Is this dimension correct?

[aslanefe 333]

Trying to make sure the shock towers are not sagging before I weld the reinforcement plate between shock tower and the edge of the frame rail. I measured the distance between right and left side UCA mounting locations as shown on the picture below. Both front and aft holes are 27-1/4 inches apart. Does anyone know if this is dimension correct? I would rather weld the plate after I fix the sagging if needed. Thanks

[Ridge Runner 1,113]

I havent measured a 69 -70 in  a while but that is correct for 67 -68 so it should be correct for 69-70,i can measure my CJ  tomorrow

[Midlife 814]

Can you get an export brace and install it?  Once fitted, the shock towers would be at the correct spacing.

[Ridge Runner 1,113]

Mine is actually 27 3/8 at the back holes between the towers ,this car has never been damaged and is low miles so i believe that to be correct

[RPM 1,190]

It looks like you need to do the Arning UCA drop while the engine is out.

[aslanefe 333]

Thanks for the answers.

Export brace fitting does not necessarily mean towers are good. They may bend and separate the thick brace from the shock tower. The picture I posted is from a low mileage 1970 Cougar XR7 with wrap around tower brace. I was going to use the dimension on my 69 Grande I am working on. The Grande has export brace that fit even very easy (without even jacking the car up and sagging the front) but I can see a gap between the thick tower brace and thin shock tower.

27-1/4 or 27-3/8 should be good as far as the tolerances on these cars. Now I have to remove the engine from the Grande and measure it.

Arning drop, moving the upper ball joint 20mm back on UCA, bracing the tower under the UCA attach points, roller perches etc are work in progress.

[RPM 1,190]

1 hour ago, aslanefe said:

Arning drop, moving the upper ball joint 20mm back on UCA, bracing the tower under the UCA attach points, roller perches etc are work in progress.

Good move. I only moved mine back 1/2", might make some others with 1" offset.

[aslanefe 333]

According to my calculations, 20 mm gives +4/5 degrees caster. Did that and 1 inch drop to my 70 Grande some time ago and was happy with the change in handling. As far as remember the caster on the 70 is set to +6 with stock LCA and strut rods.

[Vicfreg 773]

My car is approx. 27-3/8' from the UCA front bolt hole to bolt hole.    At least one of my shock towers were cracked, so I did the Boss 302 "dog bone" reinforcement and also wrapped the shock towers.   This work was done by Mike (Latoracing), our forum resident fabrication genius.  The car was on a frame table and checked (with lasers) to the factory dimensions.  

I did the 1" drop while I was at it.

In these pics, you can see the size of the plates used to wrap the shock towers, and the use of the lowered mounting holes for the UCAs.

 

 

[Rsanter 152]

9 hours ago, aslanefe said:

Thanks for the answers.

Export brace fitting does not necessarily mean towers are good. They may bend and separate the thick brace from the shock tower. The picture I posted is from a low mileage 1970 Cougar XR7 with wrap around tower brace. I was going to use the dimension on my 69 Grande I am working on. The Grande has export brace that fit even very easy (without even jacking the car up and sagging the front) but I can see a gap between the thick tower brace and thin shock tower.

27-1/4 or 27-3/8 should be good as far as the tolerances on these cars. Now I have to remove the engine from the Grande and measure it.

Arning drop, moving the upper ball joint 20mm back on UCA, bracing the tower under the UCA attach points, roller perches etc are work in progress.

I understand what you are saying and I have seen lots of the small block towers that seem to me bulging a little in the center and causing the gap you mention.

do you want to keep a stock look? Of you do I use a porta power to push the piece back and remove the gap then stitch weld the back side.

if you do not care about original looks then I would use a porta power and weld then in place on the engine compartment side

 

add the trans am brace on the inside and you are good to go

[aslanefe 333]

I will be using my porta power and get it to dimension if needed, then put the dog bone on this car too. But before I weld the dog bone, I mark the out side of the shock tower(the thin metal) where the dog bone will be tied to and cut a slot on it till I hit the inside brace. Then weld the slot to join outside to inside, grind it smooth and then weld the dog bone. This way the dog bone is welded to the thicker material inside instead of the thinner material which is attached to thick one with spot welds.