Spin9k

Just installed these Autoexe braces. Thought you guys might enjoy a few pics.

The front bar truly braces the engine compartment. The corner arms use 1/8" steel plates to sandwich the side inner fender to the strut bar. You have to get into the fender area in the wheel well to rachet the bolts down, but not too hard. The circular strut tower extensions bolt right to all three struts bolts. The stock bar only uses two bolts and then some weird bracket piece underneath. The stock bar is extremely light weight feeling. These make things rock solid, I esp. like all the triangles created for strength.

Spin9k

The rear bar massively improves whatever lack of stiffness and strength there is in the back area. Note the stock two bolt bracket that holds the strut itself. Thats it. The Autoexe tower brace bracket is a sold 'U' steel plate top to bottom with two additional bolts at the top (using the other two pices of hardware in the pic above). The welded cross tie piece can then do its work effectively, keeping the towers from moving out of line. Whatever movement was possible before back there, is gone now. :D

One cool thing is by just taking out 4 bolts, the cross piece comes out, leaving only the little red pieces sticking through the liner. Practically invisible then, and more room...but what's left behind the liner is a heck better brace than stock, even wo/the cross piece!

How do they feel? Well I've done these things as well, a battery change/move, and Whiteline adj sways front and rear set full stiff ... so it is (will be) difficult to tell what comes from what, but the combination makes the car as different again as say going from a normal car to the 8 IMHO. The car positively changes direction without effort, much lighter feeling on its feet, and no noticeable lean whatsoever. I'm hoping for some major improvements to the tail's behavior.

The sways came with nice new (yellow) stiff bushings, no give at all... whereas the stock bushings feel like a toilet plunger... very pliable and weak. I may notice a slight increase in tire noise, but no new suspension sounds from anything yet.

Will go to NHIS for an HPDE 4/27 and put it to all the ultimate test, hopefully it will do all I am expecting :D I'll come back and post results then.

Thetitanium8

very nice.. those are the ones I want to get.

goforwand

I've been kicking around the idea of the Autoexe set up for a while. I'm really interested in hearing your impressions!

Did you have to wait for it or did someone have it in stock?

Did you consider the 4 piece member brace set for under the car as well?

Nice pics of the rear brace (I was wondering how that was installed )

Spin9k

They're beautiful! High high gloss red finish, nice 'Autoexe' name plates on each, they simply dress up where they're at. :D

I ordered them at Mazdaparts. I thought they stocked them, but it turned out they had to write to somewhere in Japan juts to get a quote after I ordered, well anyway I had them sent by boat and it was about a month to get them, but it was also fairly inexpensive (<$100).

I didn't consider the underbrace, maybe next year

Thanks, I'd never seen a series of pics showing how it was done as well, glad you like it. I was really surprised how little support, stock, there seems to be for that rear strut housing.

Speed Racer

Looking good!

I can't wait to check this out in person. :D

RotorManiac

very nice
this company makes very functional aftermarket parts... I'm not very fond of their looks :o
the rear one is a peace of art!

scsi

so the autoexe front brace doesnt have a master cylinder brace as the MS one does?

is any drilling required for any of the bars or do they both bolt into existing holes? did you have to cut the fender liner yourself?

also, how would this affect adjusting tein flex by hand (i dont want an EDFC unless i have to)

Spin9k

- No it doesn't have master cyl brace. They sell an elaborate one separately, but it is only for RHD models.
- no drilling, all existing holes
- no just undo a couple lower plastic push nuts behind the front wheels, pull the liner out of the way a bit and stick you hand in w/a wrench, then use a socket wrench to tighten the other side from under the hood. I did it alone w/no help.
- see the 3rd pic in the 1st post (front). That kinda shows that what attaches to the tower is basically a hollow tube. So anything on your strut is just as available as before no problem.
- in the back...ummm, different situation. Looking at the pics the brace pretty much covers up the reach thru area to do anything to the top of the strut tower. You can see that in the pics...but I'm not quite sure how a tein flex fits in there either? If there's a cable thingy, that might work.

Hope that helps.

XDEEDUBBX

sorry if i missed it but how much did the front and rear struts run you? thanks..

Spin9k

I got them here http://www.mazdaparts.com/ProductDet...001-1118217491 for the same price and see earlier post about ordering from them.

spin

XDEEDUBBX

thanks...very nice by the way!

scsi

haha thanks spin :P

DOMINION

WOW thats hot think I can get them then paint then blue?

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

you can powdercoat them

army_rx8

i'm thinking of getting them adn powdercoating them silver now tha ti se these pics....wish it had a master cylinder brace though ah well can't win them all i guess.

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

buy me a set please.