Shock tower Braces

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69wacuda

69wacuda

Handling, and a 500ci engine.... All in good time!
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I was wondering if anyone has fabed up or bought some shock tower braces for their abodies? If you have done it, seen it, bought it,. or researched it, please leave your comments as well as pictures of your design.

Thanks!
 
Is this what you are looking for, MagnumForce Tubes
 

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Thats pretty cool. I was also thinking of a bar going across, connecting the shock towers together.
 
I have though about that as well, but with my motor being the 6.1 I have no room with the intake and the intake air box
 
I don't think mopars have the stress across the shock towers like the other brands do due to the torsion bar suspension so maybe that is why you don't typically see them on mopars. Just a thought.
 
In the XV testing on the 4 point suspension rig they found movement across the shock towers and between the towers and the cowl.

In about 73 A-body and 72 B-bodies got braces between the fender bolts and the center of the cowl. The magazines of the day noted the cars for their cowl shake. The factory didn't put them there for fun.
 
I retract my response as I was just guessing. Obviously autoxcuda has more knowledge on this subject.
Rod

autoxcuda said:
In the XV testing on the 4 point suspension rig they found movement across the shock towers and between the towers and the cowl.

In about 73 A-body and 72 B-bodies got braces between the fender bolts and the center of the cowl. The magazines of the day noted the cars for their cowl shake. The factory didn't put them there for fun.
Click to expand...
 
HPIM0074.jpg
 
with that knowlege...I just might dig em out of storage..and re-install those cowl braces....I guessed they were for crash protection...and were immediatly removed to save weight....

Hey...you gonna eat that cheeseburger or what?
 
XV sells a top engine compartment brace.

Rumblefish.net "copied" them. But really Mustang guys and even the factory had them long before. So I don't know how much you can say "copy". They bolt to the wiper mount which is cool, but you can't run wipers. But you still have to drill into the inner fenders, so you're still drilling into your car.... But I would beware of purchasing things from Rumblefish.

With Hemi Denny's fab skill, he could make them.

XV:

mopp_0912_06_+1968_dodge_charger+600hp_hemi_engine.jpg


www.rumblefishltd.net (with 73 up A-body factory braces):

http://www.rumblefishltd.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/100_1014.jpg
 
HemiDenny said:
with that knowlege...I just might dig em out of storage..and re-install those cowl braces....I guessed they were for crash protection...and were immediatly removed to save weight....

Hey...you gonna eat that cheeseburger or what?
Click to expand...

If you put them back on, go over some rough pavement just before the switch. Then go back right after and see if you notice a difference. Would be an interesting test.
 
Really , those spindly spaghetti sized' diameter brace rods help ? I remember them in my 74 Dart , they are not very heavy duty 1/8 th diameter ?
Not crazy about design of the triangle brace above(mentioned in autoxcuda post ) , to much stress on a single point a the firewall , but what do I know .
 
Check out my avatar, just a modified monte carlo bar setup. It made a difference in the feel of the car, it's tighter and quieter. It handles great but it does have large front and rear sway bars. It was a quick and dirty build.
 
Robbie2734 said:
Check out my avatar, just a modified monte carlo bar setup. It made a difference in the feel of the car, it's tighter and quieter. It handles great but it does have large front and rear sway bars. It was a quick and dirty build.
Click to expand...

Do you have any detail pictures of the way you attached it to the inner fenders?
 
Robbie2734 said:
Check out my avatar, just a modified monte carlo bar setup. It made a difference in the feel of the car, it's tighter and quieter. It handles great but it does have large front and rear sway bars. It was a quick and dirty build.
Click to expand...
Those are much larger diameter than the ones on a 74 dart , the dart ones were just to cut cowl and fender vibration at best , not heavy duty enough to have any effect on handling orflex of body
 
The trianglulated bars are the stock 74 a body bars and the cross bar is 1 1/4 tubular bent to clear the aircleaner. I used 1 1/4 x 4 by 1/4" flat stock. I drilled 2 mounting holes through the inner fenders. It does make a difference. I'm sorting out the power steering next (a little slack in the box). I have KYB's on the front and 892/893 TBs. I'm building this on the GM design..light springs and big sway bars. I'm not sure if I won't step up on the bars though. Lots of winding roads here and it's fun to drive. I'm having trouble loading Pic's.
 
Im gonna do the XV style "under the fender apron" on mine when I swap upper arms. Doin a Mustang style on top of that couldnt hurt either.
 
Robbie2734 said:
The trianglulated bars are the stock 74 a body bars and the cross bar is 1 1/4 tubular bent to clear the aircleaner. I used 1 1/4 x 4 by 1/4" flat stock. I drilled 2 mounting holes through the inner fenders. It does make a difference. I'm sorting out the power steering next (a little slack in the box). I have KYB's on the front and 892/893 TBs. I'm building this on the GM design..light springs and big sway bars. I'm not sure if I won't step up on the bars though. Lots of winding roads here and it's fun to drive. I'm having trouble loading Pic's.
Click to expand...
gues my memory is going , though it was 35 years ago , thought thy were a lot smaller .
 
jerry6 said:
gues my memory is going , though it was 35 years ago , thought thy were a lot smaller .
Click to expand...

The cross bar he has is 1 1/4" tube. The factory cross bars are much smaller.
 
Glad I found this topic.

I remember XV Motorsports said they were going to offer shock tower braces for A bodies, but I don't see anything about them on their site anymore.

I bought the under fender braces XV sells and will have them installed when I do torque boxes and my cage. I might call XV this week and ask for the status of the shock tower braces. I'll let you guys know what I find out.
 
Guess I better hurry up! I have been working on a design similar to XV's but much more "user friendly" and cheaper. Ill get a move on this asap.

They sell the kits at like 200.00 I think. With the way I plan it, and lack of overhead, I think I can let em' got for atleast 50.00 less.. At least!

Man, I gotta get on this!
LOL
 
4mulaSvaliant said:
Guess I better hurry up! I have been working on a design similar to XV's but much more "user friendly" and cheaper. Ill get a move on this asap.

They sell the kits at like 200.00 I think. With the way I plan it, and lack of overhead, I think I can let em' got for atleast 50.00 less.. At least!

Man, I gotta get on this!
LOL
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
 
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