Shock Tower Braces

66 Restomod · Jun 9, 2008

Looking to replace my Monte Carlo Bar and Export Brace with something newer, strong, and just better. Doesn't need to look stock. I'm looking closely at this one:

http://www.totalcontrolproducts.com/tower.html

Anybody have photos of this one installed on a car? Any other suggestions for brand/style? I'm open to suggestions. Thanks.

rbohm · Jun 9, 2008

the system might be newer, but in my opinion it is worse than the stock system since you introduce several flex points into the system at each rod end. save your money and stick with the odl school stuff. if the new school stuff was so good then why dont they use it on race cars? because it allows too much flexing.

01ragtop · Jun 9, 2008

rbohm said:
the system might be newer, but in my opinion it is worse than the stock system since you introduce several flex points into the system at each rod end. save your money and stick with the odl school stuff. if the new school stuff was so good then why dont they use it on race cars? because it allows too much flexing.

Agreed! I can't understand why TCP used rod ends. IMHO this TCP brace is bling.

Rusty67 · Jun 9, 2008

These ones should be better then stock:
http://www.maierracing.com/earlybraces.html

This one is a litte more expensive but it is worth it if you really wana get the shock towers stiffened up.
http://www.maierracing.com/pnms2200.html

I'm thinking about making my own, it shouldn't be too hard at all considering my friend has all the welding eqipment and a mandril bender

4MuscleMachines · Jun 9, 2008

The Maier racing unit is my personal favorite, only if they made them for 71-73 Mustangs.

66 Restomod · Jun 9, 2008

bought one....

4MuscleMachines said:
The Maier racing unit is my personal favorite, only if they made them for 71-73 Mustangs.

I had one like that around 1993 or so on my second 5.0 Mustang. Had to have a race car shop disassemble it and reweld it to fit a GT40 intake and 77mm mass air meter IIRC. I didn't even know they made them for classics.

After reading the responses and looking online, I decided to go with a solid set up from Global West. Here's the export brace, and I bought the monte carlo bar too:

http://www.globalwest.net/1964-66_Mustang_export_brace_4_bar_unit.htm

Rusty67 · Jun 9, 2008

The Maier bar for the classics is made to clear an EFI setup.

DK832 · Jun 10, 2008

+1 on the Maier brace. Going on my new build.

Helmantel · Jun 10, 2008

The guy who started the thread about the torsional stiffness tests on a 67 coupe reported that the factory Export Brace improved torstional rigidity by 25%. Not too bad for a factory reinforcement.

The factory brace forms a stiff "V". In facty, when I installed mine, I had to lengthen my (home made) Monte Carlo bar by 1", because once installed, the Export Brace had pushed the shock towers outward where they belonged. The TCP brace, with all the heim joints, does of course not for a stiff "V" and can only take forces along the length of the rods.

CraigMBA · Jun 12, 2008

I have the Mailer one. As advertised. Lightwieght and lots of clearance for distributors, AC compressors, blowers, EFI, whatever.

67rcks · Jun 12, 2008

body work again

-

jamison42166 · Jun 12, 2008

have you seen the global west version?

http://www.globalwest.net/1964-66_Mustang_export_brace_4_bar_unit.htm

nevermind guess i should read the post better lol i see its already been posted

Sicarius428 · Jun 12, 2008

Will any of them clear an FE though... hehe. Damn those look good. The stocker can double as an anchor.
Kevin

Rusty67 · Jun 12, 2008

Sicarius428 said:
The stocker can be used as an anchor.
Kevin

Not a chance man, those stock parts aren't heavy enough. You might be able to use the export brace as a boomerange tho. =P

mustbereel · Jun 12, 2008

Helmantel said:
The guy who started the thread about the torsional stiffness tests on a 67 coupe reported that the factory Export Brace improved torstional rigidity by 25%. Not too bad for a factory reinforcement. .

My tests showed that it's hard to improve on the orginal "Shelby" type export brace. The Maier version looks lighter but I doubt it's substantially stronger. It does look better.

The GW looks like it might actually be stonger than the Shelby part and looks good two.

In side by side testing my home made bars with rod ends lost a few percent over the solid type but were still very effective.

Sicarius428 · Jun 12, 2008

The GW one does look really nice... Just wish it had some monte carlo bar welded across.
Kevin

mdjay · Jun 13, 2008

We just got a new one that is similar to the Maier one but the monte portion bolts in and it's made from thicker material then others.
View attachment 314258

rc4mike · Jun 15, 2008

mdjay said:
We just got a new one that is similar to the Maier one but the monte portion bolts in and it's made from thicker material then others.

who make this brace? i like the removable monte bar.

mdjay · Jun 16, 2008

This is an exclusive through us...

These also work with FE "non shaker" cars.

4MuscleMachines · Jun 16, 2008

Any plans for a 71 Mustang? I wouldn't mind paying for a custom made piece,

Shock Tower Braces

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