Mustang Strut Tower Braces: Uses & Applications

Benefits of a Mustang Strut Tower Brace

What Does a Strut Tower Brace Do?

A strut tower brace with help stiffen the front suspension of your Mustang by providing added support to the strut towers, preventing flex during cornering.

How does it Work?

Because the unibody design of your Mustang is meant to distribute force and resistance across the chassis, your car will twist and the strut towers tend to flex and move inward, toward one another. This inner flex in the front struts and tendency for the car to want to "fold" in on itself when cornering will produce understeer - a plowing effect that feels as if the car is headed to the outside of the turn and will not fully navigate the bend. To prevent this inner movement of the strut towers, placing a brace linking both towers together will keep them parallel to one another and plant your tires firmly on the road.

Triangular vs. Regular, 2-Point Brace

A triangular brace will provide added stiffness to the front end, tying in the firewall with both strut towers. Older, pre 2005 Mustangs have an added need for this connection as their chassis tend to be less stiff from the factory and well tend to understeer more often than its S-197 counterpart.

Which Brace is Right for Me?

Choosing a brace comes down to two things - performance needs and aesthetics. Again, those with pre-S197 Mustangs will definitely want to invest in a strut tower brace to work against the car's tendencies toward understeer. 2005 and newer Mustangs do not suffer from the same flexing issues but are still better off with a brace than without. Those who wish to race around road courses will also find added value in a strut brace as it can tie together a number of other front suspension mods and help keep the front of the car flat and planted firmly to the road. Combine this with a set of sticky and wide tires and you have a formula for cornering success every time.