I made my own engine crossmember (with a jack pad) to allow the motor to suit lower. I had seen the Shelby crossmember but didn't like its look. This was back before Zray was selling his, and I built mine from 1½ X .180 wall chromo tube for about a third of Zrays price. While I have used the jack pad it's more of a pita to drive the car on a couple of 2x6s to get it high enough to slide the floor jack in from the front. I usually jack from the front torque boxes.i also tied the crossmember into the LCA mounting bolt, which might help keep things in place.

RPM, aka Bearing Bob wrote:

I made my own engine crossmember (with a jack pad) to allow the motor to suit lower. I had seen the Shelby crossmember but didn't like its look. This was back before Zray was selling his, and I built mine from 1½ X .180 wall chromo tube for about a third of Zrays price. While I have used the jack pad it's more of a pita to drive the car on a couple of 2x6s to get it high enough to slide the floor jack in from the front. I usually jack from the front torque boxes.i also tied the crossmember into the LCA mounting bolt, which might help keep things in place.

I really look forward to the jack pad probably the most. So many times I've just wanted to lift the front quickly to do something.

Toploader wrote:

Don wrote:

I put z/ray / w /pad  on last month.   Had to extend frame bolt holes on brace to 0.25 inch each side.  Also be sure to use the correct bolts to frame.  

Nice! Did you notice much of a difference with it tightening up the front end?
Does the crossmember come with instructions?
I wonder if your front end was out of whack for you to be required to modify the bolt holes?

zray crossmember instruction are very detailed and mentioned hole might need adjusting.  I didn't notice any improvement over stock brace but last year  I did add a upper cowl brace over the stock set up.  This added noticeable improvement to structure. Took car in for a correct radial tire alignment,, and now car tracks great and true at 70 mph.  Having lower crossmember and upper support braces ties structure together.       
 

Toploader wrote:

Don wrote:

zray crossmember instruction are very detailed and mentioned hole might need adjusting.  I didn't notice any improvement over stock brace but last year  I did add a upper cowl brace over the stock set up.  This added noticeable improvement to structure. Took car in for a correct radial tire alignment,, and now car tracks great and true at 70 mph.  Having lower crossmember and upper support braces ties structure together. 

I have a 1" sway bar and the Montecarlo bar. I'm not too familiar with the upper cowl brace. Do you have a photo?
I tried fitting an export brace, but it interfered with the cobra air filter, so I'm sticking with the stock braces that Ford provided.

yep cowl brace = x port brace ,,, I bought one off cj poney,  It came with hyme (SP?) joints because I couldn't get a factory x port brace to fit,,, tried everything, long story.   I did  lock down joints.  Yep I did a engineering stucture analysis after all the noted on web issues of hyme joints movements.  My car is a daily driver/hw cruiser.  The spec limits/requirements I used are lower.   




 

Last edited by Don (4/07/2024 7:17 AM)

Surprised you did not just notch a hockey puck BobE.

I like the plywood idea too.

Last edited by Nos681 (4/07/2024 8:49 AM)

Nos681 wrote:

Surprised you did not just notch a hockey puck BobE.

I like the plywood idea too.

All the hockey pucks I had are long gone.  But, I have plenty of wood scarps hanging around!