rto]

Have a look around eBay.
I got a set of 3 red OMP braces for £99 plus £10 delivery a while back.
Only fitted the front upper one as the car is too low on the cr4ppy Supersport kit I had fitted. Soon as I get some Eibach Pro Dampers to go with the Eibach Pro Springs then I will fit the lower one.
Boot one involves drilling into the suspension towers

 

[Alfa-Red]

Have a look around eBay.
I got a set of 3 red OMP braces for £99 plus £10 delivery a while back.
Only fitted the front upper one as the car is too low on the cr4ppy Supersport kit I had fitted. Soon as I get some Eibach Pro Dampers to go with the Eibach Pro Springs then I will fit the lower one.
Boot one involves drilling into the suspension towers

thats no biggie, i had to drill into the front turrets on my stilo:rant:

access may be a pain on the rear though

i had an omp front and rear on my stilo, and im getting them again. beware of strutbracer and ybracing though, they have a nasty habit of not sending a fitting kit (if required), screws etc:rant:

and when you do get hold of them, they are so slow to respond:tut:

order from them, because they dont do it all the time, but prepared to chase them

 

[Laptop_Matt]

Fixed Weichers Aluminium Strutbrace

very light and a perfect fit.

Dont bother with a lower brace unless you want to shake your car to pieces lol.

I got mine from alfisti.net

 

[Rob3rto]

thats no biggie, i had to drill into the front turrets on my stilo:rant:

access may be a pain on the rear though

i had an omp front and rear on my stilo, and im getting them again. beware of strutbracer and ybracing though, they have a nasty habit of not sending a fitting kit (if required), screws etc:rant:

and when you do get hold of them, they are so slow to respond:tut:

Slow to get in but got them well packed. Sent me a free cap too

Strutbracer and YBRacing is Mark Y on here.

BTW, where's the Scorpion exhaust thread gone? Went to a mates at the weekend, is buying a GTA and wanted to know what exhausts are out there. Showed and made hime listen to the Wizard's and wanted to show him the Scorpion thread. Luckily there was a "Scorpion Owners" thread.

 

[Alfa-Red]

scorpion have just done a new one for the GTa's havnt they

 

[JonoQ2]

The wiechers brace does look good!! Anyone know any U.K suppliers?

 

[GhostyDog]

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-gta/131349-review-weichers-strutbrace-147-gta.html

Nuff said

 

[Stu GTV]

My Wiecher brace fitted to my GTV, supplied by Alfisti.net.....great improvement....:thumbs:

 

[ratatouille]

I have the Novitech aluminium front upper one I got off eBay, don't know that it makes a huge difference really although it sometimes feels like the back is stepping out more now so it must be doing something to the front.:lol:

It's fairly light and looks quite subdued in the engine bay though. Planning to put some red Alfa decals on it at some point, the guy who owned it before had taken the Novitech stickers off.

 

[ratatouille]

Pic, bit dark I'm afraid.

 

[shiny_car]

Fixed Weichers Aluminium Strutbrace

very light and a perfect fit.

the Weicher's aluminium brace is certainly light, and i have one on my GT. however, it is not what you'd call 'fixed'. there are 2 bolts either end (ie: it's 3-piece) allowing the pieces to pivot. plus there's a reasonable amount of 'slop' at these joins. basically, i don't think it's very effective cos there's so much movement. it is a major reason i changed it.

i now have a MOMO PitStop version (may be hard to find now). whilst it is also 3-piece, it is solid when assembled, with not significant movement/pivoting.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/467659/18994705/361369534.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/467659/18994705/361508279.jpg

the more usual red MOMO versions (made as an official Alfa part) is a genuine 1-piece solid brace, also good IMO.

i suspect one major reason some braces are multipiece is for manufacturing and packaging purposes. not functional. there really isn't much point in them being 'adjustable' IMO (sure, you can apply a little bit of tension to push 'outwards' agains the suspension bolts but i doubt that makes much difference).

i continue to think a strut brace is a good idea. minimising chassis-flex not only improve suspension performance, the reduction in chassis-flex should help prevent your chassis from softening over time. but again, how significant this is...i have no proof or quantitative measurement.

