Benvinsee Rear Strut Chassis Brace

The Benvinsee rear strut chassis brace is installed in the hatch of the VW GTI, the largest open space within the car. The aim is to provide structural rigidity by connecting the left and right hand sides of the car (see pic below) under torsion and thereby provide improved handling.

First impressions of this piece are positive. The all aluminum, CNC construction with anodised finish belies the affordable price at $160 Australian. Indeed there is a weighty feel to the product, providing confidence in its overall ability to increase the cars rigidity. The brace is fully adjustable, with no cutting or drilling required. It comes with all necessary hardware, including two high quality brackets finished in black. All brackets, bolts and the brace itself are well finished, with no paint imperfections, CNC burrs or inaccuracies. The two Benvinsee stickers are a nice bonus upon unboxing (can be seen in picture).

Installation is simple, and easily completed by a novice, with the most testing part being the removal of the VW stock hooks. This can be a little fiddly, be patient in order to avoid breaking them. Non instructions included but it's an intuitive process. The mounting brackets fit neatly into the car's anchor points and bolts match the thread precisely. The brace ends have knuckles that allow for about 20-30 degrees of movement, I’m guessing to facilitate the car flexing. Installation is no more than 15 minutes, and requires simple tools; a shifter and some allen keys.

What about driving and handling improvements? Well this is more subjective. Not all mods are created equal, and some handling mods rely on ‘the sum of their parts’. That is to say, one single mod is not necessarily enough for a discernable change. Pairing the Benvinsee chassis brace with a thicker rear strut bar would be interesting to observe whether it creates a more lively or playful rear end. Obviously a challenging aim on a FWD platform.

Nonetheless, I did feel improved stiffness in corners, particularly mid corner on uneven sections with unpredictable camber. The body seemed to flex less, and there was no audible chassis twisting. Given the price compared to other more expensive braces, coupled with build quality and ease of installation I would recommend this item. It is also a great entry point into modifying your car if you have any trepidation in irreversibly altering your car.