Rear Tower Brace Differences?

[suprmn]

So Mustangsdaily.com has listed the Kenny Brown Rear Shock Tower Brace for the Boss 302. See link below:

http://store.kennybrown.com/product/chassis-support/rear-shock-tower-brace-2005-2014-mustang-boss-302-and-gt500

Cooltech also has a Rear Tower Brace listed too. See link below:

http://www.cooltechllc.com/Boss/Boss_RearTowerBrace.shtml

Now the idea of strengthening the rear end would be great using the cross brace which is in the Laguna Seca but not an option for me at this time because my wife wants me to keep the rear seat.

Aside from the $150 price difference in the two products (Kenny Brown and Cooltech) is there something else I am missing? Surprises me how these same parts are priced so differently!

Has anyone purchased either or able to give feedback on what the product can do for our cars?

 

[F.D. Sako]

I have neither, but i'll post my useless observations from the pics lol

KB seems to be using a smaller diameter tube-steel than cooltech, and has less welds compared to the cooltech as well. so i'm guessing the additional labor hours and material costs are the main reason for the price difference.

Now, do you need a larger diameter tube steel? my (somewhat) educated guess is, no. the majority of the forces experienced by the support will be compression, and the stress differences between the tube steels would be negligible.

Cooltech seems to be handling torsional forces by having rigid end brackets, while KB is using an additional bracket in the middle of the support, which brings the question of drilling. do our cars have existing holes that one of these supports attaches to? because KB and cooltech have different end bracket attachment points for the rear bolts. Seems like KB may require more drilling for the extra bracket in the middle.

I personally would avoid drilling the chassis, but im a wuss lol. if i didnt mind drilling, i'd go with the KB and use the additional 150 saved on another part.

 

[Fat Boss]

I had to drill 2 holes to install my CoolTech bar. Right by the rear shock there is a spot welded on bracket that is painted body color. You simply take the holes that are already there in the welded on sheetmetal bracket piece and extend them through the inner fender housing. No biggie. IMO CoolTech makes the nicest piece, and everyone I show it to is very impressed by the quality.

 

[908ssp]

Both are worthless extra weight. There simply is not any load on that part of the chassis that those bars can act against. Throw some wheel weights in your trunk will do the same thing add weight and lighten your wallet. If you want to do something close the pass through either with the Boss LS brace or just some sheet metal secured over the opening.