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  •  » FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

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    2/08/2024 8:23 AM  #1

    TremendousWand
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    Registered: 5/16/2013
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    FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    1966 Mustang Coupe, 5.0 swap, T5z, MAF, 4 Disc Brakes

    My lower engine crossmember was essentially missing from when I bought the car 13 years ago.  As I recall, it was only attached by one nut because the other nut was rusted out of the frame rail.  (One of the many surprises I've found over the years) When I installed the full TCP subframe kit I ditched it thinking it wasn't necessary.   However when I welded in the frame kit I did repair the missing nut in the frame rail. 

    My winter project this year was to put in Zray crossbar with the lifting pad.  This was really more to have a safe spot to lift the car in the front than anything else.  Well after driving it I can tell you that it feels much tighter.  The wheel play from the stock stearing linkage is reduced by half.  I would get rubbing in the wheel well if I went into a steep curve as the body rolled.  Took the same curve yesterday and didn't feel anything.  I would get a slight pull when I hard braked to the right and I didn't feel it now.  Overall the front end just felt tighter.  It's difficult to explain other than it's much improved.  As if the front end moves together.

    Long story longer... turns out those ford guys might have actually added that crossmember for a reason.   Very happy with the Zray Crossmember.  I put the car on jack stands to flush the brake fluid and it was way easier to lift once from the middle than to go side to side.  I would highly recommend. 

     

    2/08/2024 8:37 AM  #2

    BobE
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    From: White Plains, NY
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    Note that the "Boss 302" chassis book has several front end mods that can be applied to the early Mustangs. 
     

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

    2/08/2024 11:32 AM  #3

    6sally6
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    From: Surfside Beach,SC
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    BobE wrote:

    Note that the "Boss 302" chassis book has several front end mods that can be applied to the early Mustangs. 
     

    Care to list a few........
    6sal6
     

    Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
     

    2/08/2024 11:36 AM  #4

    MS
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    From: Canyon Lake, Texas
    Registered: 1/24/2013
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    Shock tower plates and boxed control arms are a couple.

    Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
     

    2/08/2024 10:10 PM  #5

    50vert
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    From: QLD Australia
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    Real glad you finally got something in there. I suppose you changed your oilpan as well? That reminds me, I've still gotta put my Zray brace on.
     

    Last edited by 50vert (2/08/2024 10:11 PM)

    "Those telephone poles were like a picket fence"
     

    2/09/2024 8:19 AM  #6

    TremendousWand
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    50vert wrote:

    Real glad you finally got something in there. I suppose you changed your oilpan as well? That reminds me, I've still gotta put my Zray brace on.
     

    I replaced the oil pan years ago because it was dented from someone obviously using it as a lift point.  However I replaced it with a stock model.  The crossmember by Zray fits stock oil pan.  The center lift point is awsome.  Makes getting the car up a real breeze.  I was considering redoing the entire front end but I feel better about it now.

       •Thread Starter
     

    2/09/2024 10:08 AM  #7

    BobE
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    6sally6 wrote:

    BobE wrote:

    Note that the "Boss 302" chassis book has several front end mods that can be applied to the early Mustangs. 
     

    Care to list a few........
    6sal6
     

    In addition to MS's response of "Shock tower plates and boxed control arms are a couple."
    Export brace, Monte Carlo bar, placing gussets on the OEM cross bar brace (I would imagine the Zray crossbar has this already), adding ¼” plates to both sides of the lower control arm pivot points, Shelby Upper Arm Drop, to name a few.
    For serious road racing they recommend using an extended lower control arm bolt that connects to the gussets on the cross brace bar.


     

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

    2/09/2024 10:40 AM  #8

    rpm
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    From: Bakersfield, Ca
    Registered: 9/17/2013
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    TremendousWand wrote:

    50vert wrote:

    Real glad you finally got something in there. I suppose you changed your oilpan as well? That reminds me, I've still gotta put my Zray brace on.
     

    I replaced the oil pan years ago because it was dented from someone obviously using it as a lift point.  However I replaced it with a stock model.  The crossmember by Zray fits stock oil pan.  The center lift point is awsome.  Makes getting the car up a real breeze.  I was considering redoing the entire front end but I feel better about it now.

