Anyone see improvement from strut brace?
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 5/2/2007 9:29:05 PM
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undecided.steve
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Margarita Girl
Both Granatelli and Steeda have a good looking dual strut tower brace. I like the theory that it is an easy way to firm up the flex on my convertible. Does the brace add any true stability or is it just a $200 fashion mod?
A good brace like MMS in addition to full length subframe braces makes a big difference in 99-04 verts.
I have a 2003 vert and a friend of mine has a 2002 which has a 3 point strut brace and full length subframes and his
car is definitely tighter than mine even in normal driving.
FWIW the verts come with factory subframes but they are short and crappy, but better than nothing.
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 5/21/2007 2:10:04 PM
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chath_brick
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From: Maine
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well i'm not sure about your car, but i took the strut tower brace off of my '95 so i could change the plugs last weekend, and when i unbolted it i could feel the whole car flex under me. so they do some good i guess. the newer 'verts have a much better unibody structure though, so you might not need it unless you race.
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 5/21/2007 3:22:58 PM
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CHIC
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Joined: 5/20/2007
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I will tell you that the first thing I did was invest in a strut tower brace. Its a three point and believe you me, it firmed up everything. I bought the sub frame connectors to tighten up the bottom as well, but decided to leave the stock ones on. I still have them and will change them out eventually. With the tower brace, i was able to take turns 10-20mph faster than before. I felt immediate stability with it verse with out it as the car would flex a lot.
It seemed that when I took turns with out the brace, the nose dove into the turn. Once i put it on, the nose seems to glide through the turn, keeping the froont end. I would say it is well worth the cash. you will feel a difference, and if you dont like it, take it off and ebay it.
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 5/26/2007 9:14:11 PM
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undecided.steve
Posts: 1014
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quote:
ORIGINAL: CHIC
I will tell you that the first thing I did was invest in a strut tower brace. Its a three point and believe you me, it firmed up everything. I bought the sub frame connectors to tighten up the bottom as well, but decided to leave the stock ones on. I still have them and will change them out eventually. With the tower brace, i was able to take turns 10-20mph faster than before. I felt immediate stability with it verse with out it as the car would flex a lot.
It seemed that when I took turns with out the brace, the nose dove into the turn. Once i put it on, the nose seems to glide through the turn, keeping the froont end. I would say it is well worth the cash. you will feel a difference, and if you dont like it, take it off and ebay it.
I agree 100 percent!
The verts are loose up in the front end due to not having the metal roof to assist in supporting the car and preventing twisting.
All Mustangs in the 99-04 range and possibly the earlier models as well, are known for "cowl shake" but the verts take it to a whole new level 
Do this: Take your radar detector and suction cup it to the windshield near the bottom on either the drivers or passenger side.
Now drive around and watch it wobble.
What you are seeing is the front cowl /windshield actually flexing.
Now try it in the family sedan, non vert and you will see that it remains still.
The 05+ cars improved the body structure 1000 percent, even on the verts.
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 5/29/2007 10:35:45 AM
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Margarita Girl
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Is the 3 point tower brace the best way to go? (I don't want to drill holes under the hood.)
I'm also looking at the undermount brace from Steeda. You think there is clearance issue?
http://www.steeda.com/products/chassis_stiffening.php
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 5/29/2007 10:37:26 AM
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Margarita Girl
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Forget underneath. Just saw note, does not fit convertibles.
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 5/29/2007 11:25:37 AM
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undecided.steve
Posts: 1014
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Margarita Girl
Is the 3 point tower brace the best way to go? (I don't want to drill holes under the hood.)
I'm also looking at the undermount brace from Steeda. You think there is clearance issue?
http://www.steeda.com/products/chassis_stiffening.php
In theory, the 3 point is the better way to go because it directs the energy (the flex) to a strong part of the car instead of transferring energy
from one flexing tower to the other tower which is probably flexing as well.
However in practice, I don't know how much of a difference this will really make.
My friend has a 3 point however I have never driven a vert with the 2 point so I have nothing to compare it with.
Remember the vert is more jiggly than the coupe, so I would "guess" the 3 point is the way to go.
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 6/3/2007 11:08:10 PM
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FyouGitive
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I've heard the 05+ convertibles are a bit stiffer than earlier models, but still prone to the dreaded "cowl shake". I put a BMR strut brace on mine, and ran it over a notorious test section (Balboa Avenue east from Clairemont Drive, left lane just before the first "Mount Street"). There was still some cowl shake, but it was dramatically reduced. Very much worth the (relatively) small investment in money and time (five minute install). I reinstalled it with body washers in place of the simple ones that didn't quite cover the holes in the bar brackets, and which showed evidence of "settling" by showing depressions where they bore on the hole edges. I torque the nuts every time I torque the wheel lugs.
As to the triangle brackets, I'm sure they would work better than a tower-to-tower bar, but there must be some reason Granatelli and FRPP and BMR don't offer them.
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Frank S
San Diego CA
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117702894815776259.html
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 6/6/2007 8:47:24 PM
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kenv
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My "other" fun car is an `87 Vette, I would have to bolt a lot more than a strut brace on my `00GT to get the hand eling that I`m used to with the Vette, so I`ll just have to live with the cowl flex in my `stang
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00GT `vert
87 `Vette
04 24v Taurus
06 v6 Milan
94 dakota 4wd
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 6/8/2007 3:35:32 PM
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Margarita Girl
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Decided to get the 3 point Edelbrock installed while I have the car at the shop for a short throw shifter.
Thanks for the posts.
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 6/9/2007 5:55:02 AM
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TPony
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By all means give us some feedback on it once installed.
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06 GT, tint, appearance mods, 18X9 w/NT555 255/45/18, GTA Axlebacks, GT500 spoiler/pedals. Many interior billet upgrades and engine dress up.
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RE: Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 6/27/2007 8:34:10 AM
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Margarita Girl
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The brace is on. Looks very good. Guys who installed it were impressed with the construction. They also mentioned that this was the first '05+ convertible that they have worked on and that the vert has a wall in front of the firewall. They took off the molding and wipers to get between the two walls to bolt on. I have some pictures but I keep getting a failure message. I can e-mail them to anyone who is interested.
The difference in handling I have noticed right away is in the steering. There is a very bumpy road that I travel often and the bumps will actually move the steering wheel under my hand. With the tower brace on, the steering is dead on. I can still feel the bumps, but the front of the car is steady and solid on the road.
Edelbrock Strut Tower Brace for 2005-2007 Ford Mustang GT
Catalog #5223 $120.95
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Anyone see improvement from strut brace? - 
