Confused about knee bolster in 98 V70

Post by **SonicAdventure** » 18 Mar 2017, 17:09

I bought a map pocket from a 2000 XC and I want to install it in my 98 V70. My car has the black metal knee bolster in it. I've seen on other sites where people say that the knee bolster shouldn't be removed but some say it is perfectly fine to swap it out with the map pocket.

My question is this: how important is leaving the passenger side knee bolster in place in a 98? Is it ok to swap it out with the map pocket or will that compromise something? We're the 99+ given some other alternative in their construction that made the knee bolster not necessary?

Post by **rspi** » 18 Mar 2017, 17:44

I never ride on that side in my car so I don't worry about it.

Post by **SonicAdventure** » 18 Mar 2017, 18:00

rspi wrote:I never ride on that side in my car so I don't worry about it.

Good point Robert! I usually try to stay in the drivers seat when I drive too!

By the way saw the crazy news of the big parking lot fire in Albuquerque. Wow thank God your cars were safe. I hope those people who got their cars burnt up had good insurance.

But seriously about the bolster on some other site a guy said that removing the passenger side bolster caused the car to steer wrong and caused the center console where the radio goes to flex and creak more.

Post by **scot850** » 18 Mar 2017, 18:56

Not sure why that is, but it may be because the LH one was left in and so causes an imbalance in the front end rigidity of the car if you only remove one? That would make sense. The 2000's I have, have no metal stiffeners, just a foam one on the LH side.

Neil.

Post by **SonicAdventure** » 19 Mar 2017, 06:44

So that's very confusing. Unless the 99+ model years had something else built into the frame of the car I guess I'd assume it might not be safe to remove it on my car. But that stinks because I really want to use the map pocket. Has anyone here removed their knee bolster and suffered any negative effects?

Blockpartie · Post by **Blockpartie** » 19 Mar 2017, 09:14

The removal of the drivers side knee bolster caused a problem for someone. That was because on the car in question nothing else was bracing the steering colum at the lower middle point, e.g. it was a bit loose. The thread in question is over on VS.

Knee bolsters aren't supposed to contribute to the dashboard strenght. They were installed purely to protect unbelted front seat occupants in a frontal collision by keeping them as upright as possible so they hit the airbag at the right angle. In all the civilized countries *cough cough* there are no knee bolsters because people use their seatbelts!

From a design standpoint there are 3 (+1) options for the passenger side:
- nothing (with or without map pocket)
- RTI/DVD brace
- knee bolster

On the drivers side there are again 3 options:
- tube cross brace
- tube cross brace with impact absorber
- knee bolster

Post by **rspi** » 19 Mar 2017, 11:51

SonicAdventure wrote:
rspi wrote:I never ride on that side in my car so I don't worry about it.
Good point Robert! I usually try to stay in the drivers seat when I drive too!

By the way saw the crazy news of the big parking lot fire in Albuquerque. Wow thank God your cars were safe. I hope those people who got their cars burnt up had good insurance.

But seriously about the bolster on some other site a guy said that removing the passenger side bolster caused the car to steer wrong and caused the center console where the radio goes to flex and creak more.

OMG! The stuff people claim. The purpose if the KNEE BOLSTER is to prevent damage to people's legs in the event of a bad accident. That's it! Does NOT effect steering, brace the dash, support the hand brake cables, help fuel flow, reduce allergies, etc.

Post by **sleddriver** » 19 Mar 2017, 13:54

SonicAdventure wrote:So that's very confusing. Unless the 99+ model years had something else built into the frame of the car I guess I'd assume it might not be safe to remove it on my car. But that stinks because I really want to use the map pocket. Has anyone here removed their knee bolster and suffered any negative effects?

Knee bolsters aren't supposed to contribute to the dashboard strenght. They were installed purely to protect unbelted front seat occupants in a frontal collision by keeping them as upright as possible so they hit the airbag at the right angle. In all the civilized countries *cough cough* there are no knee bolsters because people use their seatbelts!

On the drivers side, in my '98, it makes QUITE a difference in stiffness and steadies the steering wheel. I wrote up this experience in my big thread. I too originally thought it was solely to meet impact standards. I think on >= 99's it's been replaced with a metal tube with a hard foam pad where the knees would hit.

Not sure of the consequences of removal on the passenger side.

Blockpartie · Post by **Blockpartie** » 19 Mar 2017, 15:12

sleddriver wrote: On the drivers side, in my '98, it makes QUITE a difference in stiffness and steadies the steering wheel. I wrote up this experience in my big thread. I too originally thought it was solely to meet impact standards. I think on >= 99's it's been replaced with a metal tube with a hard foam pad where the knees would hit.

Because you removed the only thing bracing the middle part of the steering column. That is the problem. The knee bolster is there ONLY to "protect" unbelted front seat occupants in a frontal collision. If you car lacks the normal bracing removal of the knee bolster causes issues.
So please quote with context and not just parts of what I wrote.

Btw: Your thinking is incorrect. The metal tube is not a model year related part.

Post by **sleddriver** » 20 Mar 2017, 21:07

Blockpartie wrote:The removal of the drivers side knee bolster caused a problem for someone. That was because on the car in question nothing else was bracing the steering colum at the lower middle point, e.g. it was a bit loose. The thread in question is over on VS.

Knee bolsters aren't supposed to contribute to the dashboard strenght. They were installed purely to protect unbelted front seat occupants in a frontal collision by keeping them as upright as possible so they hit the airbag at the right angle. In all the civilized countries *cough cough* there are no knee bolsters because people use their seatbelts!

From a design standpoint there are 3 (+1) options for the passenger side:
- nothing (with or without map pocket)
- RTI/DVD brace
- knee bolster

On the drivers side there are again 3 options:
- tube cross brace
- tube cross brace with impact absorber
- knee bolster

Wow...now I'm experiencing the CAPTCHA nonsense as did Neil! My reply was erased in the process of posting! Oh well...not going to type it out again.