weichers strut braces -bit of a long one

[pkr]

On Friday me and a good friend who just happens to be a vw master tech and who is also into tuning very heavly fitted the rear upper, front upper and front lower weichers strut braces to my arosa.

Just a bit of advice if any one is going to do it, expect as usual when ''tuning'' they are not a straight fit and modifications are required.

The rear one is straight forward just a bit fiddly tightening the nuts up in the rear wheel arch but if there is two of you it's a lot easier.

Lower front was a bit tricky, had to undo the bolt for the engine mount to free the engine and push the whole engine up because the bolt that needed to come out of the right lower (if your sat in the car) chassis arm couldn't because the sump was in the way. Not a major drama but near impossible/inconvenient without an engine/gearbox stay.

Front upper has caused the most problems. I tried offering it up to see which end goes where because it has a slight incline one end with 3 holes and a sharp incline the other end with 2 holes, four bolts are supplied to fit the brace. There are studs sticking up out of the strut housing but only one lines up with one of the holes so we picked that way. They give you a bracket and instructions in German but kind of self explanatory (we thought) to relocate the washer bottle. We had too take the washer bottle off so we could get the brace to fit flush because the fittings for the washer bottle are in the way, so the battery came out to make things easier and so did the coolant bottle. The studs got cut off that were in the way so we could then offer the brace up but then it was clear the engine cover was to high and the brace was around 5cm from touching the body so the engine cover was removed as well. The holes were then drilled to fit the brace and it was bolted down. You could just about unscrew the brake reservoir lid when fitted. We tried to fit the engine cover back on just in case a miracle happened but it wouldn't, then tried to modify the engine cover/air box but no joy so the need for an induction kit was the only solution. We then tried using the bracket supplied to relocate the washer bottle but the only place it sat right was where the battery goes, makes sense if it was a lupo gti! So we ditched the bracket and secured the bottle with just two pf the fixings and the coolant bottle bracket had to be bent so I can now just about take the lid off but now the bottle is on a slant. Time was against us and we did have a look to see if the bracket could relocate the coolant bottle but couldn't see a definitive location, after looking at pics on the net it is the coolant bottle that gets shifted so will have to look at that again.

My problem is now I'm driving round without any engine filters and breather pipes hanging because it was to much work to take the brace back off and refit the engine cover. Luckily the car doesn't go far but I don't want to sort out an induction kit because I have contacted the people I got it from and explained as it doesn't state modifications are needed other than the washer bottle this is a bit of miss selling going on and they said they have now contacted weichers with pics I provided to see if it is the correct one supplied and if it is then they might help me out with an induction kit.

If anyone has got this far and has got 1.0 (auc) lupo or arosa and have fitted an induction kit, what did you do with the crankcase, oil and air breather pipes please? and what make/setup did you opt for?

Thanks,

Ryan.

[Chrisbee]

The omp strut brace is a much better fit as it goes over the header tank (although a snug fit) you do however have to widen some of the bolt holes on the brace but that's easy enough.

Top tip is to use a pop/thread revit in the mount holes that way you don't need access to the inner wheel arch if you need to take the brace off.

If I were you I'd stick a sock or something over the throttle bodie while you sort a filter out.

Check out my build thread if you need pics of how mine is.

You'll have murder with that lower brace if your cars lowered, I ended up tearing mine in half. Working on a slimline one now

[pkr]

Thanks got the reply Chrissbee, never plan on going that low but thanks for the heads up. If I knew that I would of gone for the OMP one but it never stated mods for the weichers so thought it would be plain sailing. Got induction kit in the post so all goes well I'll be sorted on Friday.

[Chrisbee]

Its always the same with aftermarket parts they never fit as they should.

I'm surprised that you have clearance with the lower brace and the sump, mine although a different brand was the same design and had to have the bracket trimmed or it would catch when the engine moved.

My mechanic shouted at me for buying a cheap bit of kit lol

[pkr]

Clearance is fine,I would argue it isn't a cheap bit of kit but with the hassle I've had with the upper I'll say nothing, they could of made the lower one slightly better as well looking at how its made. The welding on all three is shocking and the red paint job that they came in was done by a child looking at it hence the colour change on them.

[Chrisbee]

By the looks of it the weichers are just rebranded items, which explains the poor welds/paint

The lower omp one looks like a better design but I haven't seen it first hand to say, its just the upper one that I have which after a lot if research I found to be the best fit.

[pkr]

now the induction kit is fitted i've been able to have a good drive since the braces were fitted and to be fair it does seem more precise and slightly less roll but that just might be in the mind.

anti-roll bars next and a few more trims to take off because there is not much more to take off from inside.

Edited April 27, 2013 by pkr