Strut tower brace

P

PJB

New Member

Aug 22, 2006

131

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0

Rotterdam, NY

Feb 8, 2007

#1

• Feb 8, 2007

• #1

How are strut tower braces installed?
Im looking at one like this on ebay:
View attachment 404846
Im assuming it bolts on somewhere along the firewall area, but where and how?
I dont want to have to take the whole car apart to put one on.

Also theres this style:

Im assuming this one bolts to the cowl area under the plastic cowl. Is that right?


Which is the better one of the two?

 

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wild86stang

New Member

Oct 12, 2005

115

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Milan, OH

Feb 8, 2007

#2

• Feb 8, 2007

• #2

They bolt to the strut towers (obviously) and the firewall. I have one similar to the bottom one and yes, it bolts to the firewall under the cowl area. It is pretty easy, probably a half-hour install. The top one probably bolts to the pinch seem on the firewall. Looks like the top one might clear a wider variety of intake manifolds, but I don't know which, if either, is better.

 

jtfairlane

New Member

Mar 5, 2006

468

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Feb 8, 2007

#3

• Feb 8, 2007

• #3

It's my understanding, though not my experience, that long term use of the strut tower braces that bolt to the firewall near the cowl can cause cracking because the metal is so thin there.

The strut tower brace you have pictured on the top is a poorly made, cheap rip-off of a Maximum Motorsports design. The Maximum Motorsports strut tower brace will allow you to use a wider variety of intake manifolds since no part of the brace will go over the upper intake, and it is made of much stronger tubing and attaches to the pinchwelds.

http://www.maximummotorsports.com

 

BlooDReigN

Member

Feb 22, 2004

283

1

16

Calgary, Alberta

Feb 8, 2007

#4

• Feb 8, 2007

• #4

I have the MM piece on my current Mustang and I have had it on past Mustangs as well. This along with subframe connectors makes a world of difference. I've had a few people ask me if I have stiffer springs in the car just because they make the car feel that much different.

 

P

PJB

New Member

Aug 22, 2006

131

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Rotterdam, NY

Feb 8, 2007

#5

• Feb 8, 2007

• #5

BlooDReigN said:

I have the MM piece on my current Mustang and I have had it on past Mustangs as well. This along with subframe connectors makes a world of difference. I've had a few people ask me if I have stiffer springs in the car just because they make the car feel that much different.

Click to expand...

Where exactly would I be drilling the mounting holes for that one?

Is it somewhere where I could get a nut and bolt in there without taking alot of the car apart?

Do you (or anybody else) have a pic of it installed?

 

duner

Mr. Warmth

Jul 21, 2003

1,756

3

0

Oregon

Feb 8, 2007

#6

• Feb 8, 2007

• #6

jtfairlane said:

The strut tower brace you have pictured on the top is a poorly made, cheap rip-off of a Maximum Motorsports design. The Maximum Motorsports strut tower brace will allow you to use a wider variety of intake manifolds since no part of the brace will go over the upper intake, and it is made of much stronger tubing and attaches to the pinchwelds.

http://www.maximummotorsports.com

Click to expand...

Maximum's web site has detailed installation instructions too.

 

duner

Mr. Warmth

Jul 21, 2003

1,756

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Oregon

Feb 8, 2007

#7

• Feb 8, 2007

• #7

 

P

PJB

New Member

Aug 22, 2006

131

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Rotterdam, NY

Feb 8, 2007

#8

• Feb 8, 2007

• #8

Thanks.
Does the brace make working on the engine a pain though? Changing plugs, etc?

I didnt even realize there were instructions on the site. It doesnt seem like too bad of an install.

 

duner

Mr. Warmth

Jul 21, 2003

1,756

3

0

Oregon

Feb 8, 2007

#9

• Feb 8, 2007

• #9

PJB said:

Thanks.
Does the brace make working on the engine a pain though? Changing plugs, etc?

I didnt even realize there were instructions on the site. It doesnt seem like too bad of an install.

Click to expand...

Accessing the basic stuff shouldn’t change too much. I haven’t done anything major where the brace was in the way. I need to use a funnel when adding oil and access to the brake reservoir isn’t as easy. But, it’s no big deal.

The install was pretty easy. The biggest pain was drilling the hole and moving the vacuum tree. I needed to install a longer hose between the tree and the reservoir.

Remember that the car needs to be on flat level ground when you mark the mounting holes.