Hi all! I have a question regarding the part number of cross-members on S2. I tried to search this topic here but was not lucky enough to find an answer hence asking.

I realized that there are two of them available:
FE01-34-80XF W/O SIDE SPOILER W/SIDE SPOILER-SMALL
FE01-34-80XC W/SIDE SPOILER-LARGE

According to the description I assume an R3 should use the cross-member with 'XC' postfix. But are there any differences between these two? I have checked mazda parts store online and seems like the 'XC' one is discontinued.
The reason I am looking into cross-member is that the front wheel alignment on my R3 is somewhat off. Passenger front max negative camber is only -0.7deg and max caster is -5.9deg. I doubt if a bent cross-member might be the cause.

 

Did some extra searching and seems like the R3 ones is 'foam-filled'. Not exactly sure what it means, my guess is that it may be more rigid? To me it sounds like a factory 'mod' that OEM like to market on it, hard to say if it actually makes a noticable difference..

 

You can dig around here a bit, there's some that will claim the urethane foam-filled crossmember gives a bajillion times better steering feel, and others believe it makes no difference.

 

R3 is always the large spoiler reference

did you hit a curb or something?

 

No I did not. But I doubt if the previous owner had. Below are the reasons of why I suspect this:
1. Front passanger side max Camber/Caster seems off.
2. Front Passenger side has a replacement LCA since it has a part label on it.
3. Car had considerable amount of vibrations when engine is around 1100-1300rpm regardless of gear/clutch position. Warmer the car, greater the vibration. Vibration magnitude peaks when I start to move the car in 1st gear while half way clutch in after the car is warm.

But again, just my suspicion. I have not found a solid answer to it yet.

 

it will likely need to go to a frame shop to determine that, I have a copy of the crash repair manual with all the chassis dimensions, but it’s not something most people are capable of doing on their own.
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It was foam filled to add stiffness and reduce vibrations.

 

So I looked this up last night.. I'm not sure you can even order that part anymore. FE01-34-80XF supersedes FE01-34-80XC. I suspect that they are no longer making the foam filled ones and just making the standard crossmembers. Which is a bummer since I wanted to upgrade my car with the foam filled version later on.

 

I think I remember when I checked mine that you could see the foam along the edges of the member so it might be possible to fill it yourself if you desired.

 

I doubt most people can tell the difference. They did the same thing on the special S1 models; Shinka, etc. which were bloated full option fat whales.

so I’d really question it being anything much more than profit increasing marketing point and maybe some minor nvh reduction at a certain frequency.

it shows qty 1 at the Chicago PDC
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