GT Strut Tower Brace

[ChaoticFury09]

Hi everyone,

New member to the forum but I have a question regarding the strut brace for the S550 mustangs. I have a new 2018 Ecoboost non PP, and I am wondering if I can install the brace from the GT directly onto the Ecoboost and if it is worth doing.

Hoping for some feedback and any thoughts.

Thanks for the help!

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[wanted33]

Yes sir you can. I wouldn't then the strut tower bolt pattern would be any different. It's an easy less than one beer job. Whether it's worth it, or not is up to you. I driven Mustangs with, and without and can't tell any difference. But, I don't track my cars.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[ChaoticFury09]

That’s fair, I don’t track my cars either. Do you have any input on whether getting it with the firewall piece makes a difference?

 

[Zinc03svt]

That’s fair, I don’t track my cars either. Do you have any input on whether getting it with the firewall piece makes a difference?

The bracing between the towers and tied into the firewall is the most effective for sure.

 

[michail71]

People say that it does. But people also seem to feel a difference with a CAI.

I have the 20" wheel option with a Steeda strut tower brace. Which gives it the same chassis bracing as a PP car. Although the Steeda brace looks a bit more robust. I find the chassis feels really tight on my car.

 

[Zathras]

For those of us without performance pack, at least on some GTs, there is a plastic "brace" or part mounted on top of the passenger side strut, where one would bolt on the new strut tower brace.. If we are only adding the strut brace, and not the full firewall/cowl brace, I guess we mount the strut brace right over top of that plastic part? It seems like that plastic thing (a) might affect the rigidity of the connection between the strut brace and the strut tower, and/or (b) possibly crack that plastic piece when you torque down the nuts on the newly-installed strut brace. Did anyone deal with that?

 

[Greg94]

The plastic piece is decorative. Designed to cover the area by the battery and cowl. It has steel inserts so you will not crack it. I added both the strut and k brace. I think it firms up the front nicely.

 

[wanted33]

That’s fair, I don’t track my cars either. Do you have any input on whether getting it with the firewall piece makes a difference?

I would say the firewall piece does make a difference overall in the convertible cars. We have the '18 GT Convertible, and it comes with the same set-up out front that PP car has to give the car back the rigidity that is lost from not having the solid roof frame. It makes for a solid feel, and great ride.

 

[WildHorse]

https://www.americanmuscle.com/mustang-chassis-bracing-guide.html

 

[mustang_puppy]

I added the GT350 strut tower brace kit and cowl extension piece to my car and they most definitely stiffen the front end.

 

[73MachI]

Just based upon basic mechanical engineering, I have an immense amount of skepticism that the strut town brace is anything but decorative. However, the K-member is a different story. It looks like it's capable of stiffening.

 

[Jetnoise]

You don't think shock towers or strut towers flex?

 

[73MachI]

I'm sure that they do flex, yes, but my observation is that the strut tower brace that comes with the car is only fastened with two (?) bolts on each side and the strut tower brace at this point is really just sheet metal. It's positioned at the top end of the tower, so I am thinking that the only force the brace could effectively negate would be side-to-side flexure (i.e. shortening or lengthening the the brace along it's length). That doesn't seem to be the major forces that are exerted on the towers. So I just wonder that the strut tower braces are largely cosmetic. Like I said, the K-member is much stiffer stronger metal and probably contributes a significant stiffening effect by comparison.

Just my thoughts, I'm no expert on this. I'd be happy to stand corrected by someone knowledgable.

 

[Jetnoise]

"the only force the brace could effectively negate would be side-to-side flexure (i.e. shortening or lengthening the the brace along it's length).
That doesn't seem to be the major forces that are exerted on the towers."


Are you sure you don't want to think about that one again?

 

[jonrjen]

I just this morning installed my brace kit from Ford Performance. It included the Cowl Brace as well as the Strut Brace. I have a base Ecoboost 2017 Mustang purchased new a maybe six weeks ago. It now has 750 miles on it. A week or s ago I had the Ford Performance Procal kit installed for tune and intake HP/TQ which was worth the investment at $511 delivered to my door.

However, the $148 spent for the brace package was a bargain for ride and handling improvement bang for the buck. I don't autocross or drive aggressive, but the ride with the kit seems to keep the car more firmly attached to the road. It stays level on turns, feels more solid under all conditions, this is the way that the car should have been delivered in stock form from the factory. It is difficult for me to put into words the improvement this kit has made to the car.

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