[willys36@aol.com]

Things are getting too calm around here, especially when it comes to MII strut rod supports. So I'll stir the pot! I was at my powder coaters picking up my parts for my pickup project and spotted this frame ready to coat. I took these photos of the classic way NOT to do Mustang II strut rod supports. If you have a car with this setup, and you actually drive the car and not trailer it everywhere, I guarantee the brackets will sooner than later break off the frame. These brackets are WAY too thin - should be at least 3/8" thick. Regardless, even if they were thick enough, being fillet welded directly to the thin 1/8" thick frame metal will result in the frame metal fatiguing and cracking. Also notice this guy did not fillet weld all around the bracket so there is a huge stress riser in the unwelded seam. This installation will not last a few months of daily driving before it fails. IF you are bound and determined to not install factory style strut rod brackets, bolted to the frame with the thick rubber donuts, at least make them of 3/8" plate welded and gusseted to a piece of 3/8" angle iron that bolts to the frame with two bolts on the bottom and two bolts on the side. That will give you a fighting chance.

[trees]

Good stuff Willys. No gussets either, but maybe the pretty bend would count as a half-arse gusset. But not to worry, the motor mounts look like light weight as well. Hope the powder coaters are going to do some more prep work before doing their thing! Know powder coating is good, but I think you would want to prep the metal about as good as tho you were going to paint it.

Trees

[willys36@aol.com]

Good point. As bad as the strut rod mounts are, the rest of the chassis is almost worse. And my powder coater told me this chassis is going under a '46 Chevy crew cab pickup with suicide rear doors. The owner is going to pay a shop something like $14,000 to do the body work on the cab! It doesn't nee suicide doors with chassis work like that, the chassis will do the job just fine.

[adtkart]

AW...Come on WIllys. Don't hold back. Tell us what you really think.

You would think that someone that is going to spend that much on the body, would have toe suspension done by someone that knows what they are doing. Atleast they'll have to travell a ways to get here and run into me.

[walt]

So what do you expect? It's a Fatman kit.... Fatman should be run out of town on a rail.....And I don't meen a A/A Fueler.

[Darkman270]

I know that my work is not what I wanted but it is what I ended up with. Please fill free to rip my guts out. While you are doing it please tell anything I can do short of installing a OEM crossmember to improve what I have. My frame is 3/16" and the bracket and gussets are 1/4". Bracket is doubled thickness at the grommet area.

[Centerline]

I'd finish boxing the frame back to the strut rod support to give it some extra strength.

Centerline

[willys36@aol.com]

I answered this Friday night but my post didn't. Strange. Anyway, I would never rip a fellow rodder. I just have seen so many of these welded on brackets cracked off of frames that I feel compelled to joust this windmill.

I suggest you carefully cut the bracket off the frame so you don't damage either. Then weld the brackets to pieces of 1/4" or 3/8" x 2"x 4" angle iron. Now bolt the new bracket system to the frame with grade 8 bolts - 2 on top of the frame and 2 on the sides. This will give you a fighting chance of beating the crack problem.

[Dave E Shank]

HEY WILLY: This looks like a good place for me to chim back in about the 38 Lafayette Mustang II. I did get a welder in this weekend and he built up the support on the strut rod support at the frame gussett connection. When I replaced the rubber donut I noticed that it was not real tight in the front so I put two washers in front which seemed to make big difference. I think that the loose front rubber bushing was letting the strut rod act like a hammer and that might be what caused the weld to crack?? I put on two new front tires and I will get it into Alignment Shop to see how far it is out. Thanks for your great information and pictures It was a big help......DAVE

[Darkman270]

Centerline,

Optical illusion going on it has been boxed all the way back to the crossmember. This is a pic when we tacked it. Both side are the same.



Willys,

That is what I wanted and may still do it. Actually I may not have a choice. It was aligned with worn bushings and when I get my new ones in it may require relocating. If it does I WILL do the Angle iron like I wanted to.

[willys36@aol.com]

Also, you can cut large round holesall along the boxing plates for access to the bolts and that won't compromise the strenght at all.

[Darkman270]

What about crush tubes?

[Centerline]

Originally posted by Darkman270
Centerline,

Optical illusion going on it has been boxed all the way back to the crossmember.

Sure was. I like willys36's idea for mounting the strut rod support and if I have occasion to do another one that's the way I'm going to do it.

Centerline

[Darkman270]

I looked at my frame today and the frame is not straight there. It starts to turn up at the front of the factory bracket. We custom made the gusset. It is not a 90 degree cut. I'll be busy till Sat but I'll try to get a picture for y'all to ponder then. You can see it a little in the one where the boxing plate is spotted in.

[1950bulletnose]

Questioning the brackets for the stock MII lower control strut arms. Why go cheap in the first place. You get what you pay for...............a cheap look.
Spend alittle more and go with the Stage 2 tubular upper and lower control arms, they don't require strut arms. It's a nicer looking setup and if one decide to move up to a coil-over shock or airbag in the future, the Stage II can be easily adapted. I figure if you're going to build a top notch rod, spend the money and do it right the first time, you'll be happier in the end .

If anyone is interested, I have a Heidts MII crossmember with Stage 2 Tubular Upper & Lower Control Arms, Springs & Shocks for sale. I've upgraded to a Stage 3 Horton Evolution IFS with Air Ride Technologies Shockwave Air Spring/Shock.