Shock tower flex?

KiltedBanshees93GT · 11-15-2003, 03:14 PM

I just (this morning) installed a bunch of stuff on the car that I recnetly ordered, but the Monte Carlo bar doesent seem to fit It sits about 1 1/2' high,and no amount of cajoling etc. was able to fit it. I even tried unloading the front wheels by jacking it up. Could this be due to the towers leaning inboard due to wear or is the part just a POS? The bolts on the export brace on one side were missing too, (used the MC bolts to correct that).
I got it from NPD, and everything else was ok. .

If it is the shock towers flexing inboard, what can I do?

Thanks,
J

Rev · 11-15-2003, 03:42 PM

Should slide downwards inside of and on top of the fender aprons. Do you mean it's too tight of a fit to go down all the way? Will it go in at all? If it's just tight, I would nudge it a little with a big hammer. If it won't even start to go in, I would spread the fender aprons with a jack of some kind (port-a-power). I'm not completely clear as to the problem I guess.

Rev

mustangII460 · 11-15-2003, 09:46 PM

As long as the bar is from a quality source DO NOT ALTER IT. Even by boring out the holes a little. A no no.

Shock towers do lean in with age. Jack between the two towers to get the bar to fit. You may throw out the alignment but O-well, get it re-aligned.

That is commom with older Mustangs.

Rev · 11-15-2003, 09:57 PM

We do have to remember that most of this stuff is Taiwaneze repop of varying quality (mostly poor). All the repop body parts that I've used have needed some "work" to get them usable.

Rev

mustangII460 · 11-15-2003, 10:55 PM

Id say there has to be a measurement crossways somewhere to know for sure. Years ago we had one that didn't fit. So we ordered another, from another source. They turned out to be the same size, etc. Thats when we used a port-a-power to separate the towers.

KiltedBanshees93GT · 11-16-2003, 05:57 AM

As far as quality, the part came from NPD who are supposed to be decent, but there were no markings on the bar.
The bottom part of the mount fits between the fenders , but you can only get it about halfway down before it becomes too wide due to the taper on the vertical part of the mount.
What kind of jack would I need to spread the towers? Anyone have what a "nominal" distance between towers should be?

I can take a pic and post it if it'll help.

J

69fastback · 11-16-2003, 02:48 PM

I bought a shock tower base for my 69 and it did not fit. So i measured the distance and the left shock tower was closer to the firewall by a 1/4" than the right shock tower. Still have never fiqured out why the shock towers where different.

Kisner · 11-17-2003, 01:55 PM

The shop manual will tell you the original distance between the shock towers. That way you'll know how much they've flexed inward. You'll need to jack the car up by the front crossmember. When I added my 1-piece chrome export brace, I had to let it sit jacked up for about 30 minutes before it completely relaxed enough for me to install it. I have the shop manual for the 68 but won't help you that much since the 68's were a little wider.

KiltedBanshees93GT · 11-18-2003, 10:22 AM

OK, so I wasnt too far off with my idea. I jacked the car up by the subframe rails and let it hang, but I dont know how long it was up. This weekend I'll try on the crossmember and see if the body relaxes at all. I would rather use a "natural" method rather than risk screwing something up with a jack.

J

11-15-2003, 03:14 PM	#1
KiltedBanshees93GT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Pigeon Forge Tn Posts: 611	Shock tower flex? I just (this morning) installed a bunch of stuff on the car that I recnetly ordered, but the Monte Carlo bar doesent seem to fit It sits about 1 1/2' high,and no amount of cajoling etc. was able to fit it. I even tried unloading the front wheels by jacking it up. Could this be due to the towers leaning inboard due to wear or is the part just a POS? The bolts on the export brace on one side were missing too, (used the MC bolts to correct that). I got it from NPD, and everything else was ok. . If it is the shock towers flexing inboard, what can I do? Thanks, J __________________ ____________ '66 Mustang Coupe- AKA "Lenore" on disability for a (long) bit '93 GT Mostly stock AKA "Fawkes" Rice Haters Club Member #239 "I find your lack of faith...disturbing." "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats." H. L. Mencken

