Convertible K Member Brace

[JD1964]

I’m learning about the K member x brace that is on convertibles from the factory. I’ve learned that my 93 convertible is missing this brace. So I guess this might be why my 93 feels sloppy in the column and cowl area.

From the factory, were all these braces the same or did they change from year to year? Did both 4 and 8 cyl cars have them? If there are different ones, which one should I hunt down?

 

[General karthief]

My 92 lx had them, I think my 91 has them too, both V8 cars, look kinda flimsy, I put an aftermarket one on my 89 gt hatchback, can't say I noticed any difference on the gt, I'd get the aftermarket one, beefier. Verts really benefit from a brace in the engine compartment to steady the cowl shake.

 

[JD1964]

Some research tells me most aftermarket k member braces only fit manual trans cars. My 93 vert is AOD. So I guess I need whatever factory brace that came on it originally.

 

[General karthief]

My aftermarket one is on a stick car, the other two are aod. I'd like to know if thats true, I'll see if I can make a comparison in a couple days.

 

[90sickfox]

Buystifflers.com has a brace for factory k members. At least, I saw it on there a couple years ago.

My 89 had a factory brace. I did notice a difference with it removed when I out in an aftermarket k member.

If you can check around the a pillar at the front of the door openings for stress cracks. On my car I had issues with metal fatigue in the passenger side corner. There's a tab where the cowl front panel spot welds to the structure behind the passenger strut tower that was completely cracked causing a lot of flex. Wouldn't be an extremely hard fix if caught early.

Hopefully, stress cracks aren't your issue. Another place to check is where the trans tunnel meets the sheet metal for the rear seat. It pretty easy to pull the carpet back and check that area.

Either way, that brace did help flex on my car.

 

[JD1964]

Can someone please post a picture of the factory k member brace(s) for a 93 convertible? I want to see what it looks like so I can be sure to get the right one.

 

[JD1964]

Is this it?

 

[90sickfox]

On my 89 gt convertible they looked just like these. One " V " went up to the corners of the lower core support....the other one went to the reinforcement plates below the floor.

A friend of mine had a 92 and I remember us looking at his car and it was the same.

 

[General karthief]

On my 89 gt convertible they looked just like these. One " V " went up to the corners of the lower core support....the other one went to the reinforcement plates below the floor.

A friend of mine had a 92 and I remember us looking at his car and it was the same.

Thats what my 92 looked like too
That one looks too heavy duty for ford stock stuff.

 

[JD1964]

I’m hoping to get to Rays this Sunday. Hopefully the white vert is still there. Hopefully it has the braces still on it un-damaged

 

[Mustang5L5]

Is this it?

That's an SN95 brace

 

[Boostedpimp]

is this essentially the same as a steeda g trac brace?

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-79-04-mustang-g-trac-brace-555-5500.html