Bob D.

Thanks Chip. I just installed the Ford Racing strut tower brace earlier today. FYI to others, it fit perfectly and has no clearance issues at all.

Unfortunately I re-used the nuts and did not use loctite, so I guess I will be taking those nuts off again tomorrow. For anyone who cares, the nuts are about $4 for a package of 4 (pn W520112S440A) and are likely in stock at most Ford dealers because they keep them on hand for the "squeaky strut bearing" TSB. I was smart enough to buy the nuts the other day but not smart enough to remember to have them with me when I installed the bar. [:@]

Thanks again, I like to do things correctly and this info is helpful.

wmtheflash

An interesting thread. I just installed one of these, a Ford Racing variety, on a 2006 GT. Here's the full story:

Every since the car was new (what am I saying it's still new?) I noticed that it required slight course correction in sharp curves at speed, say 45 mph or more. I take a back road to work and just before I turn on the main highway there is such a curve, it travels downhill, is slightly banked, curves sharply to the left, eventually changing direction 90 degrees. Very similar to a highway ramp, maybe? Anyway, posted speed limit for the this back road is 45 mph, for this particular turn 25 mph. The curve offers plenty of visibility, so I usually take it about 45 mph. Daily driver is a 2005 Ford Focus and my weekend/Friday car is my Mustang.

The Focus has always handled this curve differently, of course, than the Mustang. I turn the wheel smoothly and the car could easily take the curve doing about 40 mph with no trouble. (BTW. For 13.5K new that's a great little underrated car!) The Mustang always required several minor course correction in this particular curve, but could take it more comfortably at a higher speed. I found the handling slightly annoying compared to the Focus.

When installing the strut tower brace I accidentally sheared one of the bolts. (Whoops!) I took the car to the mechanic and they repaired it and, of course, I required an alignment.

I notice absolutely no difference driving this car around town. None.

What I do notice is that my winding road to work, and particularly that curve are FAR better. Why?

It's hard for me to accept a poor alignment from the factory. From the time it was new, I could remove my hands from the steering wheel and the car would drive straight. I assumed it was aligned properly.

Am I a victim of poor quality control or did my strut tower effect steering in these hard turns?

In general I'm very skeptical of these sorts of things and installed it ONLY for looks. I was expecting no change in steering. In fact, driving home from the mechanics with the brace installed I could tell a change, but I REFUSED to believe it. In fact, once I got home I turned around and traveled the same road just to make sure I wasn't imagining things. I even
pushed the car harder. I continued the test by driving down another favorite back road and there was a difference on that road, too. I was VERY skeptical, but now I believe it's made difference. Very surprising, indeed.

Now, I could have had the car for years without the bar and been perfectly happy. Maybe that's why the factory didn't install it directly, a difference, but not a major difference? Maybe my car wasn't aligned properly from the factory and that's what helped? Maybe it's a combination of the brace and the alignment? Either way, it's not coming off. I like it and I'm glad I bought it.

BTW. I noticed a friend's 2006 GTO has a strut tower brace install from the factory. How rigid is that vehicle?

I didn't know the bit about not reusing the nuts. My instructions from Ford Racing states the contents: instructions and brace, no mention of other hardware, then it instructs the installer to remove four nuts, install the brace and nuts, and then tight the nuts to 25 lbs*ft +/- 3 lbs*ft. It says nothing about not using the same nuts again, although, it seems like a good idea if you take them off all the time. I suppose Ford should include the nuts in the kit, a warning or at least a mention of it in the instructions if it were such a big deal. I'll check them periodically over the next few thousand miles, if they loosen, then I'll deal with it then. I'm not expecting any problems.

Bob D.

As mentioned above, I installed my strut tower brace under the "it can't hurt" theory since I want to do all I can to keep my 'vert from becoming a Flexible Flyer after a couple years of the pot-holed roads around here. Sounds like you may have gotten some excellent and more immediate benefit from the brace.

Re re-using the nuts, you might want to spend a minute to put some loctite on there, or at least index the position. On my car, the re-used nuts spun freely after just a turn or so CCW, so I could see them working loose over time.

Whatever improved your handling on that curved road, enjoy! I think the handling on these cars is as much fun as the accleration.

wmtheflash

Good point. I'll index them and see where they go, maybe if I get a chance this weekend I'll slide by the hardware store and get some loctite. Thanks for the tip!

Sleeper05

strut brace was mostly for looks for me, but i swear on the fact that it made a noticeable diff at HARD cornering and in general responsiveness...maybe not 180$ worth of diff, but i am pleased. it is a BMR one for reference.

bcc333

think of what a deal i got for $47.82 !

in lieu of Loctite i invested $0.17 for four lock washers (included in the $47.82)

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