Any racers using these strut rod assemblies from Open Tracker?

[6667fan]

https://opentrackerracing.com/product/adjustable-strut-rods-1967/



My strut rod end threads are tired, they have been chased and new nuts utilized but they are done.
Gonna have to do something, could just buy new rods.

Thanks

[Stangman]

looks like a nice set up but I just needed strut rods and got stock ones thats alot of money for strut rods.

[6667fan]

Here is another version from Global West.

https://www.globalwest.net/asr-5.html

[pbf777]

     Looks like another complicated solution to a not so complicated purpose!   

     And with excessively rigid or particularly without, the pliable and shock-impact dampening bushing function, forget the effect on the N.V.H., without additional modifications, I'd be concerned as to how long before the O.E.M. mounting brackets are ripped off the car!   

     And of course, I'm sure if one inquires the manufactures will state: "We've sold hundreds of them and nobody has complained"!   

     Scott.

[machoneman]

     Looks like another complicated solution to a not so complicated purpose!   

     And with excessively rigid or particularly without, the pliable and shock-impact dampening bushing function, forget the effect on the N.V.H., without additional modifications, I'd be concerned as to how long before the O.E.M. mounting brackets are ripped off the car!   

     And of course, I'm sure if one inquires the manufactures will state: "We've sold hundreds of them and nobody has complained"!   

     Scott.

Have Opentracker roller spring perches on my '70 Mach 1 and they are great. Next time the front end is apart I intend to add their roller bearing lower arms and more. But, I did note some years ago when they offered these steel strut rods I questioned if they were race only pieces, as Scott noted above in a different way.

Here's the point: if they go on a real racer not subject to potholes, curbs, etc. I'm sure they will be great. But talking to fellow SCCA gymkhana racers (all makes, not just old Ford iron) the consensus was hitting curbs, often found at the huge parking lots where these sanctioned events take place, one can easily rip out the front or rear mounting points. And poor street conditions street can cause carnage as well.  That or breaking the rod itself due to stress can cause serious wheel and inner/outer fender damage. Welding in a new front mount after it got torn uo was not in my plan for sure.


I decided the OEM rubber front mounts with OEM  rods as well were still best for a streeter with occasional race track running.

 

[hwoods]

Scott Drake strut rods

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sdk-c5zz-3468-p?seid=srese2

[Falcon67]

Scott Drake strut rods

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sdk-c5zz-3468-p?seid=srese2

Same one's I'm looking at for the Falcon

> Looks like another complicated solution to a not so complicated purpose!
Break one and you might think different.  They break, trust me.  Broken two, thankfully both in the pits and not on the track or I'd not have this particular car. Wife's 70 Mustang racer also broke one at about 60', put it right up into the wall.

[machoneman]

Chris, did you break the old struts that came with the car or brand-new OEM like struts?

[Falcon67]

One older, one replacement.  The ones on the Mustang were OEM replacements.  Broke left side and she was in the left lane so not a hard hit.  The Falcon has broken both left and right.  It's rare for sure but can happen.  Both cars use (were using - Mustang has gone on) poly type bushings with plenty of lube, caster set at between 2 and 3 degrees.

[pbf777]

It's rare for sure but can happen. 

     I don't disagree, as anything built by man will inevitably fail, but you seem to be experiencing more than your share of failures?   

     And I'm not there, but if I might envision: perhaps your car wheel stands, violently dropping the front suspension and coupled with longer than standard O.E.M. as engineered travel capability, coupled with the more rigid polyurethane bushings this may lead to a resultant bending motion of the drag-link bar?     

     It's definitely a less than ideal suspension engineering execution, and a bar with a hinge might solve one problem; but I'm just saying be prepared for new problems when one component is changed to something different than that as originally intended and the resultant effects to the surrounding is not considered, including when the vehicle is utilized in a fashion other than as originally intended also.   

     Scott.   

[My427stang]

As I understand, these type of parts came from people trying to tighten up the front end of a Mustang with urethane bushings.  When the hard urethane bushings would not flex, the strut broke over time.

I do think it's relatively complicated, but if combined with his other parts should really respond well to both hanging the hoops or road racing

That being said, I run all stock stuff with Moog bushings and roller perches/boxed arms.  It drives well

[machoneman]

One older, one replacement.  The ones on the Mustang were OEM replacements.  Broke left side and she was in the left lane so not a hard hit.  The Falcon has broken both left and right.  It's rare for sure but can happen.  Both cars use (were using - Mustang has gone on) poly type bushings with plenty of lube, caster set at between 2 and 3 degrees.

Thanks for the details. Wow, that is unusual as many a drag race 'Stang hit pretty hard on the downstroke yet I've never heard of one breaking. That said, I do know of one fellow (me!) who broke tons of other parts on the track!

[427Fastback]

I have made two sets.One for my 67 Mustang T/A replica and one set for Posi Dale.Dale wanted the front end to rise better and to pull the front wheels.I also modified his lower control arms...Dales car pulls the front up very well now.....

[Falcon67]

Yes, my car picks the fronts up about an inch or two, depending on air and track.  So there's way more work/bending on those rods than would be on normal street operations.  Note also that in the past I've made a lot of passes, way more than most people would under normal conditions.  As many as 2000+ rounds over 4 seasons.  I just broke both rear shock mounts last month, probably thanks to a failed Rancho shock on the Caltrack setup.  Those rear mounts were .250 steel, snapped the shock mount ears off both sides.  20 years on those parts?  I've also worn out two sets of Moroso Tricks and a set of CE front racing shocks - pulled the lower mount off one. So just call me Mayhem LOL!

Older photo but typical

[Cyclone03]

I have all of John’s stuff under the front of my 68 Mustang.
Over 30k street miles, 5 years of Autocross.
Ride with a 600lb spring and Bilstien sport shocks was fantastic.
I now run Viking coil overs up front with Warrior Valving,double adjustable shocks.
Ride it a bit choppy now but more than tolerable.

I spray a shot of TriFlow lube on the joints when ever I remember to do it….maybe today now.

The full roller setup allows the suspension to be cycled “stop to stop” by hand with the spring removed very smoth.
As for NVH….I don’t know the 3” exhaust seems to pound out enough noise to pretty much drown out everything else.

On a street car my recommendation is #1 roller spring perch ,#2 roller lower inner control arm bearing,#3 either John’s adjustable strut rod with hyme joint . There are some newer solutions that use a forward mount that looks like a ball that might be better. Then the full roller upper control arm,I run the full monty race version with relocated upper ball joint and reinforcements .