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Home of the Volvo 240
Volvo 240 Front Strut Tower Brace
This is our Series IV Strut Tower Brace for 240. Redesigned to fit all 240s including K-jet cars, Flat Nose Hood cars and LH injected cars. Stronger than ever, with a larger, plasma cut center support welded in, sporting our favorite car's model designation. Heavy, black powder coating. Supplied with all hardware to install, including stainless steel acorn nuts as shown. $195 plus shipping. Yes, we ship internationally!
Please see further fitment notes below.
This new brace is designed to fit as many variations of the 240 as possible. It is a close fit under a flat-nose hood, but will still clear a K-jet NA intake. From the underside of the brace to the top of the valve cover of a B21/23/230 you'll have 3.5 inches. Enough to clear the charge pipe of a non-intercooled turbo. It will easily clear LH standard intakes, including twin cam factory intakes, and some aftermarket intakes.
Yes, we have customers installing the Series IV Brace over LS engines, including with Holley Sniper intake, even truck intakes!
Nothing is truly universal! Over the span of 18 production years, the 240 series saw many changes in engine management and braking systems. While we have managed to create a brace that will fit over the different intake manifolds and still clear all the hoods, we did have to deal with different brake master cylinders. Please see the photos below. '91-'93 vehicles, or any vehicle fitted with the later, "torpedo" master cylinder reservoir will need minor modifications.
Picture on the left, below: This is an '82 245 Turbo, the same vehicle shown above, with the brace installed. Vehicle is fitted with an OE, ATE master cylinder and stock, 75-90 reservoir. There is ample clearance to remove the reservoir's fill cap with the brace installed.
The reservoir being held above the brace is a '91-'93 style with the integral float switch, and a switch connector housing on top. It is shown here in the same relative position to the master cylinder as the installed reservoir below it. This is the trade off we had to make. The brace makes removing the fill cap on the '91-'93 reservoir very difficult, with the brace in place.
Not to worry! The solution is to retrofit your vehicle to the earlier style reservoir. The picture on the right, we stock new, replacement reservoirs, and also genuine, ATE caps with float switches. You will need to change the connectors on your reservoir plug to attach to the cap's spade terminals. The retro reservoir kit is $55.
Notes on strut mounts and other installation issues:
Please note that many aftermarket strut mounts have only 20mm studs. These studs may not reach through the baseplates of a strut plate AND the firewall brace. If you are using Volvo's GT strut tower reinforcement plates, or other available plates, the studs will NOT reach. Even the 25mm studs on Volvo mounts are marginal, in length, if you are running reinforcement plates AND strut and firewall braces. You may need to weld in longer, 30mm studs or bolts. Please read the notes on later master cylinder reservoirs carefully. Lastly, early vehicles, with the first generation Dana cruise control, the relay levers on the K-jet plenum will NOT clear the brace without modification.
Installation is easy. Remove the cap of your existing, torpedo reservoir, and siphon or suck out the fluid. The reservoir has front and rear chambers. DO NOT allow the fluid level to drop below the level of the master cylinder's top ports. If air enters the system, you will need to bleed the brakes. Remove just enough fluid to get the old reservoir off without making a mess.
Place rags all around the master cylinder to catch any spilled fluid and remove the old reservoir. An automotive trim tool is great for this, but a screwdriver will work. Pry gently, taking care not to damage the master cylinder. Be cautious with spilled brake fluid, it damages paint and rubber parts not designed to resist it.
Install the new reservoir. Lubricating the new seals with a little brake fluid will help. Fill the reservoir to the correct level. Make sure the cap is toward the front of the car.
Connect the old reservoir's level switch leads by creating an adapter for the original plug, or by replacing the plug with female spade terminals. Insulated terminals are highly recommended.
The "Standard" Strut Tower Brace will not fit right hand drive vehicles. Please see our Flat Nose Strut Tower Brace here:
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