from alfisti.net, perhaps either the OMP or Novitec like above:
http://shop.alfisti.net/Tuning-Styling/Alfa-147/Suspensions/omp-Steel-Strut-Bar::1417.html
http://shop.alfisti.net/Tuning-Styling/Alfa-147/Suspensions/Novitec-Aluminium-Strut-Bar::1139.html

this Biscione perhaps looks the best IMO, but it's listed for the 156. i'm unsure why/how it wouldn't fit a 147 (i could obviously be wrong in thinking their front suspension layout/strut towers are the same), so perhaps check with alfisti.net:
http://shop.alfisti.net/Tuning-Styling/Alfa-156/Suspensions/BiscioneRacing-Strut-Bar::1422.html

 

[Rob3rto]

That Biscione looks exactly like my OMP one. Rip off price if it is.

Oh, and the adjustability is for coping with production tolerances.

 

[Alfa-Red]

That Biscione looks exactly like my OMP one. Rip off price if it is.

Oh, and the adjustability is for coping with production tolerances.

exactly, not every car is going to be the same width turret to turret, due to many factors, mainly age, and chassis flex. so the adjustability is there just incase

 

[Ralf S.]

My old GTV has a Momo (2-piece.. or three if you include the little adjuster doo-dah). It fits nice and is red.


Ralf S.

 

[springbok]

the Weicher's aluminium brace is certainly light, and i have one on my GT. however, it is not what you'd call 'fixed'. there are 2 bolts either end (ie: it's 3-piece) allowing the pieces to pivot. plus there's a reasonable amount of 'slop' at these joins. basically, i don't think it's very effective cos there's so much movement. it is a major reason i changed it.

i now have a MOMO PitStop version (may be hard to find now). whilst it is also 3-piece, it is solid when assembled, with not significant movement/pivoting.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/467659/18994705/361369534.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/467659/18994705/361508279.jpg

the more usual red MOMO versions (made as an official Alfa part) is a genuine 1-piece solid brace, also good IMO.

i suspect one major reason some braces are multipiece is for manufacturing and packaging purposes. not functional. there really isn't much point in them being 'adjustable' IMO (sure, you can apply a little bit of tension to push 'outwards' agains the suspension bolts but i doubt that makes much difference).

i continue to think a strut brace is a good idea. minimising chassis-flex not only improve suspension performance, the reduction in chassis-flex should help prevent your chassis from softening over time. but again, how significant this is...i have no proof or quantitative measurement.

from alfisti.net, perhaps either the OMP or Novitec like above:
Alfa Romeo Shop - Tuning, Styling, Fanartikel und Modellautos - Alfa 147 omp Stahl-Domstrebe omp Domstrebe 48304 / 48309
Alfa Romeo Shop - Tuning, Styling, Fanartikel und Modellautos

this Biscione perhaps looks the best IMO, but it's listed for the 156. i'm unsure why/how it wouldn't fit a 147 (i could obviously be wrong in thinking their front suspension layout/strut towers are the same), so perhaps check with alfisti.net:
Alfa Romeo Shop - Tuning, Styling, Fanartikel und Modellautos - Alfa 156 omp Stahl-Domstrebe omp Domstrebe 48304

Where did you buy your Momo Pitstop Strutbrace? One of the best looking I have seen.

 

[shiny_car]

It was a lucky purchase off ebay. But I think they are now discontinued, so they will be very hard to find.

And yes, I bought it to replace my Weichers because it looks very nice!

 

[kgb]

Fixed Weichers Aluminium Strutbrace

very light and a perfect fit.

Dont bother with a lower brace unless you want to shake your car to pieces lol.

I got mine from alfisti.net

Mine is the same and I am happy with it

 

[typos1]

I got a MOMO one, very pleased with it. Had one on my Fiat Tipo, too

Got it from Strutbracer/YBRacing-very slow lots of chasing, but got a free golf umbrella in the end!-Woohoo!

Dont buy a brace for looks springbok! Its for rigidity!! :lol:

Often thought about a quick release rear brace, in case you need to carry a load, dont think anyone does one though, suposse could do it myself.