Booster MPS

OK, offering my $.02 on the strakes installation I did today. Overall, everything turned out OK but there was a nervous moment. Got the template lined up just fine and popped off the black grill and began to install the first set per the adjusted instructions above in the DIY. I did not follow the ones supplied and it seems to work just fine in the new holes - even and flush. My drama came when I had the first set adjusted and noticed that I did not have any loctite ........ Maybe I can pop this back on and run to Pep Boys and pick it up. Well, when I attempted to take the bottom strake off it seized up on me and would not come off. Began to get borderlined stripped and pliers would not budge it. At this point I figure I am pregnant with this thing and go through with it and crank it back down. It did go back on tight but I hope that with the tape it will be tight enough for the long run.

The Lesson: Be careful when cranking down on the screw, it can easily get galled.

blue flash

good directions anyone have strakes on blus 8 like to see photo's

kellybrf

iTrader: (2)

i just put mine on tonight in about 40 mins, thanks for the great insturctions. the only thing is that i found the holes to be different than stated. i originally followed rx8-u-ups instructions but came nowhere close to the template. i then just popped the grill in, lined the strakes up w/the template and put the screw in the coressponding hole. if i had done this first this probably would have been a 25 min job. im wondering if by chance they have two different fender grills???

btw, i got mine from japanpartsintokyo off ebay and i am very very thankful for these instructions b/c i cant read japanese! w/my clear side markers and stealth bulbs installed yesterday my 8 looks totally different! after a good wash and wax (it may be a while) ill get pics up.

mysql101

Yes, thats what I did...

I found the directions to be only useful to find out which strakes were for which location. The rest I ignored.

I cut the template out, put it on the car, then put the screw into the back of the grill while it was on the car, and placed a strake in the template location in order to find the proper hole to fit it into.

I repeated this for each side, then took the grill out and tightened it.

I found that the template was a bit off, the strakes didn't line up that well and if I used them to get the angle of the strakes, they would be misaligned.

So I used the grill itself to line up the strakes, making sure they were at the same angle as the grill....

The whole process took about 20 mins for both sides.

D MENAC 7

Did mine tonight in a short time. Template??? I didn't need any stinking template!

I looked very carefully at all the closeup installs I could find on here, read about the holes not being the right ones, figured out which the right ones were, tightened and aligned up the strakes to the grille, pulled off the tape and clicked the grilles in and pushed on the strakes to set the glue from the tape and presto, they are on, straight and look mahvalous darling, simply mahvalous!

You've all seen pics of strakes on a red 8, why paste more? Besides, my car is dirty right now from all the rain from these past few days here, except in the area aroudn the grille and where the strakes are taped at, naturally. :D

However, thanks for this wonderful DIY, Mrgareds, it gave all of us important information about how to do it yourself.

Dennis

Omicron

Finally installed my strakes today. Man, these things are cool! :D

[ian]

Great job man, I can't wait to get my own strakes!

rx8spiritR

any group buys on them????

Phlash

Hi all! I just installed my strakes from Trussville (they rock) today. Mazda, or whoever makes these for Mazda has changed the install. There is no longer a template. There is a fitting the shape of one of the grill openings on the strake that fits into the opening quite snug to hold the strake in place. Instructions now state to fit the strake to the grill as per the instruction diagram. Then pull the grill out and then fasten with an "L" shaped bracket now (vs the washer I have seen) and snug down. Then, snap the grill back in. There is no tape now, just a formed rubber gasket to seal the area between the front and rear of the strake and car. The whole thing took me 40 minutes both sides. What a difference. Mine is the first in town I have seen with strakes. Pictures do them no justice. :D

D MENAC 7

is it possible to scan the document and post a few pictures of your insall?

Phlash

As requested. The instruction sheet...................

Phlash

...and some pics of, yes, another red with strakes......

Phlash

...and some more.......

Phlash

...one more..... :D

MEGAREDS

Thank, Phlash69, for the update. I'd like to see this thread stay useful. Could I impose on somone to either take the photos and add them to this thread or start a "Strakes Install #2" thread? It just takes a bit of time to take the picture at each step and I know it helps a great deal for those deciding whether to pay to have the install or make it DIY. It sounds as though not binding the strakes to the car with tape may be a great improvement. I'm really curious. Photos please!

D MENAC 7

Great photos and thank you very much for posting that Phlash69. I am guessing that just the pressure alone from the keyed washer and tightening it up the the rear of the grille along with the rubber backed strake keeps the strake from turning. This would also hold tighter the strake grille to the car. Just when I can duplicate their exact method and come up with a reasonable solution to these over priced hunks of aluminum, they improve their mouse trap. :D

D MENAC 7

Also, I notice that you did this with the front splash guards intact (as I did also), I am assuming, or you put them on right afterwards. :D

Phlash

Actually, I left the splash guards on and although a tight fit was able to remove the one center pop screw and get my hand in the fander space.

Phlash

In the spirit of giving, (and becuase i'm wide awake....) I went out and took one side apart again.

So here is the down and dirty.....here is the new design strake. notice the "diamaond shaped" notch on it now (part of the mold, not added) and the black rubber gasket (no tape) on the front and rear. This notch "keyes" to the grills diamonds.

Phlash

......attach the strakes. The new "diamond" notch sets the alignment for the strake by "fitting" the grill diamonds. Notice the new "L" braces. These rotate down behind the two bars across the hole where the grill sits. I would think this serves two purposes now. It makes ripping them off much harder and also secures the grill and strakes to the body of the car rather than relying on the plastic grill clips.....

Phlash

...after the grill is installed, rotate the clips down and tighten them down using a 3mm allen wrench. ***FYI TIP*** before you stick a 3mm wrench in this space, throw a hand towel in the bottom of the opening, if you drop the 3mm wrench, the towel will keep it from sliding down into the underbody cavity and which point you will have to pull out the old magnet picker-upper and go fishing (trust me on this one.....)

Sorry about the lousy pics but it's pretty damn hard to get a camera in the fender space. In these pics you can see the two silver clips in the first one and one in the second and third.

Once you tighten down, don't forget to get your hand towel out, and put your wheel well back together. good luck! :D

Phlash

D menac 7,

I expect to see this new design coming out of your shop say....within the week????......... :D ......and with "Demo" samples available to all the fine folks on this board correct?????

The washer is not "keyed." I would think that a keyed washer would still allow the strake to rotate around. The strake has the keyed notch molded onto the strake itself. It sets the level of the strake based on the "diamonds" in the grill. It would suck if you had a grill that had diamonds mis-molded or angled wrong. The washer and locknut have been replaced with the "L" bracket.....

D MENAC 7

Ah ha, that is why I wanted pics. I had a feeling that was the case. A new mouse trap. However, the bracket looks like it provides a spring like tension. Dang, if only I had a new set it would be easy to cast a mold. I am still casting a mold for the old set let alone the new one...:D Still, $195 or so vs. the Franklin I am thinking about...the old way didn't break, they just improved upon it.

D MENAC 7

My mud guards were on too so, we did similar, I had m 15 year old slip his hand back in there to undo the grilles and I just snapped them back in place.

ibfubar2000

I just wanted to thank everybody who had input on this thread. I just bought a set of strakes on ebay for $100.00 (old style) (they were used but in perfect condition still had screwss too) so no instructions. with the help of this thread I was able to install them in no time. THANKS PEOPLE!!! :D