Ford Maverick Competition Strut Tower Brace: What It Does and Who It's For

The Steeda Maverick Competition Strut Tower Brace (555-5739) is a double-bar setup built for 2022–2026 Ford Mavericks. It bolts across the engine bay, locking the two front strut towers together so they stay put when you dive into a corner or stand on the brakes. The result is sharper turn-in and more connected steering, all without touching your spring rates or ride quality.

It bolts right onto the XL, XLT, Lariat, Lobo, and Tremor. This brace targets drivers who have already stiffened things up with springs, sway bars, or sticky tires and want to push their Maverick harder, whether on a winding back road or at an autocross. If you want a tidier engine bay and a bit more steering feel, Steeda's single-bar 555-5736 brace is still in the lineup.

Meet the Steeda Maverick Competition Strut Tower Brace

The Maverick has quickly turned into a true enthusiast platform. Ford even built the Lobo as a street truck with autocross in mind. Owners are dropping their trucks, bolting on sway bars, and chasing grip with stickier tires. As you dial in the suspension, the front structure stands out as the next place to reduce flex and sharpen the chassis.

That’s where the Competition Strut Tower Brace comes in. It joins Steeda’s lineup of Competition parts for the Maverick, like the 555-1039 AWD Adjustable Competition Rear Sway Bar—track-tested in autocross before it ever hit the shelves.

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What a Strut Tower Brace Does (and Doesn't Do) on a Maverick

The Maverick uses MacPherson struts up front. The top of each strut bolts to a stamped-steel tower at the back corner of the engine bay. In a hard corner, weight transfers onto the outside front tire, and that load travels up the strut into the tower.

Every unibody flexes a bit under load. The strut towers can shift just enough to change the strut angle, which tweaks your front camber and steering feel, right when you need precision most. A strut tower brace locks the tops of the towers together, spreads the load, and keeps the front structure tight.

Does a strut brace actually help on a Maverick?

Maverick owners have debated this on the forums for years. The skeptics make a fair point: the Maverick's strut towers sit close to the cowl, and the cowl already braces them. A brace matters less on a body like that than on an older car with tall, unsupported towers.

Owners who’ve bolted one in say the front end feels more connected. Both sides have a point. The brace takes out that last bit of tower flex, and you’ll feel it most when the rest of your setup is working: stiffer springs, bigger sway bars, grippier tires, and a course that lets you push. On a stock Maverick running errands, you’ll notice a subtle uptick in steering feel, not a night-and-day difference.

What a strut brace does:

• Reduces relative movement between the front strut towers
• Keeps front camber more consistent under cornering load
• Sharpens turn-in and steering feedback, most noticeably on a modified truck
• Even under normal driving conditions, a strut tower brace can noticeably reduce squeaks and rattles. That’s why OEMs use it on factory performance vehicles like the Performance Pack Mustang and Ford Explorer ST.

What it doesn't do:

• It doesn't make the ride harsher. It doesn't touch your springs, shocks, or bushings.
• It doesn't reduce body roll. That's a sway bar's job (see below).
• It doesn't change suspension travel. It's bolted to the body above the suspension, so a Tremor still articulates the same way.

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Strut Tower Brace vs. Sway Bar: What's the Difference?

People mix these two up because both stiffen things up, but they do totally different jobs.

Wondering where to start? If your Maverick rolls too much in the corners, start with a rear sway bar; it’s the biggest bolt-on handling upgrade you can do. Once the truck sits flatter and you want sharper front-end response, the strut tower brace comes into play. If you’ve lowered your truck, add adjustable front end links (555-1047) to keep the sway bar geometry dialed.

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What's New in the Competition Brace

The Competition brace is designed specifically for the 2022–2026 Maverick and is not shared with the Escape or Bronco Sport.

• Double-bar design. Two parallel bars, cross supports, and a center plate work together to resist twisting and bending far better than a single tube ever could.
• Gusseted strut tower plates. Gusseted mounting plates spread load across the tower and stay rigid through repeated hard driving.
• Clears adjustable front struts. Built with the clearance you need for adjustable front struts, so you don’t have to compromise.
• Gloss black powder coat. Finished in gloss black with a Steeda logo cut right into the center plate. Want something different? Custom colors are just a call away.
• Comes with all the hardware you need, and it’s made right here in the USA.

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Competition (555-5739) vs. Standard (555-5736): Which One Should You Buy?

Steeda now offers two strut tower braces for the Maverick.

