Strut Tower Brace missing from your engine bay?

[geokots]

This has been bothering me a bit since the install. The kit shipped with 4 nuts but only 2 were used. The passenger side already had 2 used that were identical so I used those.

Did I do something wrong? Does everyone have 2 extra?

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[Coaster]

This has been bothering me a bit since the install. The kit shipped with 4 nuts but only 2 were used. The passenger side already had 2 used that were identical so I used those.

Did I do something wrong? Does everyone have 2 extra?

The directions say to use the 4 new nuts.

They are the same as the two old ones though. You should have two nuts left, old or new shouldn't really matter.

 

[Weazer]

Looks like that smaller piece is available now $50:

http://store.paramountauto.com/oe-ford/fr3z63016a52a

Decent prices, but this places sucks. So much for their "fast" shipping. Ordered on 7-26 expected to ship 8-4.

 

[Stefan1235]

I just installed part FR3Z-63016A52-A. It can be done without removing the plastic cowl or windshield wiper arms, but you MUST have a 13mm box-wrench ratchet or else you will never be able to tighten the bolts. You will need to have the K brace removed to install this part, and you must slide it in from the drivers side of the vehicle and then move it 3-4 inches over towards the passenger side of the vehicle to line up the holes for the bolts. Be patient and with some luck it'll slide on in place.

You will also need 4 of part number -W717964-S450B (the same bolts that hold the K brace in place). 3 bolts hold the "cowl extension" FR3Z-63016A52-A to the windshield support and 1 bolt goes through the K brace and bolts into the "cowl extension".

 

[paul1967]

Just ordered by FRPP strut tower brace from Don Woods - $173 shipped! Can't wait until it gets here!

 

[Chameleon]

Just ordered by FRPP strut tower brace from Don Woods - $173 shipped! Can't wait until it gets here!

Thanks. Best price I've seen.

 

[CTH621]

The short black piece is not a brace at all. It only supports the battery cover and the cowl. The full black brace provides rigidity from the firewall to the strut towers (and it also supports the battery cover and the cowl).

If you install the Strut Tower Brace without swapping the black piece, you will have to put spacers under it on the driver's side or it'll be crooked (higher on the passenger side).

Hey brother, I plan to just get the stock silver tower brace for cosmetic purpose. I also have the half plastic brace to the firewall. I understand that i would need washers under the brace on the driver side. My question really is, can the plastic on the passenger side withstand the pressure when i tighten the nut over the steel tower brace on that passenger side? Will the plastic not get crushed and crack?

 

[PhillMcKraken]

I am about to install this all tomorrow.

Anyone have any tips for me? Do I have to pull the full plastic cowl off?

 

[BmacIL]

I am about to install this all tomorrow.

Anyone have any tips for me? Do I have to pull the full plastic cowl off?

Just undo all the clips for the plastic cowl and the batter cover and you'll be able to get it in.

 

[Excelerater]

ordered mine today from CJs.. thanks for the info guys

 

[Ultrakla$$ic]

I'm not hard on my car at all so this is what I did. I don't need all that bracing so I went to Lowe's and bought these

PUT THEM ON THIS:

SIDE SHOT OF THE BUSHINGS:

ENGINE BAY SHOT:

DONE!

COST? $4.00:lol::lol:

 

[GTP]

Why the need for rubber bushings between the brace and chassis?

 

[kz]

And if you don't have the K-brace, strut tower brace itself makes little sense. Unless it is supposed to be for decoration only, then it makes perfect sense.

 

[Alloy]

Ok so I have the part #'a for the Stb, upper K brace, and window brace. Stefan, in your quote you listed a lower K brace:
Lower K-brace and oil pan cover: $100 total shipped (Tasca)
-lower K brace
-oil pan dust cover (fits with lower K brace)

Were these also Ford parts? Or were you referring to the Steeds lower K brace? I noticed you also mentioned oil pan covers...were the oem as well? Ate they different from what comes on a non PP car? If so could you please provide part #'s? Much appreciated.

I have not received my order from Tasca yet. I ordered 1 of part number: FR3Z-63016A52-A (the black cowl extension) and 5 of part number: W717964-S450B (the only bolt listed in the cowl section/diagram on Tasca's website). I believe I only need 3 of the bolts, but I figured it can't hurt to have a couple of spares since they're $0.58 each.

I'll update once I get this brace installed.

Total cost for all of these braces is as follows:

Ford Racing Strut Brace Kit: $180 shipped
-strut tower brace
-K brace
-4 nuts for K-brace and strut tower brace

Lower K-brace and oil pan cover: $100 total shipped (Tasca)
-lower K brace
-oil pan dust cover (fits with lower K brace)
-6 bolts for K brace ($10 shipped from a forum member)

Black cowl extension: $60 shipped (Tasca)
-cowl extension
-3 bolts

So that's $340 total, not a bad price for all these braces.

 

[PhillMcKraken]

Ok, just did this today. I ordered the ford racing strut kit, and the extra middle bracket, and a couple extra bolts.

I got to buy some new sockets and a nice torque wrench (need it for my steering wheel coming in hopefully soon too)

For the life of me, I could NOT get the wipers removed, and could not remove the cowling. Because of that, I couldnt install the extra brace for the k-brace, thankfully I dont intend on tracking or anything crazy so it looks like its not needed, but I still would have liked to get it installed.

I went into this not expecting much, but hoping for the world as my non-pp car definitely had extra weeble wobble to it, and had a very slight steering wander.

HOLY SHIT. Everyone NEEDS to do this install, no matter if you think want it or not. You NEED it. The front end is EXTREMELY tight now, no more wander, no more sway, no more bobbling. It drives exactly how I remember my test drives going now! Totally worth the hour of work and ~300 in parts/materials (again, I had to buy larger ratchets/sockets so that was an extra $60 there)

I am a little pissed I couldnt install the cowl extension, but I didnt want to break anything, and that rubber cowling was stuck in there TIGHT, the wipers werent even the restriction yet. Manual that came with the STB kit said theres a special tool to remove them, but honestly I am not going to bother with it. If anyone wants my cowl extension, PM me

tl/dr: DO THIS INSTALL. I dont care for performance mods or anything, and this by far changed everything for the better.

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