I have been driving my 56 Customline without the front steady rest for more that 15 years with no issues. Our 56 Ranch wagon still has the front steady rest , but I really don't see the purpose in it. I does come very close the transmission cooler lines and rubs in some places. I vote for removing the steady rest unless there is some good reason to keep it. Any thoughts? 

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

When I replaced the 239 with a warmed over  312 ( 4 speed ) in my 54, I wanted some extra stability so I used  the steady rest.  No regrets.  Just a little insurance.

Note - the 54 steady rest will not fit the later engines because of the damper.  I used a 55/56 unit


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Having grown up with several ’55-’56 Fords, the steady rest was always removed as it was just in the way.  No problems surfaced due to the removal of those steady rests.  Some of those cars received a FE engine so removal of the steady rest was an automatic prerequisite.

My ’55 Customline still has the steady rest in place along with all the factory shields on the bottom side of the engine compartment.  Sort of glad I kept them in place when I had the engine out back in 1989 as the next owner will likely appreciate the originality of all the correct pieces still being there.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

When I decided to changed the transmission with one needing the lines to the radiator I removed it. Took the time to have the damper rebuilt at the same time. I did it 5 years ago. Like Ted I like the lower front shields also and feel they aid in cooling. 

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

Thanks guys....I appreciate all the feedback. I also have all the lower splash pans, but I think the steady rest will go on the shelf.

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

What am I missing here?  Steady rests are mounted on the sides of the block to the frame by rods and rubber bushings, and the front engine mount is at the front mounted to the timing cover and front frame.  Correct?  When I rebuilt my '55 Thunderbird I received steady rests with my FPA headers, and I had to special order the front timing cover engine mount, bolt, spacer, and donut.  I ordered the side rods from Larry's Thunderbird and got the whole kit called "steady rests".  I ordered the front engine mount from CASCO, and it is completely different from the "steady rests".  Joe-JDC

JDC

Joe - most of us with sedans call that front motor mount a steady rest. Just a matter of semantics I guess.

Ron - I removed my steady rest when I replaced my 272 with a 292. It has been that way since 2006 or so with no issues, and of course I have thrashed the 292 pretty good on the street and at the shootout. Not uncommon to hit 5K on the tach with it under load. However, I do wonder if not having the "steady rest" up front may have made my RexHP header install too tight on the driver's side. I needed just 3/16" or so of room to clear the steering column... just wondering if maybe my motor mounts may have given a little bit over the years. There may be an article on that coming up in the Y Block magazine sometime soon. I did write up a blog post if you care to see it on my website.

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

Back in the late sixties Buick was having problems with their '59s (coil springs all around).  Back then concrete highways were poured in sections somewhere around 30 feet long, with a layer of asphalt between sections about 3/4 inch wide.  This made small humps across the road, and running over those humps set up a resonance in the car at certain speeds that they called "freeway hop".  I don't remember what they did to solve it, but I wonder if Ford was ahead of them by tying 600 pounds of cast iron with a spinning crankshaft to the front crossmember to counter a similar resonance??  I don't think they pour highways that way anymore.  Not engineering fact, just a guess on my part.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Joe-DC;
I guess terminology matters here and maybe Tbirds are different than passenger cars if your reference is to the birds. The front steady rest I am referring to bolts to the bottom of the timing cover and just rests on the front crossmember. It really isn't a "motor mount" per se in my opinion.

I removed my steady rest years on my 56 Customline which has a built 292 with dual quads and a T-5 and I have banged a few gears over the past 15 years without any issue. My wife drive's the Ranch Wagon pretty easy plus the transmission cooler lines come too close for comfort to that steady rest so I'm shelving it.

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

Steady rest vs engine mounts. 

On sedans (54-56) the steady rest was in the front, timing cover to frame.  They had engine mounts on the sides.  Rono is correct in that they are not considered to be engine mounts.

On 55-57 Birds, the steady rests (yes plural) were on the sides on the engine, where the engine mounts were on a sedan.  Engine mounts were at the front of the engine and at the trans.

Just to add to what Rono said.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