Choose the Competition brace if:

• your truck is lowered or has upgraded sway bars or tires
• you autocross, do track days, or drive hard on back roads
• you own a Lobo and want to build on Ford's factory street setup
• you want the stiffest Maverick brace Steeda makes

Choose the standard 555-5736 if:

• your Maverick is a daily driver with stock or near-stock suspension
• you want a brace that blends in with the factory engine bay
• you have a hybrid and want spacers in the box

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Where the Brace Fits in a Maverick Handling Build

If you’re setting up your Maverick to carve corners, here’s how to build it up the right way:

1. Tires. Get the contact patch sorted first; nothing else matters until you do.
2. Lowering springs. Steeda Sport Lowering Springs (555-8224) drop a 2.0L AWD Maverick about 1.5" in the front and 2.25" in the rear. We strongly recommends its adjustable toe links (555-4136) for alignment. See our guide on how to lower a Ford Maverick the right way.
3. Rear sway bar and end links. Use 555-1039 (AWD) or 555-1046 (FWD). Add front end links (555-1047) and, on lowered AWD trucks,rear end links (555-1097).
4. Competition Strut Tower Brace (555-5739). Once the rest of your suspension is working harder, this brace locks down the front structure so it keeps up.
5. Alignment. Get one after any spring change.

New to modifying your truck? Start with our first 5 mods every Ford Maverick owner should do.

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How to Install the Steeda Maverick Competition Strut Tower Brace

The Competition brace bolts into the front two strut mounting holes on each tower using the four bolts in the box. There's no drilling or cutting. Steeda's instructions estimate about an hour. You'll need to raise the front of the truck and support it on jack stands.

In the box: strut tower brace, four strut tower bolts

Tools: 10mm and 13mm sockets with a ratchet, torque wrench, needle-nose pliers, trim removal tool, floor jack, and jack stands

1. Loosen the strut tower shields. Each strut tower has a plastic shield on top. Remove the first 10mm bolt holding each shield.
2. Remove the firewall clips. Use a trim removal tool to pop out the clips above the firewall. Set them aside, because they go back in at the end.
3. Remove the shields. Remove the second 10mm bolt on each side and lift the shields out.
4. Raise the front of the truck. Lift the front with a jack and support it on jack stands. Never work around a vehicle held up only by a jack.
5. Remove the front strut bolts. On each tower, remove the front two 13mm bolts holding the strut in place.
6. Remove the clip. Use needle-nose pliers to remove the clip shown in figure 11 of the instructions, on both sides.
7. Relocate the negative battery cable. Move it to the side of the strut tower (figure 14) so the brace clears it. You're repositioning the cable, not disconnecting it.
8. Set the brace in place. Hand-start the included bolts on one side. Don't tighten them yet.
9. Line up the other side. Start the bolts on the opposite tower. If the holes don't line up, you may need to shift the strut.
10. Tighten and torque. Snug all four bolts, then torque them to 22 lb-ft.
11. Finish up. Reinstall the firewall clips and lower the truck.

Download the 555-5739 installation instructions (PDF)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does a strut tower brace actually do anything on a Ford Maverick?

Yes, within limits. The Maverick's strut towers are already well supported by the cowl, so a brace won't transform a stock truck. It reduces the small amount of movement between the towers under cornering and braking loads, keeping front camber more consistent and sharpening steering feel. The difference is most noticeable on a Maverick with upgraded springs, sway bars, or tires that's driven hard.

What's the difference between the Steeda 555-5739 and 555-5736 strut tower braces?

The 555-5739 Competition brace is designed specifically for the 2022–2026 Maverick. It uses a double-bar design with cross supports, a center plate, and gusseted tower plates, finished in gloss black. The 555-5736 is a single-bar brace shared with the Escape and Bronco Sport, finished in textured black to match the factory trim. Both are made in the USA.

Should I install a strut tower brace or a sway bar first?

If your Maverick leans too much in corners, start with a rear sway bar, because it controls body roll. Add a strut tower brace afterward to firm up the front structure and sharpen turn-in. They do different jobs and work well together.

Does the Competition brace fit the Maverick Lobo and Tremor?

Yes. The 555-5739 is listed for 2022–2026 Maverick XL, XLT, Lariat, Lobo, and Tremor trims.

Can I get the brace in a different color?

Gloss black powder coat is standard. Call a Steeda Performance Expert at 1-800-950-0774 for special color requests.

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Tighten Up Your Maverick's Front End

The Maverick already out-handles most trucks, but once you’ve added springs, sway bars, or stickier tires, the Steeda Competition Strut Tower Brace finishes the job up front. It’s purpose-built for the Maverick, made in the USA, and bolts in with everything you need in the box.

Steeda Autosports has been the authority in Ford performance since 1988. They engineer every product specifically for Ford vehicles and back it with a team that drives what they build.

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