G Load Brace And Handling Questions

Tom S

Member
Oct 15, 2013
123
8
19
New York
Where does the G Load brace mount on the rear ? Anyone added one to a 2.3 and if so how did it compare to w/o it ? Description says
OEM 96 97 98 cobra g load brace
. I'll be picking a front Eibach sway bar , GT rear bar and a set of KYB shocks but I'll be at the U pull before picking them up . There should be 2 or 3 SN95's in the yard . Pulling two bolts is easy enough if it's an upgrade . My rear shocks are shot . Well soft anyway . Way too soft for me . Looking for a strut tower brace and sub frame connectors the next time I get a chance to get out . Need to get the lower mounts as well since the shocks are off a GT and with 1500 miles on them .

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How much of a difference between 2 point and 4 point .

I was wondering what are quad shocks . Saw a diagram and they look like they take the place of the rear upper control arms . I would think these are not a must have for a sock 2.3 . They look like they would control wheel hop if I'm reading the pic properly . If anyone has a G Load brace and a pic or can elaborate , please do .
 
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You would have to add the mounts for quad shocks on your 7.5 axle. Unless you are going turbo and making significantly more power, you really don't need quad shocks, especially with an automatic. If you upgrade to a panhard bar/torque arm setup then quad shocks can be eliminated altogether.
 
I noticed the quad shocks has different mounts . Cheap and easy to add if getting them from u pull (cheap) . Just looking for cheap factory upgrades for better ride and handling . Never going to have wheel hop either . Adding better tires to a stock 2.3 will create even less wheel hop . I have 16" chrome Pony's and directionals but not on the car yet . Do either of you have a 2.3 or quad shock ? Have you added a panhard bar ?
Thanks for the advice . Hopefully I'll have the rear sway and shocks on before next week . Then the front sway later .
 
No panhard bar. I own a 2.3L Mustang as well as a 5.0L. Try and google poor man's three link (or PM3L) for cars that have added a panhard bar. My understanding from many is that adding just the panhard bar without the torque arm (which requires an 8.8 axle swap on a 2.3L) is not very effective because the upper control arms still bind up at the end of their travel. Removing the bind with either a torque arm or potentially the poor mans 3 link will lead to better handling and ride quality.
 
I have a 2.3 turbo. I'm using both front and rear sway bars from an '88 Turbo coupe. I also have the 8.8 rear w/ discs. I don't have the quad shocks. I don't have a panhard bar. I actually like the handling with my tokiko blues and fms "b" springs.

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I'm coming from V8 country, so I hope you go easy on me. The G Load braces I've used bolt in the front suspension, to the bottom of the K member, 4 point mounting preferred, and they make a noticeable difference all by themselves. I've removed the quad shocks on all four Fox Mustangs I've owned (after installing aftermarket rear lower control arms, which also largely eliminate wheel hop). On the strut tower brace, I had a 4 point installed, and had to convert it to a 2 point (to clear a larger intake), and really didn't notice the difference. If I could, I'd still go with the 4 point. The biggest handling differences I've seen come from: 1) tires, 2) subframe systems (look up Stifflers FIT or Kenny Brown Extreme Matrix, and 3) poly or other harder material bushings everywhere, preferably with new control arms at the same time. Springs will also make a big difference, but I'd do these three things first.
 
From personal experience I have to agree with better tires and stiffer chassis up front . When I added a STB on my Olds their was certainly an improvement . That was after stiffer struts and better tires . But adding two additional 2pt bars was a great improvement . Everything improved , firmer ride , comfort and better handling . It's a two point strut bar and 2 separate strut tower to radiator supports . So simple yet such a difference . I think they were even better than the sway bars . I did not upgrade to stiffer rear sprigs , I have never felt them to be that necessary . Just slightly stiffer rear shocks and I had a great riding good handling car . Looking for middle of the road not over the top .
 
Yup, those are the springs. They lowered the car maybe an inch at the most. I also added some 17x9 cobra R's. As reldla1996 mentioned, subframes are a HUGE plus. Probably the biggest improvement on my vert.

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Picked up the sway bars and shocks today but struck out on the stock G load brace . Forgot most of my tools at home and could not pull the lower shock mts either . Why is it the 5.0 shocks will not mount on a 2.3 car w/o the 5.0 mounts ? Are the bushings bigger , wider ?
 
Can't say about the rears. I was buying new shocks when I put the tc rear in so I just bought the 5.0 stuff. I know for a fact though that the 2.3 struts don't fit on the v8 spindles.

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Yes , I'll be using 5.0 front brakes so V8 shocks as well . I don't know what the difference is with the rears but they say you need the 5.0 lower shock mounts if your using the 5.0 shocks . Didn't get the shocks so I'll be buying new 2.3 rear shocks . Maybe just all new bushings in the rear control arms . Energy Suspension somewhere around $80 . There are some cheap tubular control arms on ebay if you've seen them . They are on ebay for around $145 . I won't be doing the bushings myself so have to factor in the cost of installation .
 
I had strut tower brace, 4-point g-load brace (both maximum motorsport) and subframe connectors on both my old '90 and my old Turbo Coupe. The stiffness and handling improvement is pretty big! I personally didn't think a 2-point g-load brace really did a lot.

Red LX did you install the g load brace separately or all at the same time ? If all were done at different times which one made the most improvement .
 
Wait, scratch that...I never put the 4-point K-member brace on my Thunderbird, it wouldn't fit due to the K-member being slightly different. I did have both on my '90.

I personally noticed much more of an improvement from the strut tower brace than the K-member brace. Noticed an improvement from the subframe connectors too. I think the STB and subframe connectors should be two of the first chassis upgrades for a Fox chassis car.
 
I put a 2-point brace on my LX at one point. Removed it a few times, and then reinstalled. Never felt a difference at all.

Currently off the car, but i'll toss it back on at some point just because it's not worth selling