Has anyone installed the Triangular Strut Tower Brace made by Edelbrock (part #350-5223)? These S197 cars seem to be fairly strong but the convertibles still give one that rock & roll feeling when one drives over something like a railroad track and could use all the bracing available. If anyone has one of these braces installed it would be interesting if they could offer their review of the product. I have had the regular tower to tower type strut tower brace on one of the convertibles but to tell the truth have not seen any noticeable difference with the brace and without. Any strut tower brace has to add some strength, has to, and the triangle brace attaching to the cowl has to add more strength I guess.

 

Unless you have real grippy tires, you wont notice
any difference with a two or three point brace.
You really have to pull some Gs to get a S197
to flex enough to need one. Vert or no Vert.
If all this flexing was a going on, your paint
would be mighty cracked by now.
Has anyone removed and or improperly replaced
your S197s Vert braces under the stang?
Either of the two actions will cause what you
are describing. It sounds like the solid rear end
and panhard bar arrangment is mostly what you
are feeling.
Do you have more understeer than oversteer
or is it the other way around?
Is it pushing or pulling?
Describe 'rock n roll' Mr. Trickle.

 

I dont think the one your looking at is a triangular brace, from my understanding the firewall on our cars is not a true wall and isnt strong enough to attach a brace to. I could be wrong but I had never seen a triangular brace for our cars.

 

It does attach at 3 points, but IMO any STB on these cars is mainly for looks. And I think the flex/looseness you are feeling is just the nature of these ragtops. I have not driven an 05+ coupe, so have no comparison... but I am fine with how mine handles with some other suspension upgrades.

 

Correct, the firewall on 2005+ cars is a false firewall and not load bearing. A 3 point brace is pointless on them unless you are just going for looks.

Stick to a 2 point brace for function. And yes they do make a difference.

 

Unless you brace the 'false firewall' to
the firewall with the correct spacers
and hardware.

I believe these come with the Edelbrock STB.

 

No, there is no point bracing a non load bearing structure. It does nothing

The firewall on the 2005-2011 models is a FALSE firewall and not a load bearing structure. A 3 point strut tower brace is useless on these cars. Edlebrock tries to make up for that with a tiny tab at the cowl with 2 bolts. They are not "bracing the false firewall". If the 2 rear points were spread out across the cowl then it would have some meaningful effect. A 2 point brace is the only one that is effective. At least you get some of that benefit with the Edlebrock since it does tie to the strut towers. So it does help.

The 3rd point on the brace does nothing, the physics are just not there. Tying it to the center of the cowl instead of 2 points that are spread apart for actual load distribution doesnt do anything either.

I realize many people also feel there is no gain from a 2 point brace either. Mainly because its something that is hard to feel.

2 point strut tower braces work, and they work well, some people can feel it, some people don't, but don't expect it to be a difference you can easily feel.

 

I know my two point ford racing strut brace does something to stiffen it up otherwise the one nut would not have vibrated loose on the great roads we have in NY.

Anybody know if the 2011 stock brace will fit a 2005 -2009?