[02s60t5]

I was cleaning my engine the other day and noticed that the strut brace has some play in it, and can be rocked front and back easily by hand.

Is that normal behavior, or is something loose or broken? The car just turned 10,000 miles, completely stock, and has never been damaged.

 

[jdog]

Re: Strut Brace - Supposed to be loose? (02s60t5)

completely normal, it's not a strut brace.

 

[Mash]

Re: Strut Brace - Supposed to be loose? (jdog)

If you would like to tighten the feel of that engine mount bar, get the bushing upgrade for the two bolt points from IPD. Ask for Cameron and tell him I sent you. The play is normal untill you upgrade the bushings. Then it is nice and stiff. Also it tightens up the front end a little. Rick

 

[mgotts]

Re: Strut Brace - Supposed to be loose? (jdog)

Quote, originally posted by jdog »

completely normal, it's not a strut brace.

To expound on that, it's an engine mount. The entire thing is the upper engine mount. I does not serve as a strut brace. Older Volvo's used to have the upper mount attached to the firewall. This solution is to improve NVH (noise, vibration, harshness), I believe.

You can stiffen it with aftermarket bushings, but the goal there is to firm up the engine mount, not serve as a strut brace. There are also add-on strut braces that sort of piggy-back over top of the engine mount brace.