Reinforcement Rod Fit

leeklimala

Registered User
Has anyone ever replaced their reinforcement rod? I just replaced my bent one for a straight one and the fit was less than pleasing. When I bolted one side on, the other hole was a good inch off. It took a friend and me about two hours of tugging , pulling and prying to get the dang thing on. Just curious if that is normal or is my engine cradle out of whack?
 
Reinforcement Rod?

leeklimala said:
Has anyone ever replaced their reinforcement rod? I just replaced my bent one for a straight one and the fit was less than pleasing. When I bolted one side on, the other hole was a good inch off. It took a friend and me about two hours of tugging , pulling and prying to get the dang thing on. Just curious if that is normal or is my engine cradle out of whack?
What the heck are you talking about?

Confused 68COUGAR
 
Reinforcement Rod

68COUGAR said:
What the heck are you talking about?

Confused 68COUGAR

A simple tube that runs from the left side of the front subframe to the right side just below and behind the radiator. Held in place by one bolt on either side. If you look straight down between the radiator and the pulleys you will see a bar that all that air deflector crap hooks to. Thats the reinforcement rod. No one would have a reason to replace it unless it was bent somehow. I figured since in four of the six junk yards that I looked for one, all the t-birds and cougars were missing it, and I figured that it was somthing that got bent rather often. Guess not. The part was discontinued by Ford.
 
Mine got bent by a tow truck. We just unbolted it and pulled it off and straightened it back out, and it bolted right back on with no struggle. I've had it off a couple times to get to the MP FMIC lower IC tube connection.

David

PS: I think the confusing part about your post is the before and after pics in your sig. When I first read it I thought the pics were before and after changing the bar.
 
confusion

Oh ok, I have gotten that on another post. I think I need to modify my signature. My original bar was bent back about 1/2 inch away from the pulley, so there was no way I'd be bending it back into shape.
 
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