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Front end strengthening

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Old 04-11-18, 11:37 PM
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Front end strengthening

So after going off the track into a dirt pile, I am starting to look at things that could help keep the frame straight during something like that. I ended up leaving the track with the driver upper frame bent in slightly but enough to have the driver wheel toed out. Spent $400 getting the thing straight again, but wish it would have just been a bent or broken control arm. When measuring the engine bay, the rear seemed fine as well as strut to strut tower, but the front part near the headlights had went in almost 2 inches. Is there any type of addon that gives more structure to our fragile frames or is it just something like a custom roll cage for the engine bay that has to be made? I feel like having a custom bar in that area that hold my vmount radiator setup actually held it some and starting to think of maybe trying something thicker in that area.
Old 04-12-18, 02:16 AM
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I'm sure you could make something, but it bends as you saw since that is part of the crash structure designed to deform and absorb crash energy.

Maybe check out drift builds or maybe even the old JGTC cars for some ideas.

Vince
Old 04-12-18, 10:54 AM
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You can and others have strengthened the front rail extensions, but then they transfer more force into the core unibody in an accident and will bend the core unibody.

Its not easy to straighten the core unibody from the firewall back and when it bends it puts dimples and kinks in the outer body skin which won't pop out.

If you do a full cage and then tie front bars into the front rail extensions then it reinforces both the core unibody and the front rail extensions at the same time and to a commensurate degree if done correctly.

At some point in racing you end up with a tube frame car with FD body panels by sevensonly.com or you go the RX-8 for cheap donor bodies.
Old 04-12-18, 01:59 PM
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So Carbing Okuyama makes a front brace...I don't know much about it but I saw it on rhdjapan

https://www.rhdjapan.com/okuyama-car...rx-7-fd3s.html
Old 04-13-18, 09:26 AM
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Well I am having a hell of a time getting the alignment straight. The subframe doesn't look moved, nothing seems bent and both the frame shop and alignment shop couldn't see anything wrong either. All of the problem is with the driver front needing the caster bolt all the way turned and still doesn't match the pass side, then the toe cannot be adjusted in anymore cause they are maxed out so the front wheels are toed out enough to feel it.
Old 04-13-18, 10:50 AM
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The subframe doesn't look moved, nothing seems bent and both the frame shop and alignment shop couldn't see anything wrong either.
If the car has been on the frame machine and checked out OK then you must have bent the lower front suspension arm(s) or spindle(s) at the steering arm(s). The frame machine indexes your car's unibody and matches it to precise measurements.

Frame machine does not have a function to check suspension components as far as I know.
Old 04-13-18, 12:12 PM
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So basically anything from the subframe to the hub... Fun
Old 04-13-18, 01:57 PM
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I seriously doubt your componants are damaged and your body/frame isn't. My guess is you have the wrong people looking at it. You may want to give Bret dePedro a call at Peformance Racing, Welcome to RP Performance Racing, we are your source for Mazda Spec Miata racing support RP Performance Racing. He pretty much deals with race prepping Miatas day in and day out and i'm sure he can get you sorted. I had him dial in my suspension. He knows his stuff
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