Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension New rear strut tower brace

We're now accepting orders for the very best rear STB for the CDW27 chassis. This heavy duty brace is fabricated from steel, not aluminum, for longevity and durability. It's a direct bolt or weld in for Contours, Mystiques, Cougars and Focus. Preferred mounting is by welding.

There will be special pricing available for orders placed by March 1, 2002. Visit our website for further details and pics.

Brad, you know you have one taker here. I'd like to see it first though. Maybe if I can make it to the meet Alex can bring an example. I'll tak to him about that.My main concern is clearance under the bar and I need to check that out first.

Also if I go weld in, well....installation. Know any good guys to do that?

Hey Evan. I thought you'd already seen it. Alex has the first finished product as we speak/write.

Yes, I/we do welding (MIG) if you're so inclined.

For those wanting more information, click on the following link

Performance Fords\' Suspension page

Here is a pic of one, more pics on the website.
As you can see, it can be removed if you ever need the extra storage room for a particular trip.

Wow, that's a nice EXACT copy of my bar!

I like how you call yours "the best" :rolleyes:

The design is solid, I'll agree since I am running the same setup, but tone down on the "cheese".

Sorry, Aussie. The BEST rear STB is the 3 point unit welded in to my car!

Best huh? What sort of structural testing has it be put through? Why do you say it is stronger than "the aluminum ones"? If it is hollow steel...less than .250 wall I can tell ya the aluminum ones will be stronger....but that is just my opinion....and yes I know I am a d!ck....

Which aluminum ones are you referring to? The ones made of thin wall, surplus tent pole material? What's the compressive/tensive strength of hollow AL tube?

These bars are stronger than the material they attach to. In the event of failure it will be the fasteners (bolt on) or the thin material used by the factory for the chassis. Don't ask how I know.....

We are dealing with compressive strength only in this situation because if you put the bar in tension it would mean that the strut towers were flexing outward, and that would be bad. The tensive strength is dictated by what size thread you chose to use. Obviously if the walls were drilled and tapped to within a very close proximity of the OD of the bar, then they would pull easily (but you probably know that). Next, I do not recall anyone making them out of tent poles...but I know of two made from very beefy round stock aluminum.....that look alot like the one shown here..... :p

OK, OK. I don't have my engineering references handy, so I'll have to work from memory. How do you know the strut towers don't flex in opposite directions? You'd need a dial indicator and some kind of recorder to track the movement during hard cornering. Or maybe strap a friend in the trunk to watch! Cornering loads are primarily torsion, so unless the chassis is extremely stiff there will be different forces acting on each side of the car. One strut tower will be moving one way while the other is not. Outside tire heavily loaded, inside hardly at all.

On the subject of AL vs. steel... Name 1 space frame race car chassis fabricated from aluminum. It was done once, but shelved for the reasons outlined as follows. No-one uses aluminum tube for chassis/structural applications because of fatigue. AL work fatigues, especially bad if it's been welded. Every time you put your car through some kind of structural stress (hard cornering), the material gets a little weaker until 1 day.... AL must be 40% thicker (wall or OD) to have equal strength to steel. Then there's the problem of anodic corrosion where the AL and ferrous meet. Plus, all the AL braces are bolt-on. Another drawback to ultimate strength.