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Whoosh Brace Kit Install/Review [picture heavy]

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Location
Buffalo, NY
#1
So the day has finally come.
Whoosh has their own front 2 point and trunk 2 point braces!
Grab the Trac Bar Brace HERE
Get the Trunk Brace HERE
Get the NEW Control Arm Bolts HERE
Here's whats going to show up at your door, handle with care stickers plastered on every side of the box.


Packaging of the braces is top notch, not a single chance they'll get scratched during shipping with the 1572 feet of bubble wrap (also good for keeping grown adults busy for hours)


Onto the goods inside of all that bubble wrap.
Front 2 point brace in all its glory:


Some upy-closey-time with the welds and finish:








Onto the install for the front 2 point brace:
The amount of tools required for this is pretty minimal. We're talking an 18mm socket, a 3 inch extension, a ratchet and a torque wrench.
Proper Ford procedure its to replace the control arms bolts as an FYI.

Step 1:
Pretty self explanatory. Get both front wheels off the ground. I have the luxury of using a lift, if you don't and you're using a jack - USE JACK STANDS. Don't try to save time by only using jacks, it's a super good way to get crushed by your own car. Just don't do it.

Step 2:
We're going to remove both of the vertical mount bolts from both control arms.
Use the 18mm socket and ratchet. It's gonna take some force to make happen, the bolts have lock-tight on them from the factory.








Step 3:
Once the bolts are out, get your new 2 point front brace, and your new bolts for the control arms, and send the bolts through the brace and control arm bushings.
You're going to have to wiggle the control arm up and down to get it to line back up in order for the bolt to go back through to the captive nut inside of the subframe.


Step 4:
Tighten the bolts till the head of the bolt just touches the brace so it holds it against the subframe.
Next set the car on the ground or using your jack (because it's not holding the car up, the jack stands are) jack the control arm up to where it would be if the car was on the ground.
If setting it on the ground, try to have it on a flat, level surface and roll it back and forward about a foot to settle the suspension to resting height.
Using your torque wrench, the 18mm socket and the 3 inch extension torque both bolts to 46 lb-ft then an addition 180 degrees or rotation as per Ford Spec.


As easy as that, you're done. It's in! Enjoy the twistys that much more!


For those interested, it sits about 1 3/4" or about 45mm lower than the subframe


Now for the trunk brace.
Shes the longer one in the box that showed up on your door step.


Upy-closey-time with the welds and finish on the trunk brace:









Now for the install of the trunk brace:
Tools needed:
T47 Torx bit socket, 8mm socket, Ratchet, 3 inch extension, Torque wrench.

Step 1:
Fold your rear seats down and remove your trunk floor.
The rear seat mount covers that hold the hatch floor up get removed next with the 8mm socket. Take out the bolt, give em a light pull and they should pop right off.


Step 2:
With the covers removed, take the T47 and remove the two bolts we found under those covers.




Step 3:
Set your brace in its location and start the 2 bolts by hand, it may take a little bit to get them to start until you get the brace held in place by at least one of the bolts.
Now that the brace is in and the bolts are started, get your torque wrench out with the 3 inch extension and set it to 35lb-ft, and tighten both bolts.




After that, shes in. next steps are optional, they will keep the stock look in the rear with the raised floor.

Step 4 (optional):
This is where it gets fun. Use a mix of a razor blade, a file, or a dremel if you have one and carve some recesses from those covers we took off back in step one.
I really have no good advice for this except make some marks while holding them in place, trim, check fitment, then trim some more. You can always take more off, but you can't put it back.


I ended up with my covers looking like this in the end.


Step 5 (optional):
Reinstall the covers with the 8mm socket, set the raised hatch floor back in, and go rip some corners!




Initial feelings:
Even just backing the car off of the drive on lift i could tell it just felt stiffer.
Torque steer when getting on the ramp for the thruway was improved, I'd say a 80-90% reduction.
When diving into turns that I take 5 days a week the car just felt much more planted, less body roll-ish if I had to describe it and thats with 15" snow tires on.
Makes the car feel much closer to a few SCCA cars with full bracing that I've been in.

Any questions, comments, or additional pictures be sure to ask!
 


