RP: good product, better finish. wish it tailored to my taste a lil better. nonetheless, a fabulous piece.:beer05: ;)

Guess I didn't make it clear, using the little tab sucks. How's that?
Look at the geometry, there is not enough leverage just using the one bolt and the tab. What I said was it would be cheaper and I'd make more money but can't see it.
As to the hole in the strut bar it means nothing. In fact I see you're taking weight out of your car, try this hole ond you gain your reduction number. Have you ever looked at aircraft construction? They put holes all over the place, race cars also.
We have an expensive program called FEA that makes pretty color images to show where the excess material is. So believe me when I say that bar is not any weaker from the hole. Also did you miss the part where I said I don't even run a strut bar?
I'm done with this. Please don't string out my thread anymore, I have enough people bitching about the SC thread.

OK Burbank if you make an appointment I will put your brace on the bridgport and cut the hole.

Maybe someone should try this: jack the car up on one side until the other comes up. Do this without the brace and see if the hood still fits. If it does then you don't need the brace.

That is excellent!

Really, I still marvel at how stiff the RX-8 really is.
I often have to put my floor jack in different spots and it still amazes me when the "wrong" part of the car is suddenly in the air.

I've put a jack somewhere in the middle of a door sill and lifted 3 wheels inadvertently.

It must be looking at your avatar. [/end thread hijack]

from an engineering perspective, I'd rather cut a hole in the strut tower brace bracket then load up the little flimsy tab to prevent the master cylinder brace from rotating....

That could be true, my girlfreinds have no idea what they owe him.:Eyecrazy:

Coolness.. I'll PM you when I'm ready to do it..

They're ready to go. Blue, Red or Raw. Not on the web site yet but if you want one PM me. The site should have them in a day or so.
Everyone who has tried them likes it, something about going from "soft to hard."
I think we should use that in the ad.


For the first 100 units they are $70.00 plus $12.00 S&H.
If you have an aftermarket strut bar look at the pictures and see what you think. If you can just send me a picture of it and we will look at too.
Will not fit RHD cars.

^ cool.. Most of us know what it's like to go from soft to hard after seeing MM's avitar.

Installation Instructions
 

1. Remove the strut tower brace using a 12mm socket.
2. Remove the two shock mount nuts toward the rear of the car using 14mm socket.
3. Position the master cylinder brace over the shock mount studs.
4. Place the washer in the master cylinder brace mounting nut holes.
5. Install the brace mounting nuts using a 7/8" or 22 mm socket 34 - 46 ft/lbs.
6. Adjust the master cylinder support bolt using a 17mm open end wrench.
7. Load the master cylinder support bolt a quarter turn after contact (approx one to two flats, .010" - .020").
8. Tighten the master cylinder support lock nut using a 17mm open end wrench.

the brace came in this afternoon, it took about 2 mins to install since I'm not using the stock STB.

Thanks, RP!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...8/IMG_0014.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...8/IMG_0015.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...8/IMG_0016.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...8/IMG_0018.jpg

I've been getting a number of PMs regarding SCCA autox class legality so ...

Stock - not legal

Street Touring - not legal

Street Prepared and higher - legal

Based on what I see it can be in place for the classes it's not legal in, but the screw needs to be backed away from the MC so that there's a gap large enough for there not to be any bracing effect during competition

I installed the brace yesterday and flushed the brake fluid, here are a few pics of the finished product...

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...T/DSC_1235.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...T/DSC_1234.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...T/DSC_1237.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...T/DSC_1238.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...T/DSC_1239.jpg

Do you think you can cut the brace with a hack saw and then use a grinder to make it look nice?

Yes, I used a hole saw first though, then cut the rest with a small air saw and cleaned up the edges with a die grinder.

What's with the gaping hole in the bridge of the flange. I'd purchase this if it didn't massacre the bridge of the strut tower bar flange. From the looks of it, that seems like a place where lateral load would be distributed to the rest of the flange. Anyone who is going to benefit from the use of a MC brace for pedal feel/feedback under modulation is probably going to be exploiting the lateral stiffness of their car as well (track day and autox guys). Makes no sense to ruin your brace in return for pedal feel (also makes no sense to run no bar in return for pedal firmness either).

Did you read this thread at all? RP and MM both addressed this very question.

^

It's a large hole in distribution of the bridge of the brace. That's all I need to see not to buy it. I prefer to use a structurally sound brace.

the strut bar does nothing. you'd be better off removing it and just installing the MC brace instead.

The strut bar does something. I'd rather have it doing its job than have a MC brace. MS Bar with MC brace is the standard.

yeah, eye candy, just like our side vents :)

^
It's a rather ugly bar for eye candy.

When I installed my 4-point strut bar I noticed the difference right away. Steering response was noticably improved.

how did the strut bar increase steering response to a direct connect steering system with electrical assist?

^
A MC brace is a waste of a modification for anyone not modulating their brakes under trailbraking. Anyone with an educated right foot, who is proficient at brake modulation during trail braking, will be pushing their car into lateral load limits. Hence, benefiting from the lateral stiffness that a tower brace provides. It's best to have both working in conjunction. The MS bar does both.

The car changes direction quicker than with the two point. :dunno:

I wasn't expecting much difference when I acquired it but was pleasantly surprised with the improvement. If a person is driving the car like a sedan then they won't notice much but if they plan on pushing the car at all in the corners like the car is intended. :) Then they will feel a difference.

Only reason I am not getting this is, I don't see it being compatible with my brace. :(

I will look at engineering one for mine once I take care of some other things.

Increased lateral stiffness translates to improved turn-in response. Electrical assist steering is the mechanism for turning the wheel. Chassis dynamics is what distributes load which the suspension articulates, which in turn responds to the steering imput. Again, all of these work in conjunction with each other.

But it sure does feel good. I really like mine.

They both have a job and both do something well.

The MC brace definitely makes braking more linear and consistent even under light stop and go city driving.

The strut tower brace isn't really noticeable around town but you'll notice it at the track when you're pushing the limits. The frame is like a giant series of springs that work in conjunction with the suspension. It will flex depending on where the least rigid part of the frame is. Usually it's the longest section without any bracing, buttressing or support. Usually it's the shock towers.

This is the point I'm stressing.

SevenStock BUMP!!!!

Richard: will you be there again this year? I might just have to take one of these off your hands...

he might want you to pay for it Jorge

BAH!!! Me and Richard go WAY back. :)

Anyone got one of these with an aftermarket brace

Any companies sell a brace like this anymore (without having to go and buy a Mazdaspeed strut bar).

I have a used on in the garage. Will dig it up if you are interested. Let me know.