Well I have the very first Spyder Brace 2 K-member installed, It noticably stiffened up the rear end, improved turn in and stability/ predictability of the rear of the truck dramatically, it works to keep the rear leaf hangers from flexing about and also firmly locks the two sides of the rear frame together.

Before the install my rear setup consisted of.

Stock 2004 leafs minus the bottom two leafs/
Hellwig anti-sway bar.
Bilstein shocks (99-01 Isuzu Rodeo).
DMR Panhard bar.
Detroit True-Trac Differential.
Stock rear bumper.
Stock tow hitch.

This setup was very good but the addition of this new brace has made me realize how much rigidity was missing from the rear of the frame.

For any given suspension to operate to it's full potential, the frame it is attached to must be as stiff as possible, otherwise tuning your suspension is useless if the frame is also acting as a spring, a few examples follow.

You hit a bump, the springs start to compress but them the frame starts to flex upward, on the rebound you now have rebound control for the springs via the shocks, but what dampens the rebound of your frame......this is not a good thing.

You enter a turn good and angry, your truck starts to lean into the turn, your swaybar comes into compression, but then the frame starts to twist, well the swaybar can not stop that so your truck will lean more than you like.

After the install of the Spyder Brace, I observed reduced bodyroll in turns, and a more solid feel over bumps, very similar to my experiences with the Kenny Brown X-factor chassis brace, which is currently not installed on my truck, (due to needed re-engineering). I have driven over New York City streets some frshly paved, some minefeild like, highways with expansion joints, metal drawbridges, super twisty country roads, and I have been super pleased with the new feel of the rear end, which has grown some new claws.

on to install tips.

The Lightning is produced on an assembly line but every trucks frame is allowed to differ by a 1/4 inch or so, also I have been rear ended on two occasions by unattentive drivers, so maybe my frame is a bit out of whack.

For the easiest possible install I suggest the following.

1) jack up the rear of your truck under the diff

2) remove the bolt for the trailer wiring harness from bottom of hitch

3) remove the hitch

4) lower vehicle down

5) depending on the height or your truck and the lift height of your jack, you may want a 4 to 8 inch thick rubber lift block like they have at a shop, or a similarly strong spacer, place this on the jack pad and lift via the rear bumper, if you have no rear bumper and run a roll pan......well I don't know, you better get creative.

6) Jack up at the rear bumper until the rear tires are just barely touching the ground.

7) remove the rear shocks, and panhard bar is so equipped, also unbolt the swaybar endlinks.

8) loosen the front leafspring bolts, LOOSEN only do not remove !

9) loosen the upper rear leafspring bolts a couple turns will do it.

10) remove the LOWER rear shackle bolts, your rear shackles should now be free and moveable by hand.

11) place the Spyder Brace into position as shown in the pictures, and insert the bolts through the tabs and lower hanger and shackle, hand tighten the nuts.

12) hold the brace in place and insert the hitch hole bolts, and hand tighten as much as you can. NOTE: if your frame is tweaked and the holes do not line up perfectly, a ratcheting tie down strap will allow you to pull the brace arms into place.

13) Tighten all botls up to ford specs, (I will try to dig up these numbers) I just tightened the heck out of everything

14) reattach shocks, swaybar links, and panhard if so equipped.

15) lower vehicle down, clean up your tools, and go for a drive!









Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

all needed hardware was included.

 

.

 

I'm not trying to rain on your parade, that looks like a wickedly strong piece, and I fully agre that the rear of thr trucks need stiffening. (add a panhard bar and you'll notice a vast improvement alone).

Great Writeup.

but: wouldn't the hitch do the same thing?
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...=hitch+stiffen

 

I-menace, I had the stock hitch, and this unit does WAYYY more than the hitch, it locks the rear hangers together and ties them to the frame securley, much more so than the 4 rivets holding them on. It is a night and day change for the better, if you want a long talk about this IM me on AIM.

Also I have a panhard and this brace overshadowed it by a long way, I am considering removing the panhard as the Spyder is doing so much.

 

This looks awesome. I notice that you don't seem to have any traction bars - were they removed for the installation or do you not have any?

 

Master I have no traction bars, but unbolting them at the rear would make install easier, and this will not interfere with any traction bars on the market.

 

Hey pit, Do you think this would be worth the application for us drag racing guys. I am currently at 566 RWHP and will soon be at 600. I plan on launching with slicks and a stall this summer.......Do the other big HP guys see any twist of the frame during the launch. Could this help plant the truck out of the box? I dont know much about the suspension other than the basics.:o

 

Looks good Ian. I can't tell from the pics, will the hitch still fit?

Do you have a picture from the rear with the vehicle on the ground?

Thanks,
TB

 

Rotor,

It can only help, it ties the rear leafs together thus reducing twist, which should definitley help you lay the power down a bit better, the only way to know for sure is to try it.

TB,

the hitch will not fit, it would require so much trimming it would be useless.

 

So there is frame twist on launch, but what exactly are you supposing is the force making the rear hangers significantly deflect sideways on a straight-line launch?

If this brace has any effect on overall frame twist in a straight line, it has to be very small. In the picture below showing the X-Factor bracing, follow the frame all the way back to the rear hangers. Using just powers of deduction and a basic understanding of physics, certain conclusions should be apparent.



One of those conclusions that I come to is that a rear brace it won't do anything for a straight-line launch. Maybe I'm wrong, but I love to see someone try to explain why.

 

Tim you are wrong

the rear hangers are fexing side to side, take out your leaf and put a rod through the holes, and apply pressure either up or down and you will see the rear hangers felx in and out, the metal is soft enough to bend by hand with a pair of channel lock pliers, period......I know it's you Tim, but this thing really does what it is supposed to, the locks the hangers in dead nuts. I know you are getting one so you be the judge.

call me later please.

 

Who makes it and how much does it cost. All instructions are included I Assume. Thanks MikeyP

 

Mikey PM me for details, instructions will be included I am the the ginneua pig

 

HI!... Well my truck must be a "FREAK" . I had no front sway bar, no rear sway bar, no "X" bracing for the spare tire. Just nitto 305/45/R-18's out back, NITTO 295/45/R-18's up front, 4 inch drop up front and a 6 inch drop out back and my truck handles great. The only thing I did was weld in a piece of 2" X 4" steel tubing across the rear between the two frame rails. Geez I was taking very sharp offramp 90 degree's at 80MPH with no issues..................................

 

Neal.....ehh......ok

I'm too tired right now.