fordforlife0225

i installed my strut tower brace this past weekend. i got the simple 99-04 black one from AM. the first issue i had was with my CC plates, they are slid all the way forward so i had to grind part of the strut tower brace down. i was still able to get all 3 bolts in the driver side but on the passanger side i had to grind down all the way to the bolt hole on the top. so there is only the two bolt on the front of the tower holding the brace on. i also felt like the plates that bolted to the tower were not at the right angle. i got everything bolted in and tightened down, feels solid but i dont like it when i have to put things together like this. the fact that it is in there and isnt loose makes me feel comfortable but i dont know how much torque these braces experience.

sound like it will do its job and hold?

fordforlife0225

anybody? if you have one just let me know how your install went

uberstang1

Where did you get the strut bar from? Sure its for the right year? Is it touch any of the engine components.

fordforlife0225

craigslist. it was brand new, told it was from AM. and it looks like the AM one. the only thing is touched was my bbk intake and thats because i have the large rubber elbow on it.

djd2392

I know when i put one of my 96 I didnt have any issues..is it possible you got the wrong one?

fordforlife0225

i dont think so. it was close enough that it seems like it would fit this year/model

topcat2k2

If you have aftermarket CC plates, that's probably the reason the brace didn't go on so well. I don't think the brace was designed to be used with CC plates. The convertible has extra bracing built into the body so the strut tower brace isn't necessary anyway unless you're road racing or launching hard at the strip. Also, with an aftermarket CAI the brace sometimes rubs or rattles against the CAI. I decided against putting one on my GT vert.

sonicx

Sorry to hear OP ^^^. Not that is going to help to much but in adding to topcat here, if you go with the steeda brace (it has no issues not clearing cc plates or clearing the CAI) as well as an s/c application that maybe installed.

fordforlife0225

ill upgrade when/if i do a s/c setup. as for now it works. i drove it today for the first time since doing the install. it seems to be a little stiffer in the front, around corners and bumps especially. i think it was worth it. the custom work was not to much of a hassle. it rubs on the rubber elbow of the cai so i am not worried about it making an annoying noise and im sure that rubber can handle the little rubbing. i feel like it was worth it.