P2 - Fitting strut brace tensioners...

[M-R-P]

Ok, ya gonna love this one...

These arrived today...



£12.99 from fleaBay (bargain hunting again lol).

Here's what time I started...



18mm nut on the bottom... take the cam belt cover off to ease access, get a ring spanner on it and a 17mm ratchet on the top. Crack the bottom nut and unwind from the top.
Greace the bush and insert into the underside of the mount, then on with the washer (cup facing up) then refit the nut and re-tighten. Same with the other side.





Here's what time I finished (there was a toilet stop in there too).



Verdict...

It doesn't completely tighten the brace but it does stiffen it. If you bore the hole in the washer, it'll pull it in nice and tight but the engine noise has increased somewhat and I don't want any more. The car feels tighter when throwing it into tight bends - you can feel the tyres pulling a lot more than before.
I said I didn't want more engine noise but actually, it has this lovely sweeet roar when you abuse the loud pedal which, for me, negates the need for an exhaust upgrade - for now.

One thing - with the poly top mount, poly lower mount and now the poly strut tensioners, the vibration through the cabin at idle, is pretty annoying.

I took a vid but it would appear that the vibration cycles at something near the 30fps of the video camera, meaning that instead of seeing the engine rattling back anf forth, it appears to sway gently lol.

Here it is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsK2F...ature=youtu.be