Strut brace help (with pics)

[FR33K]

having a bit of trouble with the installation
pics will explain everything
any ideas ?
as you can see i have very little space to move
i havent bolted down the right side yet its just sitting there

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/FR33K/s1.jpg

thanks people

[FR33K]

btw ive tried bolting one side at a time and it didnt work
both sides at a time didnt work either.. coz i can bolt the top bolts in on both sides but the bottom ones are literally impossible

[McChook]

I hate saying this, but

Its hitting on the vacuum actuator, and there ain;t anything you can do about it.
I've sold a few of mine, they always have this problem on DA integras with the DA integra Vacuum inlets... the later model engines when converted don't have any problems....

[FR33K]

your not supposed to say that :(
your supposed to say this is how you fix the problem... damnit !

[FANATK]

can it be moved?
my bro got his strut bar from carmate and he seemed to of put it in no probs

[wynode]

Is it just me or does that look crooked?

One thing you can do is (depending on your bonnet clearance) put a few washers on the bolt from the shock in order to 'lift' the strut up a bit. (Did this on Danny's old breeze when the strut was rubbing the air filter casing).

[g3vtir]

but if the clearance is still not enough you can actually crack that vacuum actua-thingy when the engine vibrates....i heard that it has happened to a few people. When they step on the car hard, the engine kinda jolts causing the vacuum thingy to get pushed up onto the strut bar.

[bigteethygrin]

spoke to the manufacturer about it yet incase you picked up a different model?

[wynode]

That is true. That is why he will have to give it suffient clearance when he mounts it. Just a few mm isn't enough.

[wynode]

So why does the left hand side sit higher than the right hand side?

[faijai]

make spacers for ur struct

[tinkerbell]

nah - you need to remove the vacuum dash-pots...

that is what i did to make mine fit.

one of them you will have to cover/fill the hole in the intake manifold...

it is hard to describe...

one dashpot is to smooth out the idle and one is for something else - made no difference after i removed them and plugged the hole...

[tinkerbell]

unfortunatly, spacers will not assist the brace in actually bracing the chassis...

[FR33K]

yeah it is sideways coz you cant get it straight.. its like a seesaw ehehe
hmmm i dont really want to pull things apart :/

[Redteg]

Damn, I dummy fitted one with Matt to see if it would fit on the teg, and the dashpot caused it to foul too.

You could get custom brace mounts made up like I believe Setanta had done...

[tinkerbell]

i think it really is as simple as just removing the dashpots...

but if you really dont want to - then i guess there is only one other option :(

[wynode]

unfortunatly, spacers will not assist the brace in actually bracing the chassis...
What if you put washes over the shock bolts so that it sits tight again the strut top?

[FR33K]

i cant use washers and make spacers coz i cant even get it down low enough to even start bolting it down..

[Mugen boy]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/MUGEN_BOY/Picture035.jpg

the above pictures shows the strut brace that i uses which has a much highter clearance, am not sure what brand they are but had them thrown in when i bout tein coil overs from the states

[tinkerbell]

you also have the dashpots removed...

[Mugen boy]

Yeah sorry my mistake because of the haltech aftermarket ecu , i know longer need the factory dash pots ect to help idle and what ever the other was for !!!

[FR33K]

tinkerbell.. what did you use to plug up the holes ?

[tinkerbell]

i used a threaded plug, but i had to take the Intake Manifold (IM) off to do so because it required me to tap a new thread in the IM to fit the plug and i didnt want any shavings in the engine...

on another car i used a small aluminuim rectangle to cover the hole with two bolts holding it on with some Hondabond sealing the hole.

BTW - there is only going to be one hole to plug on the IM - the dashpot (the one on teh drivers side) can simply be removed and detached...

[FR33K]

just tried removing them both and bolting it down..
still hits the IM... :(
should i take that off too ?? lol

[tinkerbell]

damn!

nah - if it doesnt fit - best to forget about it, it must only work with a B16A engine :(

i could sell you one of those?! :D

expensive way to fix the problem though...