underbody brace

[Me]

hi,

as you might aware of my previous post was removed. i am reposting it as i dont have the answer yet. could someone please tell me where the underbody brace is supposed to put in for my 89 na6? i have tried to put in the front but the brace is too long for the inner holes. the bolts r also too small for the holes...

my new brace:
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_im ... 2_full.jpg

the under body (not my car)
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_im ... 9_full.jpg

[Matty]

where did you get it from and what's off?

It looks a bit like the OEM rear brace, but you'd need the mounting tabs welded onto your subframe for it to work.

[Me]

it's from another forum member in Adelaide or ACT (i dont remember). he claimed it is the front brace but i believe it is not. what r the mounting tabs look like? is it possible to purchase them separately?

[Juffa]

While it does look like a rear brace, it also looks like the factory brace in this scan from a Haynes manual.



The brace is located near the number 6. Not all early models came with the holes for the brace. Also the holes need to have captured nuts behind them to screw the bolts into.

J

[Juffa]

it's from another forum member in Adelaide or ACT (i dont remember). he claimed it is the front brace but i believe it is not. what r the mounting tabs look like? is it possible to purchase them separately?

On the early early 5s there was no rear brace. Companies such as the MX-5 Factory in Melb made their own, such as the red one in this photo. The two mounting points need to be welded on to the rear subframe.



J

[Me]

my car does not have the extra holes in the front. that might be the problem. could i have a look at someone's underbody in the next dodge brother day?

[adamjp]

That looks like a rear subframe brace that is bolted to the subframe by using the rear adjustment bolts of the lower A arm.

My aftermarket JDM bar uses the same bolts.

The picture that Juffa brought to the fore is also convincing. My front brace bolts a little further back.

The key part about fitting the rear bar is to mark the adjustment of the bolts so they can go back in with the same adjustment.

[jp928]

If you look at the Haynes pic posted by juffa, you will see a pattern of 3 holes (one larger central one with smaller ones on each side) just inboard of the rear lower arm pivot. I have an aftermarket brace bar that is just a piece of steel tube with the ends flattened, and drilled at the spacing between the large holes from one side to the other. They come with a nut that you manoeuver into the channel(bit tricky), and you hold the nut with a spanner under the lower arm inner end. It would be easier to get a piece of ~4mm steel plate that will fit in the channel, but cant turn, drill and tap it (M8?) , slide it into channel, and just screw into it.
jp 92red

[Juffa]

If you look at the Haynes pic posted by juffa, you will see a pattern of 3 holes (one larger central one with smaller ones on each side) just inboard of the rear lower arm pivot. I have an aftermarket brace bar that is just a piece of steel tube with the ends flattened, and drilled at the spacing between the large holes from one side to the other. They come with a nut that you manoeuver into the channel(bit tricky), and you hold the nut with a spanner under the lower arm inner end. It would be easier to get a piece of ~4mm steel plate that will fit in the channel, but cant turn, drill and tap it (M8?) , slide it into channel, and just screw into it.
jp 92red

I have a front brace from the MX-5 Factory that fits as exactly you described. It uses a plate with two threaded holes that the bolts scew into.

J

[emecksphive]

I just recieved my mania braces what do i need to have done to fit these?

cheers,

JR

[Me]

I just recieved my mania braces what do i need to have done to fit these?

cheers,

JR

huh? isn't ur one a straight bolt-on?

[emecksphive]

thats what im hoping, havent tried to fit them yet

[bpt4w]

not sure if these would fit but damn there nice
http://adrenalineracing.com/product_inf ... 5cd73d9207

[namster]

damn....

i jacked up my car yesterday with the trolley jack resting on those rails...
and it has bent the rail... not very strong!!
so, do these chassis braces really make a difference? their mounting points arent that strong.

[bpt4w]

well for an e.g i have a tyre shake problem , if i have the top down it shakes but if i put the top up it doesnt so it says the middle of the chasis is not that rigid , anything that makes your chasis better makes a big diffrence to handling and pwr delivery. i had the chance to drive a 89 mx5 with a full chassis bar kit on it and the diffrence was amazing to my lowly 89 with nothing on it so i will be endevouring to get similar items bolted on, dont think they have to be the same brand as long as there is more bracing around the rear and middle , front seems to be well done already all you have to do is look at what mazda itself has done to the mx5 to brace it up to realise that they were not perfect in the first place.