Lawone

Evening Peeps.


Does the front cross member have any impact on the rigidity of the car itself. For example will it effect handling. etc etc..


I am tempted to do something similar to the below.




Cheers ThePass for the photo.


The plan is to run a larger intercooler. Get some aluminium sheeting and create some ducting.

If you look though the mouth of the bumper.. your see pretty much the crossmember & front support blocks a good potion of the oil cooler & rad.



Now.. I feel with the cross member removed (with a thin support bar in place) I can create some ducting from the top potion of the bumper mouth going to the top of the radiator.

see below for my idea.. lol...




rection * Section - do * Go

Man I need to read before I save.. annoying you cant edit a text in paint.

I posted this over @ mx5nutz but thought I give you give a shout as it seems to be you guys across the water who have done it the most.


Cheers,

Lawrence

Handy Man

Do some searching, its been covered before.

The quick answer is that it does affect rigidity, but if you replace it with something sufficiently rigid (i.e. DOM tubing) you will be fine.

miata2fast

iTrader: (2)

I cut out the front crossmember and radiator support to replace them. When they were gone, I was surprised how much flex there was in the frame. I also had the K member removed which made it worse.

Lawone

Well.. I did the job! thought I just update this thread.





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Fitted Larger FMIC

Mr. Wob

iTrader: (2)

That certainly does not look equally as rigid. Is that weldable 1/8" bar from the hardware store? Hmmm, I would revise if were me...

motormechanic

iTrader: (1)

you could easily fit 1-1.5" DOM tubing there. would be much stronger.

Lawone

It's a bit of right angled steel.. rather thick too.

It does not flex you can't even pull it about I would say it's pretty much solid.

triple88a

iTrader: (2)

Why not put the oil cooler between the IC and the rad?

Lawone

This was an idea. But since going to the larger IC. my intake temps are much much better.

Oil does not get above 100c on track. So can't see any point moving it.


It's kinda to much hassle for the gain I reckon.

triple88a

iTrader: (2)

Moving the oil rad will drop the ic temps, otherwise you're heating the intake temps in that area. Of course thats in exchange for increased temps of the oil by a bit since the the air flowing through it is a bit hotter.

Lawone

I have a track day book in a weeks time. I will report back. But before I used to go from 13c to 45c which is a big big increase in air temp.

Since installing the bigger IC. I get around a 10c increase when really giving the girl some.

I see your idea.. But the plan is to create some ducting with some aluminium sheets which should help alot with the cooling.

Lucky over in England we don't get temps above 30c (85f) here.. lol.. Well if we do It be only for a few days.

So overall cooling isn't a big issue.

I also think due to the fact I'm running a TD04H-15G @ 16/17psi I feel it's creating quite abit of heat. due to being on the edge of efficiently if not slightly over. Which will not help towards intake temps.

Handy Man

yea... a piece of angle iron is NOT what I was referring to when I said "replace it with something sufficiently rigid"

Mr. Wob

iTrader: (2)

The human feats of strength test isnt very useful when it comes to track rigidity. I can barely push down on my cars big lb suspension but believe me the car leans in corners.

Ideally what would have been great would have been to engine crane the car on one side of the rail, jack it up and measure the droop on the other side of the rail. Then cut your cross member, then build your new one and remeasure. Its not great, but for back yard science it would at least give you base line. I would want that number to above the stock, regardless. Since we are past that, I would recommend what motormechanic said, something like DOM tubing.

Not to mention that if I have the chance to add some extra safety up front especially considering I have gutted bumper supports and such I would.

Anyone to each his own and credit given for putting a saw to your car, but I would still revise if I were you. right angle bar I can bend just fine if I use my leg...