Export Brace & Monte Carlo Bar: Worth it?

[Fordrevhead 29]

I plan to weld up a one piece Monte/shock brace similar to the tubular aftermarket ones available for the fox body Mustangs. I have one on my Fox body and it rocks!

[Jayru 17]

I have the Export/MC setup as well. I noticed a little more stiffness, but for me, a larger sway bar gave me the biggest *seat of the pants* feel. I noticed a lot more stiffness with this combined with the Shelby Drop. Yeah....it's pretty much on rails...well.....with a little bump steer here there.:whistling:

 

Now if you have the stock springs and shocks, you may want to take a look at that as well.

 

Yea, whole new front suspension is going in as we speak: Roller Perches, Big Sway Bar, Shocks, Etc. Also did the Shelby Drop. (stock springs)

 

Was looking to compliment all that with the Export/MC bar.

 

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

 

P.S. - Cupid, is your car lowered? How bad is the bump steer? I was hoping bump steer wouldn't be an issue with my new setup (because i kept the stock springs). Let me know!

[Jayru 17]

I have the Export/MC setup as well. I noticed a little more stiffness, but for me, a larger sway bar gave me the biggest *seat of the pants* feel. I noticed a lot more stiffness with this combined with the Shelby Drop. Yeah....it's pretty much on rails...well.....with a little bump steer here there.:whistling:

 

Now if you have the stock springs and shocks, you may want to take a look at that as well.

 

Yea, whole new front suspension is going in as we speak: Roller Perches, Big Sway Bar, Shocks, Etc. Also did the Shelby Drop. (stock springs)

 

Was looking to compliment all that with the Export/MC bar.

 

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

 

P.S. - Cupid, is your car lowered? How bad is the bump steer? I was hoping bump steer wouldn't be an issue with my new setup (because i kept the stock springs). Let me know!

[Moteaux 10]

If you want to stiffen up your car, consider subframe connectors. You'll really feel a difference. I have the one piece export brace that is much stronger than the stock individual shock tower braces.

 

Where did you purchase the export brace you are using?

[Moteaux 10]

If you want to stiffen up your car, consider subframe connectors. You'll really feel a difference. I have the one piece export brace that is much stronger than the stock individual shock tower braces.

 

Where did you purchase the export brace you are using?

[MAD IN NC 21]

Jay, you want a curved one? pay packing and shipping and a new one is yours!

 

I bought it from CJ but the holes don't line up and I'm not willing to redrill more holes in the shock tower/ inner fender.

 

Send PM with address.....

[MAD IN NC 21]

Jay, you want a curved one? pay packing and shipping and a new one is yours!

 

I bought it from CJ but the holes don't line up and I'm not willing to redrill more holes in the shock tower/ inner fender.

 

Send PM with address.....

[Cupid 10]

 

P.S. - Cupid, is your car lowered? How bad is the bump steer? I was hoping bump steer wouldn't be an issue with my new setup (because i kept the stock springs). Let me know!

 

The car is definitely lower. I had to get rid of my long tubes b/c they scraped too much. I have springs for 65/66 in mine. Gave me an extra 1/2 in or so. I'll see if I can find some pics. The bump steer isn't that bad. It's not a continuous thing. You do notice when it happens though.

[Cupid 10]

 

P.S. - Cupid, is your car lowered? How bad is the bump steer? I was hoping bump steer wouldn't be an issue with my new setup (because i kept the stock springs). Let me know!

 

The car is definitely lower. I had to get rid of my long tubes b/c they scraped too much. I have springs for 65/66 in mine. Gave me an extra 1/2 in or so. I'll see if I can find some pics. The bump steer isn't that bad. It's not a continuous thing. You do notice when it happens though.

[9350 10]

Moteaux,

I bought the export brace from www.mustangsunlimited.com Most Mustang vendors have them.

[9350 10]

Moteaux,

I bought the export brace from www.mustangsunlimited.com Most Mustang vendors have them.