     
    How does changing the engine crossmember make you feel better about considering redoing the entire front end?

    Bob. 69 Mach 1, 393W, SMOD Toploader, Armstrong  steering, factory AC.
     

    2/09/2024 8:54 PM  #9

    50vert
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    Bob, I guess TW thought he needed a rebuild cos of how badly it would'a been handling without a crossmember.
    I'm sure he's now a convert to the benefits of a tighter body. Some background,
    https://fyi.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=7440
     

    Last edited by 50vert (2/09/2024 9:34 PM)

    "Those telephone poles were like a picket fence"
     

    2/10/2024 8:03 AM  #10

    rpm
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    Thanks Barry.

    Bob. 69 Mach 1, 393W, SMOD Toploader, Armstrong  steering, factory AC.
     

    2/11/2024 8:49 AM  #11

    TremendousWand
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    RPM, aka Bearing Bob wrote:

    TremendousWand wrote:

    50vert wrote:

    Real glad you finally got something in there. I suppose you changed your oilpan as well? That reminds me, I've still gotta put my Zray brace on.
     

    I replaced the oil pan years ago because it was dented from someone obviously using it as a lift point.  However I replaced it with a stock model.  The crossmember by Zray fits stock oil pan.  The center lift point is awsome.  Makes getting the car up a real breeze.  I was considering redoing the entire front end but I feel better about it now.

     
    How does changing the engine crossmember make you feel better about considering redoing the entire front end?

    I didn't think the engine corssmember was significant to the cars stability and steering especially after having installed a monte carlo bar and a complete subframe kit.  I assumed the root cause was the suspension and worn steering. In retrospect, the front of the subframes can pretty much twist freely without the lower crossmember. 

    I still want to do a rack and pinion swap but I'm much more comfortable driving it now. 

       •Thread Starter
     

    3/14/2024 6:03 AM  #12

    Toploader
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    Thanks for sharing this!
    I've considered fitting one of these with the jack pad too.
    What is like to fit it? Is it a relatively easy fit? My car is on the road and regularly driven, so I wondered how long it would take etc. Their website says that stock oil pans are ok with the cross member, so that is great news for me.

    1964-1/2 D Code Coupe - 289 V8, 4 Speed Toploader, 3.00 ratio rear, Autolite 4100 Carb, 15" tires, Pertronix ignition
     

    3/15/2024 1:33 PM  #13

    lowercasesteve
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    TremendousWand wrote:

    RPM, aka Bearing Bob wrote:

    TremendousWand wrote:

    I replaced the oil pan years ago because it was dented from someone obviously using it as a lift point.  However I replaced it with a stock model.  The crossmember by Zray fits stock oil pan.  The center lift point is awsome.  Makes getting the car up a real breeze.  I was considering redoing the entire front end but I feel better about it now.

     
    How does changing the engine crossmember make you feel better about considering redoing the entire front end?

    I didn't think the engine corssmember was significant to the cars stability and steering especially after having installed a monte carlo bar and a complete subframe kit.  I assumed the root cause was the suspension and worn steering. In retrospect, the front of the subframes can pretty much twist freely without the lower crossmember. 

    I still want to do a rack and pinion swap but I'm much more comfortable driving it now. 

    Remember - A numberr  of R&P makers replace the front crossmember with the rack.  It cannot be used for jacking.
     

    Last edited by lowercasesteve (3/15/2024 1:36 PM)

    Original owner - 351w,T-5, 4whl disks, power R&P
     

    3/16/2024 5:43 PM  #14

    Muzz 66
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    From: Madera, California
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    Re: FYI: Lower Engine Crossmember is Important

    I think the early Falcons did not come with that lower crossmember.  Ford learned what Tremendous Wand learned.  BTW The ZRay piece is fantastic.

    '66 Fastback since July 27, 1981. Springtime Yellow, originally a 200 cu in, 4 speed. Also a '92 LX Coupe, 5.0, 5 speed.
     

     

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