DIY Stut Tower Brace

[JeremyH]

None of the braces out there cleared my manifold so decided to build my own strut tower brace. This concept will be the same for any setup just need to make sure it clears your hood and manifold setup.

Materials I used was a 4ft piece of 3" x 1" rolled steel rectangle tube and a 6" x 6" 1/8" thick steel plate. Cost me about $40 for the steel.

Tools needed was an angle grinder with cutting wheel and flap disc, drill, debur tool, sandpaper and Tig.

 

[JeremyH]

I started by making the brackets that would mount to each tower using cardboard to make the template.

 

[JeremyH]

Then transfered that to the steel plate cut it out and drilled the mounting holes. Then traced it and made the second plate

 

[JeremyH]

Next I centered the tube steel on the manifold and leveled it on the intake and marked where I wanted the bends to head down to the towers. In my case I chose right above the rails to start the bends. Then I measured over to the towers and marked there as well.

 

[JeremyH]

I then cut the ends to size at angle to match the top of the strut tower. Then cut triangle notches from underneath the tube to make my bends.

 

[JeremyH]

From there I played with the end angles removing material here and there until I had the fitment and clearances from manifold and hood I wanted.

 

[JeremyH]

Scuffed the ends up of tube and plates with the flap disc then cleaned up with alcohol. Next tacked the tubing to the braces on the car and moved over to the bench.

 

[JeremyH]

Over on the bench welded up the end brackets on each side first.

 

[JeremyH]

Then welded the 2 notches under the bends up. At this point welding is done.

 

[JeremyH]

Then test fitted to the car a few times. Enlongated the mounting holes as it walked about 1/16" on each end during welding. Then checked final hood and manifold clearances.

 

[JeremyH]

2 hours of sanding done lol. Knocked off all the scale with a 40 grit flap. Then used the da at 150 and then 250. Degreased and 4 thin coats of etching primer.

 

[JeremyH]

Next up was 400 grit then 800 grit wet sand to prepare for base coat. Here is a peek at the color choice I went with. It is the rare Ford liquid blue. Here is 2 thin coats, still 2 more to do before clear. Check out the colors it has in it, has reds yellow and gold.

 

[JeremyH]

Base coats done and then clear coats.

 

[JeremyH]

Final wet sand, sealant and buff.

 

[JeremyH]

Finished product!

 

[Midlife Crises]

Looks like that should do the job once you get it welded up. That manifold is interesting also.
Your strut towers have five nuts. Mine has only four. What’s up with that?

 

[JeremyH]

CC plates.
https://www.maximummotorsports.com/...ates-2005-2010-and-2007-2014-GT500-P1151.aspx

 

[Rick Simons]

Nice write-up! How much clearance between the brace and the hood did you end up with?

 

[JeremyH]

Nice write-up! How much clearance between the brace and the hood did you end up with?

Because the ends pulled in from welding at the cuts under the bends the center ended up being about 1/8 higher than mock up before welding. So I did some massaging and extra clearancing with the flap at the high points. So it did end up being closer to the hood and tad more gap from the manifold which overall I'm ok with. But I were to build again I would take that into consideration on mock up.

I would leave material on the ends of the tube. Then weld the bends first. Then fit up to the plates and weld plates last. Would give me more control of overall fitment. And not have to enlongate the mounting holes.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Interesting, and good on you for tackling it on a DIY basis.


I have a feeling that if I was to do something similar that I'd put at least two more bends in the tubing to reduce the angularity of the bends.


Norm