i Was told a strut tower brace has no real benifit on a miata other than bling factor in the engine bay? the suspension is already well balanced and theres no real load on the front shocks, therefore there is really no need for the extra support from a brace

 

you heard correctly. what I've heard it does help with is cowl flex.

 

Pretty much true. I have one installed just because it looks cool, and I'm also using it as part of a master cylinder brace (you ever see how much that thing moves the firewall when you press down the brake pedal?!).

 

That's what I'm talking about, I've had my friend jump in a push the pedal down hard and a MC brace looks like it would be a definite help. One would be easy to make if you already had the ST brace in there as well.

 

You guys don't use the spare screwdriver trick?

 

No...then again, I don't have any spare screwdrivers

 

how did you do that? any pics?

whats the screwdriver trick?

 

All a strut tower brace does to a street Miata is cause it to push... BAD!
If your car is fully track prepped with the tires and suspension to support the increased stiffness, then maybe.

None of the serious autocrossers use one and these are the guys that are running full suspension. It does help with the bling factor though.

I had one until an guy at the local autocrosses laughed at me and told me the story. I removed the brace, but left the mounts in place. I also have a small brace (in the form of a large bolt) on my drivers side mount to keep the brake master cyliner from flexing. I'll post pics when I get home later.

 

I fail to see how the same "strut tower" bar that does nothing to help the stiffness of the front suspension on a Miata could "cause it to push...BAD!"

 

Ah-eeeeh push it. Ah-eeeeh push it. Push it real good.

 

Nice.

 

I run my triangle brace. it helped a lot with cowl shake and keeping the tires from skipping on rough pavement.

 

I found that it helped cowl flex, and may have made turn in a little more direct. But that could have been placebo effect.

 

Who said it doesn't help with stiffness? Help isn't the word I'd use though, but it does stiffen up the front end. The problem is that stiffer isn't better due how well the suspension in naturally sorted. Maybe a better thing to call these braces since we don't have struts is (cowl shake brace), or (shock tower brace).

Yes, the bar does nothing directly to the suspension, but there is always a certain amount of "suspension" in the chassis itself. When you stiffen the front end and not the rear to the same extent, all other things being equal, you'll push. That was the explanation I received and the logic I believe is sound. I've been wrong before though.

I was at a local autocross earlier in the summer. After two runs, another Miata driver came over out of the blue...
"Hi, I'm Jon, mind if look under your hood."
"Sure man, you drive that yellow one, right..."
"Yup."
I pop the hood.
He says, "I thought so. Take that bar off and you won't push anymore."
Then he walked away.

It was like a gift from the autocross God. Previously, my fastest laps always involved crazy push. No matter what I did or how much I slowed it down, the instant I'd lift from braking and steer for the apex, I'd push somewhat all the way around. No amount of slowing down would help, that'd just mean I'd have to get back on the gas sooner and push anyways on corner exit. I'm not the greatest driver, but damn!

When I removed the bar, I put back in some natural chassis flex and the front didn't push... at all. I could keep steering control and actually hit my apexes. My times dropped over two seconds per lap and I was keeping pace with the EVO's.

 

I like that story. A lot.

 

I'll have to try it. It's just so pretty.. and has the master cyl brace (uhh de-jdm-ified from the right side to the left)



course I can't change my spark plugs or do ANYTHING with it in there....

 

I have a MCB that isn't part of a STB that I had to take out when I put in the Greddy. Hopefully I can make some room later by moving the MAF so I can put it back.

 

Im taking my **** off, It takes up too much room and put it back on later or not after my turbo set-up is done.

 

Since when is a rigid chassis a bad thing? If removing the STB helped your car some how you had other problems. Maybe the STB was serously pre-loaded and creating some odd geometry? Either that or it's all in your head

 

does the front lower tie bar help to stiffen or is that hoopa' la also?