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Help Needed With Front Strut Brace Fitment

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 6:52 pm
by hondaman
Hi Guys, I'm hoping someone has a solution to this, as I've spend ages this afternoon trying to fit a front upper strut brace and failed miserably :?

I got it off ebay and its said to fit all prelude 92-01 only it doesn't, its not the usual £14.00 ebay one its made by a company called Ractive in the States

I've shifted most wires and fuse box out of the way and it still refuses to fit round the bracket that is welded to the off side (driver side) inner wing that holds the clutch reservoir, even unbolting that off the welded bracket and the brace base mounting plate won't fit round this bracket, so before I email the seller and ask for a refund does any one have any words of wisdom please.

I had a Megan racing one on my last BB4 but that was 12 years ago and I seem to remember that being a pig to fit as well, and had to chop it about to get it to clear this bracket and I ended up having the res cable tied around the brace, which is not something I want to do to this one, see piccie below.


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Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 7:34 pm
by NafemanNathan
Looking at what I can see of it in that pic, it's identical to the Megan Racing one. That's the first strut brace I ever had and yeah, you have to relocate the reservoirs (As you need to do with most front strut braces) and then cut or bend that bracket you're talking about. 's the only way unfortunately.

I'm not sure whether USDM ludes are slightly different in design and not just a mirror image regarding the reservoirs.

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 7:38 pm
by ek9sid
Was just about to mention that US cars are left hand drive ;-)

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 7:42 pm
by hondaman
Thanks for the reply, that is the piccie of my old BB4 with the Megan racing one, but tbh, the drivers side base plate is identical to the Megan one with a cut out to "supposedly" go round the res bracket, which it doesn't.

Might have another look at it tomorrow, but I'm leaning towards sending it back and spending a bity more on a decent make, rather than trying to do it on the cheap. :roll:

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 7:52 pm
by NafemanNathan
Yeah look...

USDM...

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Compared to a UKDM/JDM...

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The USDM clutch reservoir is right around where the fusebox would be if that was on the otherside as well (if that makes sense), so there'd be no need for that bracket being there.

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 8:00 pm
by hondaman
Yep, looks like this brace I got won't fit a UKDM 4G, as the cut out is for that wiring mounting bracket on USDM off side wing, where as the res bracket is much bigger hence why it doesn't fit :x

I remember having a right ball ache fitting the Megan one, which was obviously LHD US fitment as well, oh well looks like its going back, I'm not going to start cutting off brackets.

That'll learn me spending £28.00 instead of £75.00 on a proper one :(

Thanks for the replies chaps :)

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 10:49 pm
by mercutio
Have a spoon brace :lol:

Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 9:05 am
by hondaman
mercutio wrote:Have a spoon brace :lol:
I haven't got any spoons that are big enough, I've only got tea spoons :?

Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 10:38 pm
by mercutio
ooooooooooookaaaaaaaaaay you dont know what a spoon brace is :lol:

Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 1:00 am
by gb-lude
The amount of times I thought a cheap part would be ok :roll:
Spoon sports or dc sports or ultraracing
So many good ones available!
I have the spoon sports for my track car after having the others I just mentioned.

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Fits like very well ! But its not 75£ :mrgreen: