Butterfly Brace fitment to an NB8B

[lambertius]

I've found a V1 FM Butterfly Brace used with all the bits and am considering it for my car.

Anyone with the experience of fitting one of these to an NB, will the V1 clear all the OEM bracing? Are there any things to look out for during the install?

Thanks!

[Magpie]

Big question is why?

[Lokiel]

From my fading memory (and I believe I read it on FM's own site and installation notes), I believe that the FM butterfly brace was intended for the early NAs which were "floppy" - NBs should only need the frame rails since NBs came with increasingly stiffer chassis braces with each new NB release.

ie. don't bother on an NB or be prepared to remove some of your existing braces to accomodate the butterfly brace.

[lambertius]

The NB8A was ultra floppy. I had one a few years ago and know others with them and they shake and shudder just as much an NA.

The NB8B is worlds better, just everything about it is better to the point that it surprised me. That said, under the right circumstances you will notice the characteristic shudder. The chassis bracing is up under the engine and around the rear of the car and pins the subframes to the chassis in different location.

IIRC the NB8C had a mini butterfly brace thing like the underbody of the NC does to stiffen the transmission tunnel further.

The butterfly brace protects the chassis rails and gives an easy jacking point, stiffens the longitudinal flex which the OEM bracing isn't laid out for, and adds the tunnel brace that the NB8B doesn't have.

If it fits and as its cheap, why not?

I think the older brace should fit without needing to remove anything, whereas the newer one ties into the front subframe so the subframe bracing needs to be removed.

I was hoping someone would know for sure.

[Duck]

Does anyone know if there is legality issues fitting one of these with drilling into the chassis to mount these?