Importance of Strut tower brace?

[numbnutz]

I can't stand the look of the oem strut tower brace. Looks cheap IMO.

How much would it affect handling to remove it? I'm ready to replace it with the BMR tubular brace but wanted to see if it's worth my $200. Thanks all..

BMR STB009

 

[mjohns930]

I took mine off and put it on a shelf. I don't road race my car or anything, so I wouldn't notice a difference.

 

[Jabooh1]

Unless you corner hard you probably won't notice at all.

 

[BMR Tech]

Let me share two rather recent experiences, I had with customers and Strut Tower Braces. These two situations were almost identical, and have made me a believer in Strut Tower Braces for the S197.

Since both occurrences were almost exactly the same, here are the stories combined.

BMR Kelly: "Hi, this is Kelly, How can I help you"
Customer: "Hi, I would like to return this poorly made Strut Tower Brace"
BMR Kelly: "Wait, hold-on a second. So, tell me what makes you unhappy with it"
Customer: "It does not fit. It is built about 1" too long"
BMR Kelly: "Well, I am going to need to see pics. That is practically impossible"
Customer: "Are you calling me an idiot? This thing isn't even close to fitting"
BMR Kelly: "So, you are telling me that your Strut Tower Brace is not hitting anything, like a supercharger, intake, etc...and simply will not fit the OEM Studs on the towers?"
Customer: "Exactly. It is built too long. I have been doing this for many years, I know when I have a part built incorrectly"

So anyways - I send the customer a return label, so we can get the part back. It gets here, and I immediately throw it on our Jig. Fits perfect. I then install it on our very own development Mustang; fits perfect. I then take it out to the parking lot, and install it on one of our employees V6 S197 Mustangs. It doesn't fit well.

When I come back in the office, I ask her...."Have you ever been involved in an accident with your car?" She says, "just a small fender bender"

I call the customer:

BMR Kelly: "Hi, I think I may have found out what's going on. Has your car ever been into an accident?"
Customer: "Yes, but it was only $500 in damage to the front left corner. No way it would cause this. It was like the second day I owned the car, with less than 100 miles on it"
BMR Kelly: "Well sir, you have been driving around on a tweaked front engine bay for about 6 years now"
Customer: "Figures. Blaming something else on your poor manufacturing"

Moral of the story, that is (3) cars that were in "small" fender benders. Of the (3) - all showed strut tower variations, and would not allow for our STB to install properly.

 

[numbnutz]

Appreciate the input Kelly. :beer:

 

[dirtyd88]

Let me share two rather recent experiences, I had with customers and Strut Tower Braces. These two situations were almost identical, and have made me a believer in Strut Tower Braces for the S197.

Since both occurrences were almost exactly the same, here are the stories combined.

BMR Kelly: "Hi, this is Kelly, How can I help you"
Customer: "Hi, I would like to return this poorly made Strut Tower Brace"
BMR Kelly: "Wait, hold-on a second. So, tell me what makes you unhappy with it"
Customer: "It does not fit. It is built about 1" too long"
BMR Kelly: "Well, I am going to need to see pics. That is practically impossible"
Customer: "Are you calling me an idiot? This thing isn't even close to fitting"
BMR Kelly: "So, you are telling me that your Strut Tower Brace is not hitting anything, like a supercharger, intake, etc...and simply will not fit the OEM Studs on the towers?"
Customer: "Exactly. It is built too long. I have been doing this for many years, I know when I have a part built incorrectly"

So anyways - I send the customer a return label, so we can get the part back. It gets here, and I immediately throw it on our Jig. Fits perfect. I then install it on our very own development Mustang; fits perfect. I then take it out to the parking lot, and install it on one of our employees V6 S197 Mustangs. It doesn't fit well.

