stock mustang crossmember vs aftermarket one

[hagar]

I came into a stock MK11 crossmember ground and primed.It will fit my frame without altering.What advantages do the aftermarket crossmembers have,beside being prettier? what is the anti-dive improvement that they brag of? Anyone used a stock one?

[Slide]

I used a stock one on my 52 chevy (car) about 2 weeks before Heidt's announced the availability of theirs. These OEM suckers are a lot more work than they look...even AFTER you have cleaned the MII part up. They were also designed around an entire Mustang II unibody, so the aftermarket ones are actually stronger. Also most aftermarket pieces will make it easier to get the car lower.

If you have a lot of time, a lot of good cutting tools (torches, sawzall, cutoff wheels, hacksaw, plasma cutter) and no money, and you are real good at reading a tape measure, the OEM deals aren't too bad. If I had to do it over again, I would have saved up my money a little longer and gone with a kit.

What kind of ride are you putting the thing in?

[Ayers Garage]

PM Elpolako. He's the MII guru on the HAMB. He'll know whatever info you need.

[32viper]

I would go with the aftermarket. First, they ARE stronger and seldom need any mods for installation. They establish ride height much easier also. You may think your crossmember fits until you try to get it move up enough to get the car low enough! The anti dive feature is the angle of the top A frame shaft in relation to the ground. It is lower in the rear and thus affects the geometry to decrease dive. I wrote the install instructions for FATMAN and their kit is the heaviest and most economical on the market. Been installing MKII's for over twenty years.

[Rusty]

I put a stock M2 crossmember in my 65 Falcon and it worked great. Depending on the size of your car the stock crossmember will be fine. I am sure it is beefier then what you are probably cutting out. Many say that there week but they have been putting these in cars since the 70's and I know of cars and trucks that are still running them. Yes the new aftermarket ones are stronger and prettier but the stock one will be just fine. But on the other hand you can get all the tubular arms to fit the stock m3 to make it look just as pretty, and after the motor is in you will have to tell everyone what the crossmember is any ways. Also the earlier m2 crossmembers were not as beefy as the later models. Hope this helps I sure enjoyed doing it.

[chad]

I also have used both,but I dont think the trimming and grinding and sanblasting is worth it,I now go with the aftermarket ones,I have had problems with the ones from fat mans it seems like the frame rails flex because their is no triangulation in the lower crossmember.I have used heidts and progressive, they seemed to be a lot better quality.but in the end it is up to you.My buddy still has a stock crossmember under his 47 chev with no problems.

[sawzall]

I too have installed each, stock and aftermarket, I also prefer the aftermarket.. basically due to the "look" of the wimpy stock thing.. IF you do install the stock m2 crossmember in your chassis.. figure about 7 degrees of "antidive" on the upper a arm mounting platforms..

good luck

sawzall

[38Chevy454]

My daily driver 37 Chevy truck has a stock Must II crossmember and no problems after many years and miles.

I put an aftermarket crossmember in my 38 Chevy 2 door sedan and it also has no problems. The aftermarket is cleaner and easier install. I agree, most of the aftermarket seem to be able to mount higher up in the frame/chassis so that the car is lower.

If you have a full fendered car, don't waste money on the tubular arms, the stock stamped ones are fine, have them on both of my Must II set-ups. Use the factory design with a strut rod. The strut rod eliminator kits with lower A-arm cause a lot of unintended forces on the crossmember and have led to problems.

[Bass]

To add to 38Chevy454's good advice...be sure to run an (anti)sway bar with your M2 front suspension. They are designed to be used in conjunction with a good sway bar to cut out body roll, and even out suspension movement.

I drove my car for a few months without one before I wised up...it made a night and day difference.

[34Hupmobile]

I used a stock setup in my hup with both strut rods and anti-sway bar. It sits kind of high and I'm considering some dropped spindles but it drives like a dream.

[Dirk35]

I too was gonna go the cheap and use the stock one, till talking to the folks on the RRT and here around 1999 or 2000. After looking over the amount of work, and what would have been the end result of the stock one, Im glad I got an aftermarket one. It was super easy to install. Its one of the Larry Towes ones from Canada, but I dont think he makes them anymore. Its very good quality, I wish I wouldve gotten a few of his generic ones before he quit making them. I really think its worth the couple hundred extra $$, easily worth it to me.