worthwhile to add inner fender braces with stock suspension?

[Dans 68]

Guys,

I'm going to be adding most of the stiffening goodies from US Car Tool (core support stiffener, torque boxes, sub frame connectors) to the '68 4-speed A/C Charger but not the inner fender braces (http://store.uscartool.com/Inner-Fender-Braces_c_49.html). My thinking is that as I'm not going to change to a coil spring set-up the additional strength here would be not noticed, and would be a waste of money. What is your opinion? Thanks.

Dan

[Troy]

The old XV site had a bunch of videos showing the flex before and after improvements to the front structure. Unfortunately, they didn't make incremental videos so you could see the difference for each modification. At least 2 of my cars have been "tweaked" on the front end either from driving or being wrecked. Just enough to shift things 1/4" or so. When putting unibodies on my rotisserie I can see and hear them "settle" (all my cars). Mustangs of the same era like my Mach 1 are notorious for essentially folding at the firewall and the unibody construction is very similar to Mopars. So, I have no idea if you'll ever drive the car hard enough to notice the difference (you'd likely need sticky tires and stiff springs) but I'm sure there is a stiffness improvement. Currently I only plan to install them on one car but it has a full Hotchkis suspension, big disc brakes, big wheels with sticky tires, and already has subframe connectors, torque boxes and a few other stiffeners. On you car, I honestly would make very minimal changes just because of what it is (meaning I wouldn't do any of that stuff except for possibly subframe connectors). My R/T rode and handled fine on the stock suspension for everything except all out drag racing and spirited country road driving (and then the weak link was the brakes).

Troy

[Dans 68]

As I don't have the original engine or transmission (but I'm looking) I'm of the mindset to make it better (but not looking different) than new. And as I already have the US Car Tool core support, boxes and connectors I'll just put them on. I don't think the core support will visually detract from its uniqueness.

The fender braces seemed a bit overkill for a stock working suspension (and of course very non-factory looking). Okay, I've decided not to add them. 

But of course I'll be welding up the K-member and adding lower plates to the LCA's also. But that is another thread for later. Thanks for the bounce, Troy.

Dan

[cdr]

I wish I would have put them on my car, I did all the other stuff they sell.

[Dans 68]

"Buyers remorse" for not putting the fender braces on? What happened/did not happen that makes you say that?  Thanks for the reply.

Dan

[phantom]

I installed these when i did the body fabrication.



But i have the Ridetech Air shocks. I dont think i would have installed these if i went stock suspension. But they will reduce flex too.

[Troy]

Verify that your radiator fits before welding in the core support.

Troy

[Dans 68]

Verify that your radiator fits before welding in the core support.

Troy

Dan

[cdr]

"Buyers remorse" for not putting the fender braces on? What happened/did not happen that makes you say that?   Thanks for the reply.

Dan

I dont know that having them would stop this & it really is no big deal BUT, when I jack up the front of car & put jack stands behind the front wheels & let off the jack, the front of the car from the firewall forward droops down a little, front door gaps change, I know this is normal, BUT I wish I would have tied all of that area together, even if it did not help what I am describing, it would make me feel better knowing it was braced.

[Dans 68]

"Buyers remorse" for not putting the fender braces on? What happened/did not happen that makes you say that?   Thanks for the reply.

Dan

I dont know that having them would stop this & it really is no big deal BUT, when I jack up the front of car & put jack stands behind the front wheels & let off the jack, the front of the car from the firewall forward droops down a little, front door gaps change, I know this is normal, BUT I wish I would have tied all of that area together, even if it did not help what I am describing, it would make me feel better knowing it was braced.

So you are raising the car up by backing up the K-member, putting jack stands under the frame rails behind the front wheels, and then seeing the front end droop when you lower the car onto the jack stands? Did the door gaps change when you raised the car up under the K-member? I can see a little deflection either way when the car is raised or lowered...but not as to be noticeable. I wonder if fender braces would have helped.    Food for thought.

Dan

[Troy]

Hence my comment about the Mustangs folding in half at the firewall. That's pretty much what those inner fender braces are for (that and possibly triangulating the nose).

Troy

[cdr]

"Buyers remorse" for not putting the fender braces on? What happened/did not happen that makes you say that?   Thanks for the reply.

Dan

I dont know that having them would stop this & it really is no big deal BUT, when I jack up the front of car & put jack stands behind the front wheels & let off the jack, the front of the car from the firewall forward droops down a little, front door gaps change, I know this is normal, BUT I wish I would have tied all of that area together, even if it did not help what I am describing, it would make me feel better knowing it was braced.

So you are raising the car up by backing up the K-member, putting jack stands under the frame rails behind the front wheels, and then seeing the front end droop when you lower the car onto the jack stands? Did the door gaps change when you raised the car up under the K-member? I can see a little deflection either way when the car is raised or lowered...but not as to be noticeable. I wonder if fender braces would have helped.    Food for thought.

Dan

You cant see it move, but the door gap at the fender changes, & jacking up under the Kframe the gaps stay the same, it is when the stands are used alone that it moves.

[cdr]

one of my next projects is a bolt on upper shock to firewall brace in the engine compartment.

[Kern Dog]

I dont know that having them would stop this & it really is no big deal BUT, when I jack up the front of car & put jack stands behind the front wheels & let off the jack, the front of the car from the firewall forward droops down a little, front door gaps change, I know this is normal, BUT I wish I would have tied all of that area together, even if it did not help what I am describing, it would make me feel better knowing it was braced.

So you are raising the car up by backing up the K-member, putting jack stands under the frame rails behind the front wheels, and then seeing the front end droop when you lower the car onto the jack stands? Did the door gaps change when you raised the car up under the K-member? I can see a little deflection either way when the car is raised or lowered...but not as to be noticeable. I wonder if fender braces would have helped.    Food for thought.

Dan
[/quote]

You cant see it move, but the door gap at the fender changes, & jacking up under the Kframe the gaps stay the same, it is when the stands are used alone that it moves.
[/quote]

I get the same thing. I have welded frame connectors but the top of the cowl is a long ways away. THink of the weight though, cantilevered out in front of the jack stands: Engine, most of the trans, all the front brakes and steering, etc. Jacking up from the K is the area where the stock design was engineered to resist and support. Those braces that run from inside the fender from the cowl to  inner fender may help but a diagonal down bar from the cowl to the furthest forward section of frame rail is certainly the bets idea.