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why don't RHD cars get a strut tower brace ? pedestrian protection ?

wimbrow

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in NZ we don't get the STB. didn't on my 2016 GT either. I modified that car quite a bit and added it as well, but just wondering if anybody knows why we don't get it ?
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wimbrow

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Like many things we miss out on, I understand the lack of brace in Europe is due to pedestrian safety - I guess if you’re unfortunate enough to be hit by a braced car, there would be very little give on the bonnet/hood. we had the same thing with the ‘16 GT, no hood scoops were permitted due to risk of causing more damage:headbang:even though standard on the US version. A tad annoying
 I suspect NZ has the same issue
 

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The German review cars had the strutbrace, so it is really weird that it only concerns RHD cars in UK/AU/NZ, when Europe has pedestrian safety regulations, it has active hood after all. And if you can fit it post-buy then there's nothing mechanical preventing it from being there. Ask the dealer to ask Ford for reasoning on this.
 

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My theory ...

The RHD cars require 8mm spaces to fit the strut brace due to the cowl / bulkhead brace interfering with it at the right hand side strut top.

Could that 8mm be enough to compromise the pedestrian safety ? i.e. It's OK on a LHD with no spacers, but its not OK on a RHD where it sits 8mm higher / 8mm closer to the underside of the hood ?

WD :like:
 

Geofft21

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My theory ...

The RHD cars require 8mm spaces to fit the strut brace due to the cowl / bulkhead brace interfering with it at the right hand side strut top.

Could that 8mm be enough to compromise the pedestrian safety ? i.e. It's OK on a LHD with no spacers, but its not OK on a RHD where it sits 8mm higher / 8mm closer to the underside of the hood ?

WD :like:
Ford produce a strut for RHD cars you only need spacers if you try and fit a LHD strut to a RHD car.
 

WD Pro

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Ford produce a strut for RHD cars you only need spacers if you try and fit a LHD strut to a RHD car.
The strut for the RHD cars is actually a kit made up from a LHD strut and 8mm dog bone spacers ?

WD :like:
 

Geofft21

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The strut for the RHD cars is actually a kit made up from a LHD strut and 8mm dog bone spacers ?

WD :like:
No, bought one for my Bullitt straight from Ford UK, had the Bullitt logo and fitted perfectly. (The Bullitt has the K brace fitted already)
 

WD Pro

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No, bought one for my Bullitt straight from Ford UK, had the Bullitt logo and fitted perfectly. (The Bullitt has the K brace fitted already)
That's interesting - and also not reflected in Fords instructions (unless there are more then one RHD version) ?

Abbreviated with just the interesting bits :

1624890508448.png

1624890543463.png

1624890604361.png

1624890632706.png


I would be interested to see how Ford make it differently, perhaps they just to a professional version of the 'grind' mod ... lol

Anyhow, no skin off my nose as I have the aluminium version, I was just trying to offer some insight based on the info I had collected when looking to get my brace :like: (My aluminium brace also came with the spacers - but I didn't use them :like:)

WD :like:
 

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Atlas1

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The German review cars had the strutbrace, so it is really weird that it only concerns RHD cars in UK/AU/NZ, when Europe has pedestrian safety regulations, it has active hood after all. And if you can fit it post-buy then there's nothing mechanical preventing it from being there. Ask the dealer to ask Ford for reasoning on this.
My theory ...

The RHD cars require 8mm spaces to fit the strut brace due to the cowl / bulkhead brace interfering with it at the right hand side strut top.

Could that 8mm be enough to compromise the pedestrian safety ? i.e. It's OK on a LHD with no spacers, but its not OK on a RHD where it sits 8mm higher / 8mm closer to the underside of the hood ?

WD :like:
whats the deal with pedestrian safety? maybe i'm misunderstanding this but if i get hit by a mustang leaving london cars & coffee, the strut brace would be the least of my concerns :cwl:
 

Geofft21

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That's interesting - and also not reflected in Fords instructions (unless there are more then one RHD version) ?

Abbreviated with just the interesting bits :

1624890508448.png

1624890543463.png

1624890604361.png

1624890632706.png


I would be interested to see how Ford make it differently, perhaps they just to a professional version of the 'grind' mod ... lol

Anyhow, no skin off my nose as I have the aluminium version, I was just trying to offer some insight based on the info I had collected when looking to get my brace :like: (My aluminium brace also came with the spacers - but I didn't use them :like:)

WD :like:
Didn't look anything like that! Think that might be for use without the K brace!

DSC_1752.JPG


DSC_1753.JPG
 

WD Pro

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I wouldn’t read too much into the colour or plaque :like:

I appreciate you might not have the car anymore, but do you have a picture of the area near the brake distribution block ? The back of the brace in that area is the pinch point where it crosses the bulkhead brace and I would be interested to see what’s different :like:

OK, I appreciate this is the 350 brace but it highlights the pinch point (after the non spacer mod and before re-coating) :

F413-D22-E-A881-4-FF5-BEA1-F4-A2-BEBDD964.jpg


WD :like:
 

Geofft21

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I wouldn’t read too much into the colour or plaque :like:

I appreciate you might not have the car anymore, but do you have a picture of the area near the brake distribution block ? The back of the brace in that area is the pinch point where it crosses the bulkhead brace and I would be interested to see what’s different :like:

OK, I appreciate this is the 350 brace but it highlights the pinch point (after the non spacer mod and before re-coating) :

F413-D22-E-A881-4-FF5-BEA1-F4-A2-BEBDD964.jpg


WD :like:
No pictures, but even the Ford Performance part is specific for RHD!

Screenshot_20210628-231908_Bing.jpg
 

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Yeah that’s what’s really confusing, the RHD instructions include reference to the dog bone spacers (and the bulkhead brace).

Honestly, you are the only RHD guy I know of who didn’t have to either use the spacers or do the small underside grinding mod :like:

WD :like:
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