Rear Shock Tower Brace

fobnicat · Apr 10, 2010

Hey folks, I am in the process of installing a Steeda Rear Shock Tower Brace on my 01 GT. The problem I have encountered is that the length of the bar does not match the distance between the shock. I know that a certain about of settle is expected in a car with 77k miles on it, couple that with the "tolerances" of FoMoCo, and a difference is sure to occur. Even in the instructions it states that it is common for the shock towers to move INWARD. My problem is that they moved OUTWARD. The difference in the the brace hole and the shock is about 1/2". What is the best way to realign this?

twogts4us · Apr 10, 2010

Put item back in the box and return to Steeda. Absolutely useless.

trombonedemon · Apr 10, 2010

twogts4us said:
Put item back in the box and return to Steeda. Absolutely useless.

Please explain.
Maybe a Panhard bar or Watts link would be of better use. Heres a really good web site on our suspension. Late Model Mustang Suspension Basics

twogts4us · Apr 10, 2010

I see no advantage in tying the tops of the shocks together. This isn't like the front of the car where flex is inherent due to the large body / chassis opening for the engine, but at the rear, it's really unnecessary. Just my nickel's worth.

fobnicat · Apr 11, 2010

Jeezus I did not ask for you approval of my use of the bar.... Just a suggestion on how to get it in, which I finally did and I noticed a huge difference..

If you drag race then there is likely no need in the bar, but I prefer turns and I can tell a huge difference. Where a panhard bar or watts link keeps the body centered over the suspension, a rear shock brace keeps the body itself from twisting up.

Measurements have shown that there is indeed a great deal of flex in the rear under hard cornering, so if I am going to try to tighten up flex in other areas of my car why not here? And on top of that since when has modding become a group concensus thing?

/vent off

trombonedemon · Apr 11, 2010

Caaalm down, you're here for opinions and how to's, I just wanted him to explain just in case somebody does research on this and has the same problem you do. I mean you can turn your mustang into a stretch limosine for all I care. Heck, soon as I read your post I wanted to check one those bars out. Any way, anytime you stiffen up your frame and body, its a plus. I would imagine a roll cage for the rear end would stiffen our suspension up anyway. Same principle. Yea those links and panhard bars are a bit pricey. I would go with your mod first then do those later. Just my Opinion. P.s. We are allowed one complaint a day, after that, no one listens.

fobnicat · Apr 11, 2010

Sorry trombonedemon, my response was towards twogts4us.... I just get tired of having to explain why I do what I do. Watts link and roll cage will come about the same time, but only after I finish brakes and drive train mods. I have sway bars (front and rear) coming in next week. Control arms (front & rear upper and lower) are already installed. Kenny brown subframe matrix is getting ordered next week I hope. I work like I drive, fast.

Night Shifter · Apr 11, 2010

if youre going more for curves than straight line, you might wanna keep th rear UCA's off the car and sell them... they will cause binding in your suspension in the curves and hinder your handling instead of helping it...

just trying to help you out a bit as i am in the process of process of doing an open track suspension on my car

Moon · Apr 12, 2010

fobnicat said:
Sorry trombonedemon, my response was towards twogts4us.... I just get tired of having to explain why I do what I do. Watts link and roll cage will come about the same time, but only after I finish brakes and drive train mods. I have sway bars (front and rear) coming in next week. Control arms (front & rear upper and lower) are already installed. Kenny brown subframe matrix is getting ordered next week I hope. I work like I drive, fast.

So how did you finally get the thing installed? And was there any interference with the Mach 460 system?

fobnicat · Apr 12, 2010

I used two jacks, one on each end of the axle, lifting and lowering till I got it twisted into place. I don't have the Mach 1 system so no problems there.

By keeping rubber bushings on the uca the binding is minimal.

twogts4us · Apr 13, 2010

fobnicat said:
I noticed a huge difference..

Sorry, and I know you don't like me already, but this statement is complete BS...you know it, I know it, as does the rest of the StangNet Community. No offense intended.

fobnicat · Apr 13, 2010

How do you call BS? Without either brace my car always felt loose, just like any mustang. I put in the front brace and took it for a spin, and suddenly all of the front lift, wiggle and roll seemed to be gone, if not just severely decreased. What I noticed was that all of the lift, wiggle and roll in the rear seemed to be amplified by the stiffer front. So then I installed the rear brace. Now, the rear feels nearly as tight as the front, and once I finally take the time to weld it, it should feel AS tight as the front. The problem now being is that I find that the uni-body, the actual cabin of the car feels a little lighter. Don't believe it is twisting, just that the minimal amount of roll I am getting with the front and rear braces installed is now more apparent right in the cabin. Now, you can call bull**** all you want but I stand by what I said, I noticed a big difference. One point I will give you is that if I didn't have the front brace, I doubt I would notice anything. The only reason I noticed the difference in the rear is because the rear deflection was amplified by the brace in the front.

40oz · Apr 13, 2010

twogts4us said:
Sorry, and I know you don't like me already, but this statement is complete BS...you know it, I know it, as does the rest of the StangNet Community. No offense intended.