When I come back in the office, I ask her...."Have you ever been involved in an accident with your car?" She says, "just a small fender bender"

I call the customer:

BMR Kelly: "Hi, I think I may have found out what's going on. Has your car ever been into an accident?"
Customer: "Yes, but it was only $500 in damage to the front left corner. No way it would cause this. It was like the second day I owned the car, with less than 100 miles on it"
BMR Kelly: "Well sir, you have been driving around on a tweaked front engine bay for about 6 years now"
Customer: "Figures. Blaming something else on your poor manufacturing"

Moral of the story, that is (3) cars that were in "small" fender benders. Of the (3) - all showed strut tower variations, and would not allow for our STB to install properly.

Some people are just ignorant.

 

[Rebel302]

Let me share two rather recent experiences, I had with customers and Strut Tower Braces. These two situations were almost identical, and have made me a believer in Strut Tower Braces for the S197.

Since both occurrences were almost exactly the same, here are the stories combined.

BMR Kelly: "Hi, this is Kelly, How can I help you"
Customer: "Hi, I would like to return this poorly made Strut Tower Brace"
BMR Kelly: "Wait, hold-on a second. So, tell me what makes you unhappy with it"
Customer: "It does not fit. It is built about 1" too long"
BMR Kelly: "Well, I am going to need to see pics. That is practically impossible"
Customer: "Are you calling me an idiot? This thing isn't even close to fitting"
BMR Kelly: "So, you are telling me that your Strut Tower Brace is not hitting anything, like a supercharger, intake, etc...and simply will not fit the OEM Studs on the towers?"
Customer: "Exactly. It is built too long. I have been doing this for many years, I know when I have a part built incorrectly"

So anyways - I send the customer a return label, so we can get the part back. It gets here, and I immediately throw it on our Jig. Fits perfect. I then install it on our very own development Mustang; fits perfect. I then take it out to the parking lot, and install it on one of our employees V6 S197 Mustangs. It doesn't fit well.

When I come back in the office, I ask her...."Have you ever been involved in an accident with your car?" She says, "just a small fender bender"

I call the customer:

BMR Kelly: "Hi, I think I may have found out what's going on. Has your car ever been into an accident?"
Customer: "Yes, but it was only $500 in damage to the front left corner. No way it would cause this. It was like the second day I owned the car, with less than 100 miles on it"
BMR Kelly: "Well sir, you have been driving around on a tweaked front engine bay for about 6 years now"
Customer: "Figures. Blaming something else on your poor manufacturing"

Moral of the story, that is (3) cars that were in "small" fender benders. Of the (3) - all showed strut tower variations, and would not allow for our STB to install properly.

:bs: you guys should tweak your jig then. There is no reason why I can't purchase an already tweaked strut brace for my car that had been in a minor accident oke:

 

[Voltwings]

I will agree with Kelly, in that sense, that a proper strut tower bar will aid chassis regidity.

That being said lol, if you look at the OEM bar, it has very wide slots on each end, and the bar can literally slide at least 1/2" each direction when installed. Due to that, it does virtually nothing for the car because your chassis would have to be flexing over 1/2" before the bar even begins adding rigidity.

For further example, a friend of mine has a track pack 5.0, and i asked if i could borrow his STB to decide if i wanted to buy one. A few days have gone by and im rather unimpressed, even trying to corner hard i can feel no appreciable difference. He comes into my room a bit later and says "hey man were you still wanted to check out my tower bar?" He didnt even know i had taken it off the car lol, the OEM piece is almost 100% cosmetic.

 

[BMR Tech]

Yes, we should make parts "custom to fit"

Actually - I am being 100% honest. In the past, I used to push people away from STB. I always told them to put the money into something else "more beneficial"

I am definitely a believe in Strut Tower Braces, these days. They may not make the best improvement in handling, chassis rigidity, etc - but they sure as hell can help save the OEM configuration of the engine bay /strut towers.

 

[Rebel302]

Yes, we should make parts "custom to fit"

Actually - I am being 100% honest. In the past, I used to push people away from STB. I always told them to put the money into something else "more beneficial"

I am definitely a believe in Strut Tower Braces, these days. They may not make the best improvement in handling, chassis rigidity, etc - but they sure as hell can help save the OEM configuration of the engine bay /strut towers.

