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Author Topic: Chassis Bracing  (Read 34036 times)

WashiestSnake

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    • 1991 Mercury Capri
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #45 on: March 23, 2017, 09:23:52 AM »

I thought I had BTown put a picture up of how he got his struts to work. Ill go looking for it again, basically what he did was add a metal support bar to the strut to hold it up.
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1991 Mercury Capri 68,xxx Miles--Project(AWD)
1996 Lincoln Continental -- The Boat(Given to my Brother)

socal1200r

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  • Posts: 59
    • 2000 GMC Sonoma LT4/T56; 1973 Porsche 914
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #46 on: March 23, 2017, 09:27:46 PM »

Got the front and rear lower bars installed today.  The shop had to use washers on the rear bar, apparently the nut wasn't big enough to cover the slot in the mounting cup.  The fronts were okay, but it did take two of them to attach both bolts.  Initial impression is it's pretty tight in the chassis, feels and sounds like it has the hardtop on.  Will have to take it on a longer road trip, on a combination of road surfaces, to make sure having all four of these bars on the car didn't make the suspension TOO stiff. 



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socal1200r

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    • 2000 GMC Sonoma LT4/T56; 1973 Porsche 914
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #47 on: March 24, 2017, 03:12:58 PM »

Let's say having all four strut bars on makes the car TOO stiff for everyday driving, and I want to keep both upper STBs on the car.  Would removing the front or rear lower bars make the car less stiff?  I guess I'm asking which lower bar, the front or the rear, does more to stiffen up the car?  Since it's fwd, there's more weight on the front, along with being the driving and steering wheels.  The rear wheels are just along for the ride.  I guess I could always remove the rear lower bar, which is the easier of the two, and see how it feels.  Just wondering if there's a common sense argument to be made for removing one or the other? 
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WashiestSnake

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    • 1991 Mercury Capri
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #48 on: March 26, 2017, 08:16:34 PM »

I would say take off the rear lower bar, because IMO the front lower bar should help with torque steer. When you mean it's too stiff could you explain it for me?
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1991 Mercury Capri 68,xxx Miles--Project(AWD)
1996 Lincoln Continental -- The Boat(Given to my Brother)

socal1200r

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  • Posts: 59
    • 2000 GMC Sonoma LT4/T56; 1973 Porsche 914
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #49 on: March 26, 2017, 09:52:58 PM »

I would say take off the rear lower bar, because IMO the front lower bar should help with torque steer. When you mean it's too stiff could you explain it for me?

It's hard to explain, it's more like the suspension feels like a board going over potholes and pavement ripples, as opposed to having all four wheels act independently.  Like the front and left sides are tied together, like a leaf spring suspension.  It's not that bad, just noticeable.  Ride was good with the front and rear upper STBs, but now with both lower STBs it seems too stiff, as far as ride quality goes.
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greywolf27030

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    • 1991 XR2, 1992 XR2, 1993 XR2
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #50 on: April 02, 2017, 11:14:30 AM »

I was wondering about welding in a brace below the existing header, low enough to get under the hinges and tied to the header.  You'd loose access to the top well by how low you chose the put it.  A square tube with square tube braces up to the existing header?  Paint it body color.  Just thinking.

Jack Byrd
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Jack Byrd

WashiestSnake

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    • 1991 Mercury Capri
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #51 on: April 02, 2017, 09:47:04 PM »

Sounds like it would be a good idea Jack, could also serve as a really good scrap pan.
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1991 Mercury Capri 68,xxx Miles--Project(AWD)
1996 Lincoln Continental -- The Boat(Given to my Brother)

greywolf27030

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    • 1991 XR2, 1992 XR2, 1993 XR2
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #52 on: April 03, 2017, 10:25:29 AM »

Sounds like it would be a good idea Jack, could also serve as a really good scrap pan.

Don't understand scrap pan?

