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Phil Somerville (Aus) |
This story first appeared in the WWWedge Ezine no. 3 (send Feb 16th, 1998).
These are the details for a strut brace I made for my TR7 2ltr, it will not clear the air cleaner / injection system on 3.5 litres. Sorry!!!! I don't think its entirely necessary except for full on race/rally cars but it was very cheap to make and weighs very little so why not! (0.2 moderator: but it's also looking good ;-D) Take of 4 nuts and the strutbrace is removed. The alum. discs help strengthen the top of the strut towers. No bonnet mods are required.
STEP 1: Remove the strut mount from the car. Knock out the three short
5/16" UNF bolts and replace with 5/16" x 7/8" long High Tensile
bolts. Tack weld the heads to the underside of the strut mount.
Make sure you protect the rubber from heat and sparks.
STEP 2: Make 6mm thick alum disc approx 135mm dia with an extension
on one side. Match drill the three holes to suit your strut
mount. Attach the disc to the mount. Drill a fourth hole thru
the disc and thru the mount. Tack weld a fourth H/T bolt in
this hole. Slot the 4 holes in the disc to allow camber
adjustment. NOTE: by grinding 3mm off the outer edge on one
side of the strut mount I was able to get 2.5 degrees
negative camber.
STEP 3: Lay the disc on the strut tower and drill and slot the new
4th hole. Install the strut mount and the disc and bolt down
with Nyloc nuts. Drill 2 holes in a piece of 40x40x6 alum.
angle to suit the 2 bolts on the strut. Install this bracket
with the Nyloc nuts.
STEP 4: Repeat for the other side.
STEP 5: I used 25mm OD heavy wall alum.tubing for the brace. Measure
the length between the two brackets with the bolts set fully
back in the slots. Cut a piece of tube to suit between the
brackets. Trial fit the brace to determine if and where you
have to bend it to clear air cleaner, etc. Refit the brace
and adjust the brackets in to fit. Tack weld the brace to the
brackets while protecting the engine / towers from heat and
sparks. Remove the assembly and fully weld.
STEP 6: Reinstall and check / adjust wheel alignment.
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