Rear Shock Tower Brace

01GTBlown · 08-07-2006, 03:29 PM

Anyone know where to get these? I was just recently introduced to the Kenny Brown brace but they quit making them in 2005.

Any info would be appreciated!

*venom* · 08-07-2006, 04:58 PM

Check ebay and Steeda has them as well.

wade95 · 08-07-2006, 07:40 PM

I've researched this part and talked to several people and there is NO NEED for one. Think about it: The front strut tower brace DOES have the ability to move due to the way the car is designed but the rear shock mounts do not. All you will be doing is wasting time and money. Just get full lenght subframe connectors and be done with it. Im not bashing ya, just making a statement.

ThePunisher · 08-07-2006, 08:35 PM

I have the Kenny Brown STB in my car. I put it in the same time I did the STB up front so not sure how much of a difference it by itself would be. I think any extra bracing on a unibody chassis is beneficial. The fox platform isnt the strongest anyway, so it can use all the help it can get. Ive heard people argue that the STB up front isnt ness. If you look at a real race car(esp. in road racing)they go well beyond a couple boltin braces, a fully welded in cage from front to rear. So to say its not necessary all depends.
Not sure why people get bent out of shape over parts discussion..

r3dn3ck · 09-11-2006, 05:42 PM

I have one of my own design and construction. They're helpful on cars with IRS or coil overs in back but that's about it. When I had my IRS in the car I had coil overs too and that was a lot of load on the shock towers so I braced it and it helped but not much. With the solid axle and coil overs it's just a place to strap by bazooka sub-woofer to.

The KB design never impressed me too much. To be useful it needs to be robust and welded into position not just at the towers but also in the midd of the span. If you're going to do it, just geta section of 1" .120 wall DOM steel and weld a .080 thick plate on either side to mount it to the shock towers, then weld that in. before you get welding on the ends, you should get a piece or two of .120 thick angle iron in 2x2, cut a channel in the tube steel to accept the base of the V in the angle iron and weld that in as a sort of mid-span load distribution point. Weld that to the floor of the trunk with a nice heavy .080 mounting plate under it to spread the load across more of the trunk floor. If you'd like I can make a drawing of the design. Then you can have your buddy that has a mig welder fab it up for you and it'll be better than the KB bolt-on by a long way. The only retail one I've seen that's worth a damn is the one made by Hans Racecraft. It lacks the mid-span support but is otherwise top shelf. Mention that r3dn3ck from Wildhorses sent you and he might just hook you up on the price.

01GTBlown · 09-11-2006, 06:10 PM

Well, hopefully soon (this winter) i'll have an 03/04 IRS along with coilovers. Just wondering do you still have this brace in the back that you can take pictures of? I got an idea of what your saying, i'd like to see it done though.

Have you seen anything like the picture I attached? I saw it on a car and thought it looked like a good idea but really have no idea if it would be a good investment (for our cars) or not as it was on a civic. Since a civic is fwd and mustang is rwd.

r3dn3ck · 09-13-2006, 12:00 PM

warning from a former IRS user... I've had 2 and they're kinda fragile for whoopin on. You'll want a pretty stiff rear spring on your coil overs... otherwise it's just too soft and you get mad wheel hop. Are you running front coil overs? If so, what spring rate?

PM me your email address and I'll put together a quick drawing plus some pics of mine installed. Done properly they're useful with IRS, done wrong they'll make the trunk smaller and that's about it.

01GTBlown · 09-13-2006, 12:23 PM

pm sent

r3dn3ck · 09-13-2006, 05:19 PM

let me know if the drawing doesn't make any sense... I slapped it together pretty quick. Remember, good welds or none at all.

08-07-2006, 04:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
venom Super Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,514	Check ebay and Steeda has them as well. __________________ http://www.mustangboards.com/mustang...500/ppuser/103

08-07-2006, 07:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
wade95 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Tarpon Springs, FL Posts: 503	I've researched this part and talked to several people and there is NO NEED for one. Think about it: The front strut tower brace DOES have the ability to move due to the way the car is designed but the rear shock mounts do not. All you will be doing is wasting time and money. Just get full lenght subframe connectors and be done with it. Im not bashing ya, just making a statement. __________________

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08-07-2006, 08:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
ThePunisher Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 625	I have the Kenny Brown STB in my car. I put it in the same time I did the STB up front so not sure how much of a difference it by itself would be. I think any extra bracing on a unibody chassis is beneficial. The fox platform isnt the strongest anyway, so it can use all the help it can get. Ive heard people argue that the STB up front isnt ness. If you look at a real race car(esp. in road racing)they go well beyond a couple boltin braces, a fully welded in cage from front to rear. So to say its not necessary all depends. Not sure why people get bent out of shape over parts discussion..

09-11-2006, 05:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
r3dn3ck Wowbagger hates me too! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Magrathea/California Posts: 7,182	I have one of my own design and construction. They're helpful on cars with IRS or coil overs in back but that's about it. When I had my IRS in the car I had coil overs too and that was a lot of load on the shock towers so I braced it and it helped but not much. With the solid axle and coil overs it's just a place to strap by bazooka sub-woofer to. The KB design never impressed me too much. To be useful it needs to be robust and welded into position not just at the towers but also in the midd of the span. If you're going to do it, just geta section of 1" .120 wall DOM steel and weld a .080 thick plate on either side to mount it to the shock towers, then weld that in. before you get welding on the ends, you should get a piece or two of .120 thick angle iron in 2x2, cut a channel in the tube steel to accept the base of the V in the angle iron and weld that in as a sort of mid-span load distribution point. Weld that to the floor of the trunk with a nice heavy .080 mounting plate under it to spread the load across more of the trunk floor. If you'd like I can make a drawing of the design. Then you can have your buddy that has a mig welder fab it up for you and it'll be better than the KB bolt-on by a long way. The only retail one I've seen that's worth a damn is the one made by Hans Racecraft. It lacks the mid-span support but is otherwise top shelf. Mention that r3dn3ck from Wildhorses sent you and he might just hook you up on the price.

09-13-2006, 12:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
r3dn3ck Wowbagger hates me too! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Magrathea/California Posts: 7,182	warning from a former IRS user... I've had 2 and they're kinda fragile for whoopin on. You'll want a pretty stiff rear spring on your coil overs... otherwise it's just too soft and you get mad wheel hop. Are you running front coil overs? If so, what spring rate? PM me your email address and I'll put together a quick drawing plus some pics of mine installed. Done properly they're useful with IRS, done wrong they'll make the trunk smaller and that's about it.

09-13-2006, 05:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
r3dn3ck Wowbagger hates me too! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Magrathea/California Posts: 7,182	let me know if the drawing doesn't make any sense... I slapped it together pretty quick. Remember, good welds or none at all.