Question For Convertible Owners Only

[ZGrand]

OK - I've done searches on several Mustang forums, and I get conflicting information.

Here's the question: Does a strut tower brace do anything for cowl shake on a S197 Convertible?

Seems about half the folks say yes, and the other half say no. But I don't know if all the folks who responded actually had first hand experience (or even owned convertibles).

My '06 GT 'vert doesn't have bad cowl shake, but certain bumps and situations will cause it. If you have a convertible on which you have installed a strut tower brace, I'd be interested in your evaluation.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JeremyH]

I noticed an improvement, but I also removed my front sway bar.

 

[W1ldcat]

Yes, it helped in bumpy corners. Not a night and day difference, but better. I have mine sitting in the garage. Wouldn't fit with the blower...

 

[1QIKPNY]

I could tell a slight difference as well when I put mine on.

 

[ZGrand]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[2007Vert]

I put on the Boss 302 STB. There was an improvement but not a cure.

 

[MADGT]

I could tell a slight difference as well when I put mine on.

^ Exactly.

 

[07droptopgt]

I can tell a difference when I put mine on not a night and day difference but a def difference.

 

[ZGrand]

Well, I installed a new strut tower brace today. Its a Stack Racing piece from American Muscle. Dressed it up a little with a piece of carbon fiber and a "Powered by Ford" emblem.

As others said above, I can tell a little difference but nothing major. Looks nice, though.

 

[sidvicious]

Nice...I can't do an STB because of my Shaker scoop.

 

[mavisky]

I've just got the basic factory Shelby unit on mine, but I only experience cowl shake in extreme scenarios.

 

[BlindGUYnAR]

Nice...I can't do an STB because of my Shaker scoop.

Why not do a K member brace then instead? Sorry to high jack, but I to have a vert with shaker and am considering the k member brace. Any reason you haven't gone that route I should consider? From what I've read it gets same result as STB.

 

[07droptopgt]

Got any pics or info on the K-Member brace.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JeremyH]

Now that is a brace that indeed has no benefit considering its not a weak point.

 

[BigSkyGT]

I may have to look into getting a brace.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Now that is a brace that indeed has no benefit considering its not a weak point.

If you're talking about a brace that runs between the chassis brackets for the rear pivots of the front LCAs, those brackets if unsupported actually are weak points. My '08 actually came with an OE brace there, but I've heard that earlier cars may not have had this brace. It's not just about cornering loads; hitting bumps tries to move the rear attachment points of the front LCAs closer together as the LCAs pivot rearward around their front attachment points.

Even if it wasn't a "weak point", it's still a place where structural deflections will tend to be fairly large, so if you can reduce these movements you will reduce the overall vibration situation - which is ultimately tied to cowl shake for you guys.

4-point aftermarket braces may do a better job , but whether they're enough better to justify the time and expense is a separate matter.


Incidentally, the observations posted in this thread match what theory predicts - an STB will reduce vibrations and cowl shake but won't eliminate them completely. It simply cannot suppress a structural vibration mode that does not have much relative motion (displacement) between the points where the STB is attached.


Norm
structural engineer/analyst, retired

 

[JeremyH]

Mine came with one from the factory (07) and was hollow thin stamped steel. Deleted it along time ago. Now the aftermarket a-arm brace that actually runs from a-arm to a-arm instead of just across the k member near it is a much better idea. Then again I drive my car the same way and take turns the same without a front sway and with without the a stb, makes no difference to me. I did ditch the factory subframes for umi ones though.