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  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

strut brace

  • Thread starter Thread starter kdogg_60
  • Start date Start date Jul 24, 2007

kdogg_60

New Member
Jun 20, 2007
7
0
0
Charleston
Jul 24, 2007
#1
  • Jul 24, 2007
  • #1
what about a front strut tower brace for a 03 gt. did anyone notice an increase in stiffness? worth the purchase or no.

just looking for some more stiffness and eventually going to upgrade the suspension
 

blacksheep-1

Member
Oct 21, 2006
322
4
18
Jul 24, 2007
#2
  • Jul 24, 2007
  • #2
IMO it does not help as much as subframe connectors
 

03ghoststang

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2005
1,930
1
57
Los Angeles, California
Jul 24, 2007
#3
  • Jul 24, 2007
  • #3
it only helps when doing heavy cornering since i have a steeda one but it does help a little........but everyone has different opinions about it that is just for looks and stuff like that
 

CobraRed_96_GT

Active Member
May 20, 2006
1,421
4
39
UCSD/La Jolla
Jul 24, 2007
#4
  • Jul 24, 2007
  • #4
it's nice to have, but not anything special. Get subframe connectors for stiffness
 

Tim2002GT

Founding Member
Apr 10, 2002
635
4
29
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Jul 24, 2007
#5
  • Jul 24, 2007
  • #5
I would say it all depends on what kind of driving you do. If you are into the corner carving, then it will definately help. I'm more into the straight line driving so it wouldn't do me a whole lotta good.
 
B

bdcardinal

tree hugger
Jun 10, 2003
3,612
16
69
santa barbara, CA
Jul 24, 2007
#6
  • Jul 24, 2007
  • #6
no difference in the corner carving dept. only needed if you have coil-overs. Don't consider anything but the MM one, due to its superior design, the way it mounts is better than other companies.
 

BlueRuckus

New Member
Jun 30, 2005
204
1
0
Miami, FL
Jul 24, 2007
#7
  • Jul 24, 2007
  • #7
I have the Steeda STB on mine and I noticed a difference but only on tight fast turns. You'll notice the full length sub frames more.
 
0

007

Founding Member
Jan 29, 2002
3,287
24
69
Broke
Jul 25, 2007
#8
  • Jul 25, 2007
  • #8
Full length subs do more.
 

kdogg_60

New Member
Jun 20, 2007
7
0
0
Charleston
Jul 25, 2007
#9
  • Jul 25, 2007
  • #9
full length subframe

anybody have a "how to" for the full length sub frames
 

larrendeuce

Member
Sep 13, 2003
649
1
19
Southern NJ
Jul 25, 2007
#10
  • Jul 25, 2007
  • #10
I noticed a huge difference when I added MM strut tower brace and 4 pt k member brace to my GT. Going up a driveway or over rough broken pavement chassis movement and noise was all improved. I drove with just those while I was waiting to add the subframe connectors.
 

blacksheep-1

Member
Oct 21, 2006
322
4
18
Jul 25, 2007
#11
  • Jul 25, 2007
  • #11
Yes, the relatively inexpensive way to do this is to find the convertible sub frame connectors and the k-brace. Because I ran in the "stock" class this is what we had to do, however, weld ins are much better, not only are they more substantial, but they're less prone to flex becuase they are welded. It just depends on what you want to do, a "good" stock set up like I ran meant the convertible parts, like I mentioned, the biggest rear sway bar known to mankind, either a convertible or off of a mid 80's Fairmont wagon are two good places to start, Tokico non adjustable shocks from Ford performance and a cut set of springs to lower the car. Use the Steeda bump steer kit with the extended ball joints to get the roll center back up out of the pavement (that bit of info actually made a HUGE difference in handling).
http://www.steeda.com/products/x2_balljoints.php
http://www.steeda.com/products/bumpsteer_kit.php
If you don't have to conform to rules, you could substitute aftermarket parts, but this will give you a real good starting point for a street car. If there was one area that I would change, it would be to buy aftermarket springs, and don't mess with the stock front sway bar, leave it alone.
 

'13_ImpactBlue_GT

Angry Little Elf
Mar 30, 2005
872
2
98
Where the men are men and the sheep are nervous
Jul 25, 2007
#12
  • Jul 25, 2007
  • #12
bdcardinal said:
no difference in the corner carving dept. only needed if you have coil-overs. Don't consider anything but the MM one, due to its superior design, the way it mounts is better than other companies.
Click to expand...

It bolts to the back of the firewall instead of just the shock towers, I love mine but the SFC's are definitely worth it
 

tomustang

Psychotic Member
Founding Member
Jun 8, 2000
3,434
2
78
McLean Hospital
Jul 25, 2007
#13
  • Jul 25, 2007
  • #13
kdogg_60 said:
what about a front strut tower brace for a 03 gt. did anyone notice an increase in stiffness? worth the purchase or no.
Click to expand...
It doesn't stiffen anything up.

kdogg_60 said:
just looking for some more stiffness and eventually going to upgrade the suspension
Click to expand...
Read this

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=690493
 

blacksheep-1

Member
Oct 21, 2006
322
4
18
Jul 25, 2007
#14
  • Jul 25, 2007
  • #14
A big +++ on the Watts link, for some reason ($$$) Ford tried to make the rear end components do too much work, like both locating the rear side to side and front to back. The watts linkage takes care of those ills, Steeda and others also make those similar parts, I tend to go with Steeda because they're 50-75 miles away, but there are other companies as well.
I just wish we could've run that stuff.

You know, I was thinking, you could probably fab up some upper arms with heim joints and build a panhard bar, it would do about the same thing, the Watts is still better, but it might be a low budget alternative. FWIW

There's also a "Jacobs ladder" which is lighter and cheaper, but not as strong, I've really wanted to try this, but it would have to built way heavier.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/654,754_Aluminum-Jacobs-Ladder.html



http://www.steeda.com/products/5link_2rear.php
 
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