Last edited:
Messages
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Location
Vancouver
#2
How Important is using new TTY bolts every time you remove it? I'm still using my old ones. Thinking of going from 6 point to 2.

Is there a possibility Whoosh could carry it or include it in the kit?
 


OP
pirite
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Buffalo, NY
Thread Starter #4
How Important is using new TTY bolts every time you remove it? I'm still using my old ones. Thinking of going from 6 point to 2.

Is there a possibility Whoosh could carry it or include it in the kit?
well, think of it as a spring. the first time they get torqued they stretch. the second time they stretch more and get weaker.
really reusing them once probably not a big deal, but the third of fourth time i wouldn't want to do, because they can snap while torquing them which would turn into a big headache.
Ron has the part number for them so thats a question for him.
 


ron@whoosh

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#6
How Important is using new TTY bolts every time you remove it? I'm still using my old ones. Thinking of going from 6 point to 2.

Is there a possibility Whoosh could carry it or include it in the kit?
not included but optional add-on
 


TyphoonFiST

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#8
Just to let everyone know right now...if you get your car towed....it will need a flat bed due to the bar being in place. Ask me how I know....when you need a tow....just get a flatbed as the Dolley type will hit that bar as it's trying to lift the front wheels....FYI. Now enjoy your whoosh 2 point bar!


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danbfree

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#9
Wow, sounds promising! For the front, it sounds like every other 2-pt out there, reduces torque steer 80-90% and more planted in the corners... I'm personally curious about the rear, the stock late year model setup has a slightly thicker torsion beam but also slightly softer dampers and the rear end comes around OK, but a bit un-predictably at times, for me anyway... Can you tell me if the ass end comes around easier and/or more predictably now? I'm not a racer with the detailed vocabulary, so just meaning any casual observations in that area, thanks!
 


OP
pirite
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Location
Buffalo, NY
Thread Starter #11
Wow, sounds promising! For the front, it sounds like every other 2-pt out there, reduces torque steer 80-90% and more planted in the corners... I'm personally curious about the rear, the stock late year model setup has a slightly thicker torsion beam but also slightly softer dampers and the rear end comes around OK, but a bit un-predictably at times, for me anyway... Can you tell me if the ass end comes around easier and/or more predictably now? I'm not a racer with the detailed vocabulary, so just meaning any casual observations in that area, thanks!
ive got a 2016, but even with the snow tires on currently it feels more controllable if that makes sense? there have been some quick swerves ive had to do previously to the braces being installed and i can say i almost lost control. i did those same movements after the braces and it is MUCH more controllable.

where is this on the site? Any guesses on ETA or price?
another question for [MENTION=5976]ron@whoosh[/MENTION]
 


Ford ST

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#12
Looks good more options are always great. But I'm set on doing a 6-point brace on the front.

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ron@whoosh

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#14
where is this on the site? Any guesses on ETA or price?
I'll have them up tomorrow on the site
you'll have a choice of super econ, black spray (as seen here) or black texture powder coat, red texture powder coat at a slightly higher cost
 


OP
pirite
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Location
Buffalo, NY
Thread Starter #15
BUMP for links added to the OP for the newly listed parts
 


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Location
San Diego, CA, USA
#16
So the day has finally come.
Whoosh has their own front 2 point and trunk 2 point braces!

Thank you so much for the write up! I just got a USPS notification that my trunk brace is arriving in the mail today & just so happens I have the day off! Looks like I know what ill be doing for 30 mins today :)
 


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Cherry Hill, NJ
#18
Just got my traction bar today. Can I install this using ramps only? I’d like to stay away from jacking up the car if I can.


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TyphoonFiST

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#19
Just got my traction bar today. Can I install this using ramps only? I’d like to stay away from jacking up the car if I can.


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The wheels will need to hang as the weight of the car on the ramps will make it hard to reposition the lower control arm with the holes for the bolts. So Jack stands it is....sorry meng!

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Ford ST

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#20
Just got my traction bar today. Can I install this using ramps only? I’d like to stay away from jacking up the car if I can.


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The wheels need to be off the ground, but I would do the final tightening with it on ramps as you should only tighten suspension components fully with them loaded with weight.
Follow the write up it's spot on.

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