Broken shock tower
03-04-2012, 07:30 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 3
Broken shock tower
Hello all.
My wife has a 1969 convertible. It has rust. More than it should for what I paid for it, but oh well. I recently hit the brakes hard to avoid a deer and broke a shock tower.
Here is what has to happen regardless of which direction I go;
The engine and anything else will get pulled to access the tower(driver side). There are other rust spots I am aware of and will address those at that time. I have wanted to put a rack and pinion system in this car since we have owned it. There in lies the problem.
Do I;
1. Replace the shock tower(s) and go with the original suspension linkage with an aftermarket rack and pinion.
Or,
2. Cut out both shock towers. Yank all the suspension. Replace it with a complete TCI or similar set up with new shocks, springs A-arms, cross member, etc etc.(it already has disc brakes). The general consensus is the "mustang II" suspension is junk. Is the TCI and similar products really comparable to what the mustang II had? Or is is something completely better and getting a bad rap because of it's label.
I am capable of the job and have the resources to do it either way. It is not a numbers matching numbers car or a garage queen. It gets driven....sometimes hard.
Im removing at least one shock tower and my guess is I wont like the other one.
Any advice????
My wife has a 1969 convertible. It has rust. More than it should for what I paid for it, but oh well. I recently hit the brakes hard to avoid a deer and broke a shock tower.
Here is what has to happen regardless of which direction I go;
The engine and anything else will get pulled to access the tower(driver side). There are other rust spots I am aware of and will address those at that time. I have wanted to put a rack and pinion system in this car since we have owned it. There in lies the problem.
Do I;
1. Replace the shock tower(s) and go with the original suspension linkage with an aftermarket rack and pinion.
Or,
2. Cut out both shock towers. Yank all the suspension. Replace it with a complete TCI or similar set up with new shocks, springs A-arms, cross member, etc etc.(it already has disc brakes). The general consensus is the "mustang II" suspension is junk. Is the TCI and similar products really comparable to what the mustang II had? Or is is something completely better and getting a bad rap because of it's label.
I am capable of the job and have the resources to do it either way. It is not a numbers matching numbers car or a garage queen. It gets driven....sometimes hard.
Im removing at least one shock tower and my guess is I wont like the other one.
Any advice????
03-04-2012, 08:25 PM
#2
I vote for the TCI suspension kit. Those early mustangs have weak front ends, I have busted a few of them. They have too many weak areas.
The resto-rod (TCI) suspension upgrade will add value to the car too.
The new suspension would also be a serious safety upgrade for your wife (brownie points!).
The resto-rod (TCI) suspension upgrade will add value to the car too.
The new suspension would also be a serious safety upgrade for your wife (brownie points!).
03-05-2012, 12:29 AM
#4
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 8,162
I would fix the shock tower if it was mine,Before you do anything have you seen http://home.bresnan.net/~dazed/suspension101 If i had to cut the shock towers out of mine i would use http://www.griggsracing.com/ but they are not cheap also http://www.roadstershop.com/products...-subframe-form but again its not cheap or there is even a full frame http://www.schwartzperformance.com/i...prod/prd18.htm
03-05-2012, 07:50 AM
#6
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 8,162
They have another one its smaller http://www.roadstershop.com/products...nsion-ifs-form only thing i don't see listed for either is small block mounts just has mod motor mounts but I'm sure if you ask them they should make them.
03-05-2012, 09:06 AM
#7
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: AR
Posts: 5,469
If it was my car, I would fix ALL of the rust.
Then I would repair or replace the shock towers.
My reasons.....
a. You car is a convertible, it is going to NEED the strength that the towers provide.
b. Properly upgraded stock suspension actually works really well, imo at least as good as the aftermarket high $ stuff. Especially with a rack and pinion steering. (My son's 66 steers, drives, and handles really, really, well.
c. I have never really liked the looks of Mustang II suspension on anything other than a Mustang II. If you steer clear of the kits that "look" MII, your choices and economy are limited.
Then I would repair or replace the shock towers.
My reasons.....
a. You car is a convertible, it is going to NEED the strength that the towers provide.
b. Properly upgraded stock suspension actually works really well, imo at least as good as the aftermarket high $ stuff. Especially with a rack and pinion steering. (My son's 66 steers, drives, and handles really, really, well.
c. I have never really liked the looks of Mustang II suspension on anything other than a Mustang II. If you steer clear of the kits that "look" MII, your choices and economy are limited.
03-05-2012, 02:56 PM
#8
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: az
Posts: 459
I would replace the parts and upgrade the suspension without removing the towers. I am partial to Global Wests products for vintage mustangs.
Please note it isn't the MII suspension that is necessarily the problem. It is a short long arm (SLA) system. Generally, this type is regarded as the best for a street or track car.
It's the reinforcement lost when removing the towers that kills this mod for me. Follow the force path through the chassis and you will see where the load is placed. With an MII setup the load path changes to a portion of the vehicle not able to carry it equally strong.
Quality suspension geometry is worth nothing if the chassis flexes. I would also recommend subframe connectors.
On another note, I don't really recommend driving a convertible hard. The hardtops have a weak chassis. The convertible is worse. I would be willing to bet you can watch the door gaps move while driving it hard.
Please note it isn't the MII suspension that is necessarily the problem. It is a short long arm (SLA) system. Generally, this type is regarded as the best for a street or track car.
It's the reinforcement lost when removing the towers that kills this mod for me. Follow the force path through the chassis and you will see where the load is placed. With an MII setup the load path changes to a portion of the vehicle not able to carry it equally strong.
Quality suspension geometry is worth nothing if the chassis flexes. I would also recommend subframe connectors.
On another note, I don't really recommend driving a convertible hard. The hardtops have a weak chassis. The convertible is worse. I would be willing to bet you can watch the door gaps move while driving it hard.
03-05-2012, 03:30 PM
#9
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 710
It depends on if you need to replace the front frame rails or not...if that broke because of rust then I would bet that the rails are not strong enough for a TCI kit. If I had ANY frame rust I would not try to add a front end kit. Hows those torque boxes and floor pan doing?
If you need to replace all of the rails then you need to consider how far down that rabbit hole you want to go.
If you need to replace all of the rails then you need to consider how far down that rabbit hole you want to go.
03-05-2012, 05:02 PM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 3
The shock towers get replaced with panels. The engine compartment is braced with Monte Carlo bars and modified export braces. I dont see what other reinforcement benefit the shock towers contribute too?
The Rod and Custom kit wraps the front rails, beefing up the connection. Subframe reinforcements are in the plan.
The floor pan has been replaced. The torque boxes need some work, but nothing not do-able.
I have noticed when you mention removing shock towers it brings out a lot of opinions. I wonder if anyone here actually has one of these suspensions or knows someone who does, or possibly some other kind of first hand experience with these things. There are a number of companies who sell them for many different applications. If they are as bad of an idea as people are saying why are they still available?
The Rod and Custom kit wraps the front rails, beefing up the connection. Subframe reinforcements are in the plan.
The floor pan has been replaced. The torque boxes need some work, but nothing not do-able.
I have noticed when you mention removing shock towers it brings out a lot of opinions. I wonder if anyone here actually has one of these suspensions or knows someone who does, or possibly some other kind of first hand experience with these things. There are a number of companies who sell them for many different applications. If they are as bad of an idea as people are saying why are they still available?