FAO: ppl who fitted their own front upper strut brace

dasmith83

Formerly "Dave FR PD130"
Jul 1, 2006
602
0
Kent
Hi guys,

I have now got my s3 strut brace ready to be fitted. I have searched and read the threads and different ways of fitting etc. However i'm thinking about attempting a different way. Rather than using nuts n bolts or rivnuts...I'm thinking of using a Tap and then just fixing a bolt into that.

However....before i can decide whether this is possible, i need to know the depth of the metal on the struts where i need to drill the holes for the brace.

I know people say that a M10 x 25mm bolt will be the perfect size...assuming that the nut is roughly 10mm, i'm guestimating that the thickness of the metal is roughly 15mm.

Can anyone who has drilled their own struts and fitted a strut brace to a LC or LCR, tell me how thick they think the metal actually is?

Thanks in advance.

Dave
 

dasmith83

Formerly "Dave FR PD130"
Jul 1, 2006
602
0
Kent
ah ok...so doubtful that i will get a decent thread out of it then

maybe nuts and bolts will be the easiest way after all lol
 

cupra R con

Normal member
Mar 23, 2004
545
0
hell
you could try "rivnuts", I really cant see a top brace doing much myself, so much so I bought one & then gave it away to someone on here. I was worried about drilling holes in the top mounts causing rust, but each to there own.
 

dasmith83

Formerly "Dave FR PD130"
Jul 1, 2006
602
0
Kent
I used rivnuts - quite good, and been on the car for over 2 years now with no issues whatsoever.

Pabs...could you tell me where you got these rivnuts from? I tried sourcing some earlier today but i didnt have any luck.

Coujld you also tell me exactly how you went about preventing it from rusting?

I know i need to hammerite the inside of the holes...but what about from the underside of the arch?

If you have any part no.s for the rivnuts or any links to websites where i can get them...i'd be really grateful!

Cheers

Dave
 

Pabs

Active Member
May 3, 2004
5,936
4
Basingstoke
hmmm, now you've got me thinking.... I can't remember where I got mine! I'm pretty sure I got them from my dad who had some in his garage - either that or it was B&Q???
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
got rivnuts here - and the tool

picked it up at a car show stall yeeeeears ago

handiest tool ever imho especially for clean installs
 

dasmith83

Formerly "Dave FR PD130"
Jul 1, 2006
602
0
Kent
you could always try asking someone who suggested it ;)

try google or here :doh:

thanks for that :rolleyes: I did actually search ebay earlier but i don't really know what i'm looking at/for, which makes it harder on deciding which to use.

got rivnuts here - and the tool

picked it up at a car show stall yeeeeears ago

handiest tool ever imho especially for clean installs

What exactly does the tool do...all i can see is that you insert the rivnut and then screw in the bolt...but i can't see why that requires a tool?? or have i missed a step?

also...do you know where i can get any from? and which type i need etc
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
if you know how a std rivet works its very similar but instead of pulling a pin through it that swells out the rivet its slightly different in that the pin is attatched to the tool instead and screws into the thread to pull it without disturbing the thread

the top half inside is smooth and its that bit that compresses as you squeeze the tool leaving a shouldered threaded and secure hole already tapped

nuta.gif

nutb.gif
nutc.gif


sometimes called rivnut (round) hexnut (hexagonal)and newer version plusnut (sectioned) just like a rawl plug but steel
 
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dasmith83

Formerly "Dave FR PD130"
Jul 1, 2006
602
0
Kent
Thanks for that guys...Neg i just found that too! lol.

Flapper- you seem to know about these rivnuts quite well...do you know what size i need? and if I can get them from a local store rather than online...homebase and b & q had never heard of them!
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
Thanks for that guys...Neg i just found that too! lol.

Flapper- you seem to know about these rivnuts quite well...do you know what size i need? and if I can get them from a local store rather than online...homebase and b & q had never heard of them!

you'll need a PROPER tool supplier to be honest and knowing a fair bit about them i can only add that the nut/bolt route is by far a more suitable solution

rivnuts are a fantastic tool for making mounts for a header tank/coil pack/cd changer but are nowhere near good enough for a suspension/stress item its essentially a rivet and as a strut brace is a STRESS item it wouldn't last 3 corners before it got ripped out if you used an ali one :)

do it once and do it properly - if you can't i'd sweet talk a spanner monkey to do it for you - safer in the end trust me

just the costs of the tool alone (mine was £75) if you havent got one makes it expensive to do
 

dasmith83

Formerly "Dave FR PD130"
Jul 1, 2006
602
0
Kent
ok m8...once again looks like the standard nut and bolt option will be the best.

Thanks for your help guys! I'll post pics once done...should look good along with the polished charge pipe and inlet manifold...can't wait for my silicone hoses to arrive!
 

ChrisG

Full Member
Apr 22, 2002
426
1
Hants
Look at places that supply kit car bits if you need a rivnut tool, such as NF Autos. The kit linked is the one I have but it will only pull 8mm Rivnuts. You can make your own tool to pull them if you don't need to do too many though, like this, using a bolt, a nut and a washer.

RivNut2.jpg
 
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