Strut tower brace question.

[oldsspguy]

I recently install the black ford racing S.T.B and cowl brace and maybe I'm nuts but car seems to pull left a tiny bit now that I have to keep steering wheel slightly turned right to stay straight.
Has anyone ran into this problem?
I installed as per directions, is there a specific tight down pattern on nuts and bolts?
All where torque correctly.

Thanks
Mike

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[Coaster]

Was the car sitting on level ground when you did the install?

The only way I could see it having any effect is if the chassis was torqued already when you installed it and it is holding it that way.

 

[oldsspguy]

Hmm on inclined driveway..
I guess I'll put it on the street and re torque everything.
Thanks for info.

 

[GT Nate]

I just installed the same a week ago and no issues.

 

[oldsspguy]

I just loosened all nuts and re torque everything. Now I will see what happens.

 

[Less Weight]

The last time I installed a strut tower brace the instructions specifically stated that the front of the car should be jacked up and the front tires should make no contact with the ground. I don't know if that is true or not but you could try that so there is no load on the front at all.

 

[oldsspguy]

Well car seems a bit better after re torque on level ground. Guess I will have to keep track of this.
Could it be after this strut tower install I need a wheel alignment?

 

[Old 5 Oh]

Well car seems a bit better after re torque on level ground. Guess I will have to keep track of this.
Could it be after this strut tower install I need a wheel alignment?

Could be. If it's pulling you need an alignment for sure.

 

[oldsspguy]

Update.
So I felt car was still "not right". I decided to use my trusty level and drop a line along the edges of the front fender and discovered my passenger side was pulled by more then 3/4 of an inch, I thought the only difference I made to this car was adding the cowl and strut tower brace. I took both off car and let car sit for 2 hours and when I dropped my level line again car was pin straight on all four corners so I left off cowl brace and just add strut tower brace and car is still pin straight.
Could cowl brace be bent?
How is it pulling this car so out of wack?
Any help would be appreciated and is it a problem by just using strut tower brace without cowl brace?

Thanks

 

[Old Car Guy]

Update.
So I felt car was still "not right". I decided to use my trusty level and drop a line along the edges of the front fender and discovered my passenger side was pulled by more then 3/4 of an inch, I thought the only difference I made to this car was adding the cowl and strut tower brace. I took both off car and let car sit for 2 hours and when I dropped my level line again car was pin straight on all four corners so I left off cowl brace and just add strut tower brace and car is still pin straight.
Could cowl brace be bent?
How is it pulling this car so out of wack?
Any help would be appreciated and is it a problem by just using strut tower brace without cowl brace?

Thanks

Strut tower Brace, is out of Alignment, needs a Alignment from your Ford dealer! :shrug: just kidding I never have had this kind Problem of all the strut tower braces I have installed, wish I could help you, I'd check Front end alignment if it were me. :cheers: John

 

[oldsspguy]

Lmao thanks.
When both braces where attached car tracked left now with just strut tower brace installed car tracks dead center like before braces where installed so I don't think car is out of wack but I'm going to get it checked anyhow.
I still think it's the cowl brace bent or just not right IMO.

Thanks

 

[tcman54]

I just put a ford racing strut tower brace in about 10 days ago, all four tires were on the ground, if anything the car drives better now.

 

[oldsspguy]

For now I have just strut tower brace in and I notice the difference just with one in.

 

[paul1967]

Update.
So I felt car was still "not right". I decided to use my trusty level and drop a line along the edges of the front fender and discovered my passenger side was pulled by more then 3/4 of an inch, I thought the only difference I made to this car was adding the cowl and strut tower brace. I took both off car and let car sit for 2 hours and when I dropped my level line again car was pin straight on all four corners so I left off cowl brace and just add strut tower brace and car is still pin straight.
Could cowl brace be bent?
How is it pulling this car so out of wack?
Any help would be appreciated and is it a problem by just using strut tower brace without cowl brace?

Thanks

I also noticed a difference after installing my strut tower & cowl brace. Something didn't feel quite right, but I just chalked it up to me being paranoid. Now I'm starting to wonder. How did you measure to verify? I would like to check my car now as well.

Thanks, Paul.

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