Frame rails and Butterfly brace for NB or...

[MarkGT]

Hi there, new member as I have recently bought a 2000 Grace Green NB8B

I'm looking into chassis bracing and have noticed that my car already has a similar thing to the butterfly brace as standard so was wondering whether the FM brace was worth it.

If the standard 'butterfly brace' does a good enough job, I am looking at getting BF/FM frame rails, BF frog arms and BF door bars. I have read that the door bars are well worth it, and may actually individually do a better job than any butterfly brace at reducing twisting and flex around the long axis of the car.

Any thought on this?

Mark

[sliq]

door bars are defective.

[MarkGT]

door bars are defective.

You mean you can be issued with a defect notice for having them? Annoying, though I'd be surprised to even be inspected for mods in an MX5 that looks stock let alone for them to notice the bars specifically...

[marcusus]

From what I remember, the butterfly braces won't fit to a NB8B because of the stuff they've already got? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[MarkGT]

From what I remember, the butterfly braces won't fit to a NB8B because of the stuff they've already got? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I'd be pulling off the existing centre web bracing and adding the FM butterfly brace if I did the install...

[Fatty]

From what I remember, the butterfly braces won't fit to a NB8B because of the stuff they've already got? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I'd be pulling off the existing centre web bracing and adding the FM butterfly brace if I did the install...

i don't think it's the centre web brace that fouls on the butterfly brace, it's one of the cross braces. apparently the cross brace can be modified so that it works with the butterfly brace ( i expect it just needs some angle grinding or something like that).

but yeah, it's an interesting question that you've raised, about the fm butterfly brace vs the oem "web" brace, and i don't recall ever seeing a definitive answer to this question. let's face it, the butterfly brace is basically just a bigger, heavier copy of the oem "web" brace from the nb8b, made to fit to the earlier model cars. so would a car that already has the web brace benefit from a butterfly brace.... my guess would be that it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. but it's just a guess and i'd be keen to hear opinions of those people who have directly compared the 2 braces.

[marcusus]

FM reckons they fit all MX-5's. See here.

When we did the first group buy on these a couple years back, the "newest" car that had one put on was a NB8A, which was mine. There were no NB8B or C's that got the braces with us. Whether that indicates anything about fitment being an issue is a different matter.

[sliq]

fatty's correct, it is one of the bars that run across for the 8b's. can be easily fixed.

[MarkGT]

Good discussion brewing here, but nobody has any opinions on the door bars then? Anybody have them?

[sliq]

kula on the forum has them for his na. cusco ones iirc. quick search should do it..

[RG.net]

Good discussion brewing here, but nobody has any opinions on the door bars then? Anybody have them?

Here you go.

http://clubroadster.net/vb_forum/showth ... +door+bars

[MarkGT]

kula on the forum has them for his na. cusco ones iirc. quick search should do it..

Just checked out Kula's sweet ride and no wonder I couldn't find them with a 'door bars' search as they are called 'C-pillar braces' by Cusco. Thanks for that.

[MarkGT]

Good discussion brewing here, but nobody has any opinions on the door bars then? Anybody have them?

Here you go.

http://clubroadster.net/vb_forum/showth ... +door+bars

A great read, especially the comment about frame rails making a bigger difference...

[Rob E]

unless you have a race seat and harness i wouldnt use door bars. the risk of serious injury in an accident due to their use is too high imho. i'll pass on the broken hip

[MarkGT]

unless you have a race seat and harness i wouldnt use door bars. the risk of serious injury in an accident due to their use is too high imho. i'll pass on the broken hip

Ouch! Good point...