11-15-2003, 03:42 PM	#2
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Monte Carlo bar Should slide downwards inside of and on top of the fender aprons. Do you mean it's too tight of a fit to go down all the way? Will it go in at all? If it's just tight, I would nudge it a little with a big hammer. If it won't even start to go in, I would spread the fender aprons with a jack of some kind (port-a-power). I'm not completely clear as to the problem I guess. Rev __________________ '66 Coupe, 306, 350-375 HP, C-4, 13.07 e.t., 104.8 mph, 1/4 mi. O.B.C. #2 '66 coupe

11-15-2003, 09:57 PM	#4
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Taiwaneze repop We do have to remember that most of this stuff is Taiwaneze repop of varying quality (mostly poor). All the repop body parts that I've used have needed some "work" to get them usable. Rev __________________ '66 Coupe, 306, 350-375 HP, C-4, 13.07 e.t., 104.8 mph, 1/4 mi. O.B.C. #2 '66 coupe

11-16-2003, 05:57 AM	#6
KiltedBanshees93GT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Pigeon Forge Tn Posts: 611	As far as quality, the part came from NPD who are supposed to be decent, but there were no markings on the bar. The bottom part of the mount fits between the fenders , but you can only get it about halfway down before it becomes too wide due to the taper on the vertical part of the mount. What kind of jack would I need to spread the towers? Anyone have what a "nominal" distance between towers should be? I can take a pic and post it if it'll help. J __________________ ____________ '66 Mustang Coupe- AKA "Lenore" on disability for a (long) bit '93 GT Mostly stock AKA "Fawkes" Rice Haters Club Member #239 "I find your lack of faith...disturbing." "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats." H. L. Mencken

11-16-2003, 02:48 PM	#7
69fastback IRAQ VET Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: high desert California Posts: 1,480	I bought a shock tower base for my 69 and it did not fit. So i measured the distance and the left shock tower was closer to the firewall by a 1/4" than the right shock tower. Still have never fiqured out why the shock towers where different. __________________ 428 Cobra Jet SOHC 5.4 3V F-150 96 mystic cobra 91 GT

11-15-2003, 09:46 PM	#3
mustangII460 Factoy Five Roadster Join Date: May 2000 Location: Sevier Co,Tennessee Posts: 1,681	As long as the bar is from a quality source DO NOT ALTER IT. Even by boring out the holes a little. A no no. Shock towers do lean in with age. Jack between the two towers to get the bar to fit. You may throw out the alignment but O-well, get it re-aligned. That is commom with older Mustangs.

11-15-2003, 10:55 PM	#5
mustangII460 Factoy Five Roadster Join Date: May 2000 Location: Sevier Co,Tennessee Posts: 1,681	Id say there has to be a measurement crossways somewhere to know for sure. Years ago we had one that didn't fit. So we ordered another, from another source. They turned out to be the same size, etc. Thats when we used a port-a-power to separate the towers.

11-17-2003, 01:55 PM	#8
Kisner Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 290	The shop manual will tell you the original distance between the shock towers. That way you'll know how much they've flexed inward. You'll need to jack the car up by the front crossmember. When I added my 1-piece chrome export brace, I had to let it sit jacked up for about 30 minutes before it completely relaxed enough for me to install it. I have the shop manual for the 68 but won't help you that much since the 68's were a little wider.

11-18-2003, 10:22 AM	#9
KiltedBanshees93GT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Pigeon Forge Tn Posts: 611	OK, so I wasnt too far off with my idea. I jacked the car up by the subframe rails and let it hang, but I dont know how long it was up. This weekend I'll try on the crossmember and see if the body relaxes at all. I would rather use a "natural" method rather than risk screwing something up with a jack. J __________________ ____________ '66 Mustang Coupe- AKA "Lenore" on disability for a (long) bit '93 GT Mostly stock AKA "Fawkes" Rice Haters Club Member #239 "I find your lack of faith...disturbing." "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats." H. L. Mencken

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