Clio 172 Homemade strut brace transforms the handling :)

[hewlett]

There's a minimal fire risk IMO, bolts post bonnet closure, yes its not one for the concourse I have to concede.

[hewlett]

Pre, rather.. The bonnet remains dentless.

[The Wookie]

This is either Platinum quality trolling or an accident waiting to happen...

Not because the wood is dangerous but because anyone that daft can only be hovering around the qualification of sentience and thus could not possibly operate a motor vehicle.

[hewlett]

Oh for intelligent analysis, so far the only fact is ... It doesn't look nice

[Alfanatic]

hewlett said:

..or the first time someone roasted a mammoth leg into the fire, took it out and ate it. Someone I'm sure said that 'fires are for heat dude, what are you doing chucking decent food there, WTF'

at the thought of caveman #1 looking at caveman #2 and saying "Dude, WTF"

[sniff diesel]

Alfanatic said:

hewlett said:

..or the first time someone roasted a mammoth leg into the fire, took it out and ate it. Someone I'm sure said that 'fires are for heat dude, what are you doing chucking decent food there, WTF'

at the thought of caveman #1 looking at caveman #2 and saying "Dude, WTF"

Sounds like a clip from Family Guy.

[joe_90]

hewlett said:

There's a minimal fire risk IMO, bolts post bonnet closure, yes its not one for the concourse I have to concede.

You told your insurance company about the mod? what did they say? Or you just going to join the uninsured masses now?

[John D.]

joe_90 said:

hewlett said:

There's a minimal fire risk IMO, bolts post bonnet closure, yes its not one for the concourse I have to concede.

You told your insurance company about the mod? what did they say? Or you just going to join the uninsured masses now?

Love the hostility to Hewett in this thread and the completely inaccurate assumptions about his character

[WildCards]

hewlett said:

www.woodforperformance.com is being created and will be officially launched v soon

Before that happens, may I suggest you rename your website www.performancewood.co.uk for far more hits and unique customisation requests than you could ever hope for

[Jgtv]

hewlett said:

You read my mind, there will be a button on the website called:

'Woodenise', basically just click on it and you'll see a form, describe your fabrication requirements and our Master Craftspersons will create whatever wooden object you require.


Wood, the possibilities are limited.

That is brilliant

[CooperS]

WildCards said:

hewlett said:

www.woodforperformance.com is being created and will be officially launched v soon

Before that happens, may I suggest you rename your website www.performancewood.co.uk for far more hits and unique customisation requests than you could ever hope for

You could have a sign saying: getting a wood on since 1995



(you could choose the date, and btw that date is in no reflection to i when started getting my wood on , just a random date......)

Edited by CooperS on Friday 3rd July 10:26

[hewlett]

Firstly, thanks John D.

Well I kinda knew this would be controversial thread, thinking in advance that the rather 'bespoke' nature of the device would cause mirth at the very least. It has to be said though that it is as light as an alloy brace, robust and works. Ref insurance, yes it's covered and thankfully they didn't ask who mananufactured it, the website isn't up and running yet

I was considering that rather than have a 'woodenise' button, 'give me wood' would be better but my wife often reads the threads and she would not be amused. If you have one of these cars you probably don't want to go down the homemade route (details on request, I'm sure you could make it look neater) but, this makes a major difference to the handling. I put a (bought) one on the Impreza last year and it made no discernable difference whatsoever - already stiff shell I guess. Whereas on this car there's less 'jiggle' over bumps, flatter cornering and the car just feels more planted and safer on the road. As a result of this thread someone may get a strut brace and they will be very pleased with the results, the benefits of shorter/stiffer springs without the back ache. That said I still want to go for cup springs or similar.

I have been amused at many of the comments but as none have pointed out a glaring problem/issue/concern, for now at least it's staying and I'm enjoying driving the car a lot more than I did when I didn't realise that it could handle a fair bit better.

[Funk]

Hewlett, you're making yourself look like a plank.

[hewlett]

Thanks Funk, no pun intended?

[Funk]

Solely for the pun, dear chap - hence the icon.

It's a novel idea, but you'd have done better fabricating something properly. A local metalworkers would've done it for you for peanuts, including being able to mount it properly. Here's a question for you - what is the torsional strength of the wood? How does it compare with a proper ARB? What happens if the wood snaps (and don't forget it gets damp under engine bays too) mid-corner?

Puns aside, I think it's a slightly daft idea and a complete pikey bodge-up worthy of Barryboys.co.uk. But it's your car..

[hewlett]

Ah ha yes I did miss the icon, I was genuinely surprised at how well it worked and once the bolts were tightened how firm it all became and how little the wood seems to flex, it's hardwood so fairly inflexible and the fact that it works so well seems to imply that the wood isn't bending when loaded up in a corner.

[Togger]

Hahahaha!

will there be an economy version made from balsa wood?

seriously - waste of time!

[HereBeMonsters]

Togger said:

Hahahaha!

will there be an economy version made from balsa wood?

seriously - waste of time!

That's the "motorsport" version - lightweight, innit!

[Alfanatic]

HereBeMonsters said:

Togger said:

Hahahaha!

will there be an economy version made from balsa wood?

seriously - waste of time!

That's the "motorsport" version - lightweight, innit!

Here's the thing though. If Hewlett's using it on his road car, on the road, it doesn't matter if it works or not, it's still hilarious and will earn great ridicule. If he did that on a race car, and it works as well as Hewlett says it does, it would be ridiculed up until its first race when the car walked away with the trophy, then at the next race everyone would have one.

[4hero]

Alfanatic said:

HereBeMonsters said:

Togger said:

Hahahaha!

will there be an economy version made from balsa wood?

seriously - waste of time!

That's the "motorsport" version - lightweight, innit!

Here's the thing though. If Hewlett's using it on his road car, on the road, it doesn't matter if it works or not, it's still hilarious and will earn great ridicule. If he did that on a race car, and it works as well as Hewlett says it does, it wood be ridiculed up until its first race when the car walked away with the trophy, then at the next race everyone wood have one.

edited for correction