So I got a few photos of the part that I think I had to get repaired after coming over the top steep driveway, grinding the bottom of my car and then having a horrible noise and vibration coming from under the car. The invoice said they repaired "crossbrace and realigned exhaust".

What is this part? It's a bar that seems to wrap over the exhaust pipes of my stock 2005 GT? Do all years of the S197 have this?
With my Pro-kit springs and stock everything else I keep grinding at several places (even while going as slowly as possible) and have to go out of driveways at an angle, which isn't always possible. I've never bottomed out at speed so far.
Can this part just be removed? I didn't see it on other undercarriages of modified Mustangs I've seen at shows, where they have the car on a rotisserie.

As you can see it's taken a beating. I was wondering if it can come off, as it seems to be the lowest part, in order to let me stop clenching whenever I drive over a speedbump! Or would it be better to let it take the hit instead of the exhaust pipes?
Thanks!

 

My car is an 05 but I don't have that piece underneath mine. Looks like it is there to prevent scraping the exhaust.

 

What the eff is that? I've never even seen one of those... Mine is an '05 and I know I don't have it.

 

my 07 don't have it either

 

i dont have it either, i say take it out

 

My 06 doesn't have it either.

 

Jeez, that is weird!
I wonder if i had it the whole time or if they put it there after I took it in to Ford service. I'll have to go through all my photo of my car to see if it has always been there.

Other 2005 owners please take a peak and let me know.