Cross Floor Carbon Fiber Strut Bar

[Sal]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda-3- ... 18Q2el1247" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to know if anybody has this or know someone who does. just had some questions like; is it worth it, does it really improve handling if it does is it really noticeabl, was the installation hard or awkward since it in the interior of the vehicle.

umm, thats all i can think of right now i will post more questions if anything comes to mind.

thanks alot guys!!

[solo_ryder]

Its a universal kit, who knows if it even fits our cars, and more importantly, how are you to mount it. Looks like a pain in the a-- and I don't think it would help that much in the way of handling. I haven't seen anyone with a mx3 run this part yet. Your welcome to try though

[ElectricEnergy]

I did a quick google search and there seem to be mixed reviews. Its cheap enough that it might be worth trying, and doesn't take up the back seats like a B-Pillar bar would. Once I get my other projects done I might get this and install it to see if it makes a difference. It's pretty cheap, so what is there to lose? Even if it makes as much of a difference as the front strut bar did, it'd be great.

[hotsiit]

Yeah, they are universal, you can adjust the length in and out through the middle nut thing. My brother actually has one that he got really cheap and is not using. Sometime soon, possibly today, I'm going to take it and see how it would fit my mx-3. Depending how it fits / looks, I'll have to see how to bolt it in, or just weld it in...

I'll let you all know...

[neutral]

I put one in my 95 RS a few yrs back when pulling rear seats permanently. Stainless model, looks just like the one on ebay. Mine was sold under the BOMZ name and was ~$80 USD cuz they weren't available from as many sources. Was able to adjust bar to fit MX's floor width. Installed on the lower seatbelt anchor bolts. I recall having to put some english on the bar's end plates to get everything lined up to mount and tighten correctly. Minor pita.

Did it help? Well, it didn't hurt anything but not sure how much the floorbar by itself helped cuz I installed rear B-pillar and upper strut bars at the same time. Those things, including the floor bar I guess, noticeably stiffened handling response. Also gave harsher road feel on poorly maintained roads but that's the performance tradeoff and it's not my DD.

[projectmx]

someone else in here has one that i've talked to.. wasn't too bad to install and hey it helps the rigidity... but just so you know that isn't carbonfiber it is a carbonfiber like finish... i plan on getting one myself... not sure of color but not a fake CF one

[mitmaks]

im pretty sure it helps to strengthen unibody. You would have to weld it in though across the entire floor panel to make sure it works to its full potential.

[Sal]

hi guys,

so in order to weld through the entire floor panel you would have take out the whole carpeting and seats?

you cant just bolt on the ends of the bar and maybe the middle if possible.

thanx again guys.

[projectmx]

please dno't weld it down they are giving you a hard time. do you weld the strut bars all the way across the body? no!
do you weld a b pillar bar all the way across? no!
if you have a roll cage do you weld the bars to the cars sheet metal? no!

if you do any welding you only do it at the attatchment points

[mitmaks]

you obviously do not weld strut tower bars. Definitely want to weld subrame support to the rails

[Whisper]

From Item Description:

"IMPROVE HANDLING BY 15%"

Umm...what? Haha. Sorry, no.

I see this as a rather worthless upgrade. You probably won't notice any difference, unless all your other suspension mods are maxed out and you're a serious racer. But then of course if you are, you'd get the rollcage instead.