[Pakrat 1,043]

I bought it from CJ but the holes don't line up and I'm not willing to redrill more holes in the shock tower/ inner fender.

 

Did you buy one of the new "69" style ones? If so that may be your problem since prior to a year or so ago everyone used a 65/66 style on their 69/70 so I wouldn't be surprised if one of those lines up with your holes just fine.

[Pakrat 1,043]

I bought it from CJ but the holes don't line up and I'm not willing to redrill more holes in the shock tower/ inner fender.

 

Did you buy one of the new "69" style ones? If so that may be your problem since prior to a year or so ago everyone used a 65/66 style on their 69/70 so I wouldn't be surprised if one of those lines up with your holes just fine.

[bnickel 10,004]

i added the export brace and monte carlo bars to my car and i can tell you even the curved monte carlo bar is better than nothing especially on a car that has had the shock towers sag in over time. i couldn't believe how much mine had sagged and we had to use a porta-power to spread them out enough to get the export brace in and once it was in we could literally watch it bending as we released the porta-power so we spread them back out a few weeks later and added the monte carlo bar and it didn't tweak near as bad after we released the porta-power. car is much stiffer now and was easier to align the front suspension afterwards too. i would recommend both, even the curved bar if the straight one won't fit. apparently Scott Drake now has an adjustable monte carlo bar in straight and curved versions so you don't have to use the porta-power now, just adjust the bar outward until the towers line back up where they should be and everything fits right. when i do the cougar i'll be using the new thicker repro export brace and the adjustable monte carlo bar, luckily all 69/70 cougars had the "big block" style shock towers so i shouldn't have to worry as much about the towers sagging in, hopefully anyway.

[bnickel 10,004]

i added the export brace and monte carlo bars to my car and i can tell you even the curved monte carlo bar is better than nothing especially on a car that has had the shock towers sag in over time. i couldn't believe how much mine had sagged and we had to use a porta-power to spread them out enough to get the export brace in and once it was in we could literally watch it bending as we released the porta-power so we spread them back out a few weeks later and added the monte carlo bar and it didn't tweak near as bad after we released the porta-power. car is much stiffer now and was easier to align the front suspension afterwards too. i would recommend both, even the curved bar if the straight one won't fit. apparently Scott Drake now has an adjustable monte carlo bar in straight and curved versions so you don't have to use the porta-power now, just adjust the bar outward until the towers line back up where they should be and everything fits right. when i do the cougar i'll be using the new thicker repro export brace and the adjustable monte carlo bar, luckily all 69/70 cougars had the "big block" style shock towers so i shouldn't have to worry as much about the towers sagging in, hopefully anyway.

[Jayru 17]

A question for you guys.

 

MAD IN NC hooked me up with a MC bar for free (Thanks Mike!), because the holes didn't align right with his strut tower holes and he didn't want to drill new ones.

 

My car's nothing special, so i don't mind drilling a few holes, but here's my question: The holes are very close to the factory holes, so much so that if i drill into the car i will end up with slots instead of holes (the old and new will kind of combine). That being said, is it better to slot the strut towers or the brace itself?

 

If i slot the towers it'll hide it once the bar is mounted, but will it take away from any structural rigidness in the towers by doing so?

 

On a side note, the bar dropped right in! So i guess my towers weren't sagged at all!

[Pakrat 1,043]

There are no factory holes for a MC bar, the ones that need to be drilled would only be the ones on the top of the apron, the ones that mount to the shock towers should bolt up using that existing hardware.

[Jayru 17]

There are no factory holes for a MC bar, the ones that need to be drilled would only be the ones on the top of the apron, the ones that mount to the shock towers should bolt up using that existing hardware.

 

They don't... that was the whole basis for my question.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Yikes, something ain't quite right then. Are they off front to back or top to bottom? Picture?

[Jayru 17]

Here's a pic.

[69RestoRod 10]

Slot the bar's mounting pad.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Yeah, definitely slot the bar, if you don't want it to show just add a washer or something.