Arguably, a large chunk of the "stangnet community" thinks everyone here is a drag racer or a moron. So you get tons of people putting huge rear tires on their car even if that ruins the car's handling. They buy bolt-on parts for more power but run cheapo tires. I'm sure as hell not going to take the word of that kind of experience.

Are you really trying to suggest a person take the general clamor coming from a population that routinely destroys the handling of their stock car as some sort of accumulated wisdom?

Look, you have people here buying aluminum flywheels hoping it will make their lowered car faster in the 1/4. You have people buying springs just because it says "race" in the ad. You have companies shovelling crap that ruins the car's street handling but sells because the company plays along with the Mustang owner's fantasy that he is driving this now bouncy, stiff, awkward under-steering car because it's a "race car" and he's a "race car driver." It's not a race car, it's a caricature when most people get done modding.

Why the hell would anyone take the "Stangnet community" as an authority when it comes to actually improving the car's handling? There's plenty of accumulated knowledge on how to run the 1/4 fast on the least mods, but almost none on how to actually improve the car's handling from the factory. Little hint - big meats out back don't help you turn.

You call BS but that's simply because like most here, you don't know what you are talking about. And that's fine, just be ready to acknowledge that instead of acting like some public advocate responsible for calling other people stupid for not getting excited about paying $60 to hold the gas pedal down in a straight line.

I think it's fun to go to a strip occasionally, but it's not all that stimulating to my mind. I'd much rather mat the gas coming around a cloverleaf and hold the back end in so I'm putting that power to the ground the whole way. I enjoy kicking the back end out, but that takes no skill. NOT kicking the back out while you pour on the power around a curve is a driving skill.

I'm not saying everybody on Stangnet is an idiot. I'm saying the bulk of the members are into drag racing or "stance." Most don't care anything about making a car go around a corner faster. So why would a person take their popular opinion on that subject?

trombonedemon · Apr 13, 2010

Its all good, we are all amateurs, even the best get there equations wrong, thats what learning is about. Truths are different for each person, if he feels that is car handles better w/the bar, who are we to tell him different b/c we are not him. Nobody goes and moves forward in life by being extremely dogmatic about there own truths b/c truths change day by day.
Is putting that bar on worth trying, maybe, for those who want to be empirical about each and every situation. We all know that Ford cars are put together on an assembly line, thus, taking out synonomous action for each car, so what works for one car dosn't work for another.
Unless this is your livelyhood or your livelyhood is involved than these cars are not worth getting too emotional about. Now if we want to go into mathematical equations about suspension, I challenge all, but theres no point.

40oz · Apr 13, 2010

See, every car I've put a front strut brace on has improved noticeably, most obviously when driving straight on rough roads - the car doesn't wander, it just sucks up the bumps.

But every time people tell me "It's a waste of money." I don't think it's a waste of money. Any time someone puts one on and claims a benefit, they get shouted down by the crowd of ignorants. That kind of gets old.

Moon · Apr 13, 2010

40oz said:
See, every car I've put a front strut brace on has improved noticeably, most obviously when driving straight on rough roads - the car doesn't wander, it just sucks up the bumps.

But every time people tell me "It's a waste of money." I don't think it's a waste of money. Any time someone puts one on and claims a benefit, they get shouted down by the crowd of ignorants. That kind of gets old.

That makes sense. That's why I usually stay away from drag race discussions.

40oz>most here

twogts4us · Apr 13, 2010

40oz said:
I'm sure as hell not going to take the word of that kind of experience. Are you really trying to suggest a person take the general clamor coming from a population that routinely destroys the handling of their stock car as some sort of accumulated wisdom?

Look, I gave my proverbial "nickel's worth", pure and simple. I could not care less if you take my advice.

40oz said:
Why the hell would anyone take the "Stangnet community" as an authority when it comes to actually improving the car's handling?

I don't know - why?

40oz said:
Little hint - big meats out back don't help you turn.

Really? Gosh so many people must be so wrong...including Ford. You should share this "little hint" of yours with them...those "big meats" are just slowing down their 2010 Trans Am Racer.

40oz said:
You call BS but that's simply because like most here, you don't know what you are talking about. And that's fine, just be ready to acknowledge that instead of acting like some public advocate responsible for calling other people stupid for not getting excited about paying $60 to hold the gas pedal down in a straight line.

Really II ? You have no idea who I am or what I've done, do you? And for the record, I didn't call anyone stupid...you View attachment 222823. View attachment 222824

twogts4us · Apr 13, 2010

40oz said:
See, every car I've put a front strut brace on...

You do realize that this conversation was regarding the REAR shock tower brace, correct?

Moon · Apr 14, 2010

twogts4us said:
You do realize that this conversation was regarding the REAR shock tower brace, correct?

Most likely he did know that, but all the same, why is it bs regarding the rear shock tower brace?

Also, regarding Ford's Trans Am race car, are the tires in front the same size, or are they small as hell like what most drag racers run?

twogts4us · Apr 14, 2010

Moon said:
Also, regarding Ford's Trans Am race car, are the tires in front the same size, or are they small as hell like what most drag racers run?

What do you think?

Rear Shock Tower Brace

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