I was joking
I think you guys do a great job that show results with the products you bring to the table :beer:

 

[hand-filer]

I can't stand the look of the oem strut tower brace. Looks cheap IMO.

How much would it affect handling to remove it? I'm ready to replace it with the BMR tubular brace but wanted to see if it's worth my $200. Thanks all..

BMR STB009

If it was that critical of a requirement they would be standard equipment on the Shelby GT500.

 

[BMR Tech]

I will agree with Kelly, in that sense, that a proper strut tower bar will aid chassis regidity.

That being said lol, if you look at the OEM bar, it has very wide slots on each end, and the bar can literally slide at least 1/2" each direction when installed. Due to that, it does virtually nothing for the car because your chassis would have to be flexing over 1/2" before the bar even begins adding rigidity.

For further example, a friend of mine has a track pack 5.0, and i asked if i could borrow his STB to decide if i wanted to buy one. A few days have gone by and im rather unimpressed, even trying to corner hard i can feel no appreciable difference. He comes into my room a bit later and says "hey man were you still wanted to check out my tower bar?" He didnt even know i had taken it off the car lol, the OEM piece is almost 100% cosmetic.

I agree, somewhat.

Stamped Steel has very complex properties.

I typically over analyze everything. In this particular case, of what you mentioned - who is to say that the design of the front bay does not allow for 1/2" deflection? What is, it flexes 1/2"...and "springs" or "snaps" back?

If that is indeed the case, if it were to deflect say....3/4"...it may "stick" there, and then you have 3/4" variance. This also affects alignments. When a wrecked car sometimes gets repaired, and the alignment is off - strut tower movement can often be the culprit.

Our STB fit VERY precisely.

In the case of the customers I mentioned, their Strut Towers were about 1" off. The OEM piece very may well have saved that - I know for sure, ours would have.

 

[Voltwings]

Thats why you're the suspension guy i got all BMR parts on my car lol

 

[BMR Tech]

If it was that critical of a requirement they would be standard equipment on the Shelby GT500.

They were. 2007-2009 GT500's came with STB from the factory.

There are several reasons why they stopped in 2010+. One was clearance issues.

Also remember, Boss 302, which were engineered on a track, come/came OEM with a STB.

There is not one doubt that the chassis flexes under hard cornering conditions. "How much" flex is a "bad" thing...is what is important. If you want none up front, a STB is a decent upgrade if it fits within budget.

 

[Jabooh1]

I don't think anyone intelligent would argue than an impact would flex the front end. But has anyone done testing on how much it would flex during driving? That would be interesting.

You could take the hood off, install a STB tight on one end and with long slots on the other, install a GoPro on the loose end, and corner like hell.

If someone wants to donate me a BMR STB I will gladly do the test for them.

 

[Jabooh1]

I guess Kelly isn't going to bite.

 

[BMR Tech]

Well, we can easily do that here with one of our R&D cars sir.

 

[saunupe1911]

Yall have to be kidding me!!!!!! I ordered a non-19 inch wheel 2012 Mustang a few yrs back and they don't come with the OEM strut brace. The car still handled well but the steering would lose track and squirm when hitting large bumps and going over railroad controls. I added the OEM strut brace and all of that was gone. It definitely strengthens up the front chassis under extreme conditions such as rough cornering and serious road imperfections. I never understood why Ford doesn't include it on all models. It's essential to the chassis in my opinion. An even stronger one would probably improve the stiffness even further. So BMR, I think some substantial numbers showing how much of an improvement it is would sell many of these. Otherwise, it's not a bad looking OEM replacement

 

[PurposebuiltGT]

Well, we can easily do that here with one of our R&D cars sir.

I am really interested in seeing that data!

 

[BMR Tech]

Can't promise it will be anytime soon.

We are in the process of developing and testing many new S197 Items for our catalog offering right now.