Kafka

Anyone interested in this bar?

Al, would you please let us know if this fits the 04-08 Rx-8. I think this works much better than the Mazdaspeed USA part...4 point > 2 point...which is what the Japanese Mazdaspeed strut bar has...

Related threads:
2009 Mazda RX-8 R3 4-point Sturt Bar/Tower Brace




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rx8thunder

If you have adjustable shocks like Tokiko D Specs, the R3 bar is a pain as you would have to remove it to make any adjustments. The red bar looks interesting though. Other thing to note is that neither of these bars has the cylinder (brake) brace -- you would need to buy this separately.

Kris

Kafka stick with the MS strut tower bar. It has the master cylinder brace built in.

Kris

Kafka

Just wondering...what is a master cylinder brace ??

rx8thunder

See photo - circled in red

Kafka

Thanks!

More info on that brake master cylinder support

01Racing

Strut brace on cars with upper and lower control arms = almost useless lol

zacknolden

Does this adjustments are great? I just want to know so I might also pursue the same settings on my rode now. Thanks.

ZmFnZm

lol, leave it to Al to make his point at delicately as possible!!!

01Racing

Well its true, all the load is on the control arms when you have a proper upper and lower set up like the RX8 does. I would bet that with the added weight, the car would actually be slower around the race track with the bar than without! lol

climacus

More anodized blue cross members = more power. You guys should know better.

01Racing

While chrome or anodizing adds some power, nothing is faster than carbon fiber

Kafka

So true lol

Sanguine

What about forged magnesium or titanium? Those titanium lug nuts Porsche are always going on about must save whole minutes per lap...

Ccarroll1414

Does anybody know what the bar i have boxed in on this pic is called? I know it is supose to keep the engine from when you puch the throttle. Just dont know what its called? Sorry for the stupid question.

Redshift

iTrader: (2)

Hard to tell from the picture (the box actually makes it a little harder to see) but it looks like an Engine Torque Brace. We've put the Racing Beat ones on a couple of friends RX7s before.
Hadn't actually seen one for an 8 before.

Ka Kui

iTrader: (7)

That box you highlighted seems to be an engine torque damper/brace. What brand is that though?

Ccarroll1414

Ya i found it. It is called a torque damper. Found one at Ignalls.
http://www.ingallseng.com/93039-stif...mazda-rx8.html

Thanks for the help guys

Neo

Is there something wrong with the stock MS shock tower brace?

I remember when the FD didn't have one. The difference when I finally installed one was very noticable. Despite the fact the car has double wishbone all around. The front end was alot more responsive.

Funny how the manufacturer includes a bar as a default nowadays. The Miata comes with one. And I think the 8 does as well. Not as fancy as the MS version though.

Footman

iTrader: (2)

Neo, his picture is pointing to the torque brace which braces the engine. You're talking about the shock mount brace, it's different item.

01Racing

To be blunt................butt dynos and gforce meters are amazing..........show some engineering date that states cars with upper and lower control arms have any significant side loads on the top of the shocks lol. Any type of side to side body stiffening will make the structure stiffer it doesnt even have to be connected to the shock towers. If you look under an RX8 the factory already uses some side to side structure. You can take a bar and attach it to the inner fenders and get the same result.

Neo

I guess that's why the engineers provided the car with a rear shock tower brace already incorporate in the car. But left the front one as an option?? (make more money I guess)
They only included it in the stock R1 version. So I guess there has to be some sort of data gathered for them to bother putting a front strut bar.

Footman,

I thought the first post stated the shock tower brace?? Where's this underbrace you're talking about??? I think I'm missing something...

01Racing

Neo, I dont mean to offend anyone by what im saying. Strut braces look way cool and add very little weight to the vehicle which is why a lot of performance cars have them from the factory. BMW preaches that their MacPherson strut design is the best in the world...etc etc etc. Look at the factory BMW race car in ALMS GT racing, its the most expensive and low and behold they threw away the struts and went to upper and lower control arms. Porsche has drilled brake rotors on all their cars..........except the race cars which have slots. Dont be led to believe that because they put in an exposed cool looking brace that you can bend with your bare hands is anything more than that. For the cost of the bracing you can do a whole lot more that will improve your vehicles dymanics.

Neo

Oh, no doubt. Which is why I think the "over the top" bracing offered in this thread is just that, over the top.

I always wondered why the Germans are still hell bent on Macpherson struts. Only Mercedes-Benz actually uses upper and lower A arms.

The FD has upper and lower A-arms all around. Offered from the factory with sway bars and upper strut bars, with the front being included or optional in a variety of their models.

Yes, you can do lots more to the car for racing. But as everyone knows, you either build a race car, or you build a street car. Having a hybrid doesn't always work out. Hence the demise of the FD and the birth of the RX-8., Those rear upper and lower A arms are gone. Multilink setup in the rear.

I'd always buy Japanese cars. Never liked the German stuff.

01Racing

I believe Mazda got rid of the rear squeeze cast aluminum upper and lower arms because of cost, and the fact that on the street the multi link would work almost as well.