Jack
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Jack Byrd

WashiestSnake

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    • 1991 Mercury Capri
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #53 on: April 03, 2017, 02:15:14 PM »

It's basically a steel plate that protects the oil pan from slams or bumps.
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1991 Mercury Capri 68,xxx Miles--Project(AWD)
1996 Lincoln Continental -- The Boat(Given to my Brother)

NomakeWan

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    • 93 Capri XR2
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #54 on: April 05, 2017, 02:05:57 AM »

So a skidplate, yeah.
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greywolf27030

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    • 1991 XR2, 1992 XR2, 1993 XR2
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #55 on: April 05, 2017, 09:46:28 AM »

It's basically a steel plate that protects the oil pan from slams or bumps.

Wrong end...lol  Go inside the trunk where you installed the bolt in brace that interfered with the struts.  Go below the struts and weld in a square tube with bracing to the existing one about the struts.

Jack Byrd
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Jack Byrd

chrispoe

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    • 91 BP Capri GT
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #56 on: April 07, 2017, 10:06:43 AM »

I would say take off the rear lower bar, because IMO the front lower bar should help with torque steer. When you mean it's too stiff could you explain it for me?

It's hard to explain, it's more like the suspension feels like a board going over potholes and pavement ripples, as opposed to having all four wheels act independently.  Like the front and left sides are tied together, like a leaf spring suspension.  It's not that bad, just noticeable.  Ride was good with the front and rear upper STBs, but now with both lower STBs it seems too stiff, as far as ride quality goes.

The lower strut bars shouldn’t change the stiffness of the suspension at all.

It sounds to me like the auto shop had the car in the air and the suspension hanging in full droop when they installed them.  If this is the case, your rubber bushings are probably binding.

Before tightening rubber bushings on control, lateral, and trailing arms, you should have the car on the ground sitting at ride height so they don’t bind.
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greywolf27030

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    • 1991 XR2, 1992 XR2, 1993 XR2
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #57 on: April 08, 2017, 12:20:03 PM »

Point noted.

Jack Byrd
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Jack Byrd

socal1200r

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    • 2000 GMC Sonoma LT4/T56; 1973 Porsche 914
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #58 on: April 09, 2017, 04:02:57 PM »

I would say take off the rear lower bar, because IMO the front lower bar should help with torque steer. When you mean it's too stiff could you explain it for me?

It's hard to explain, it's more like the suspension feels like a board going over potholes and pavement ripples, as opposed to having all four wheels act independently.  Like the front and left sides are tied together, like a leaf spring suspension.  It's not that bad, just noticeable.  Ride was good with the front and rear upper STBs, but now with both lower STBs it seems too stiff, as far as ride quality goes.

The lower strut bars shouldn’t change the stiffness of the suspension at all.

It sounds to me like the auto shop had the car in the air and the suspension hanging in full droop when they installed them.  If this is the case, your rubber bushings are probably binding.

Before tightening rubber bushings on control, lateral, and trailing arms, you should have the car on the ground sitting at ride height so they don’t bind.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but the points where the lower bars attach to are stationary, they don't move up and down like the other parts of the suspension?  If that's the case, I don't see what difference it would make if the suspension was up in the air or not?  Unless if the suspension was drooping, they attach the lower bars, then when it's lowered back to the ground things didn't quite return back to their normal place?  Again, some instructions would've been helpful... 
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WashiestSnake

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    • 1991 Mercury Capri
Re: Chassis Bracing
« Reply #59 on: April 09, 2017, 07:17:44 PM »

No they do actually move the front/rear bars connects the LCAs which is what makes the car go up and down along with the springs, the car keeps in Independent suspension but the brace connects both sides, so basically when you go over a bump only one side moves but the other side gets sent some of the force thus making the car more stable in the turns.
« Last Edit: April 09, 2017, 07:19:51 PM by WashiestSnake »
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1991 Mercury Capri 68,xxx Miles--Project(AWD)
1996 Lincoln Continental -- The Boat(Given to my Brother)
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