MX6 rear strut bar on a Protege sedan?

[ke20sprinter]

There's been a few people that PM'd me if it's possible on putting the MX6 rear strut tower bar on a MP3/MSP Protege sedan...I'm not sure it's possible, but wanted to see what the rear strut towers looked like on a sedan. I came across this gallery that had pictures of the strut towers... http://amykdean.com/gallery/album05 (I hope she doen't mind I copied her pictures)

<Img Src="http://amykdean.com/albums/album05/Picture_555.jpg"</a><br />
^^Now what exactly is it to the left of this? I know the rear seats fold to that area.

This is from my Protege5:
<Img Src="http://www.msprotege.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=66005"</a><br />
^^This is from a Protege5 (driver's side). Notice the STRUT TOWER BAR bracket is on the left hand side of the 3 bolts (Someone has to check their sedan and see where the bracket would go).

<Img Src="http://amykdean.com/albums/album05/Picture_552.jpg"</a><br />
^^I believe underneath the frame, there is a space that you can put the bar through...You may need to use a drill and drill out some sheetmetal, but I believe you can make it work...Who's willing to try it?

A MX6 rear strut tower bar is only ~$23 with shipping & insurance included on some ebay sales...

See my HOW TO on putting on a rear strut tower bar for a P5...It's pretty simple:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2205010#post2205010

So what do you guys think? Let me know.

WiL

[shabaka]

all that metal above that you suggested having "drilled out"...
IS the rear strut tower bar on the sedan...the uni-body is already tied together at the strut towers in the rear...thats why you can't buy one for the 4-doors

but the wagon has nothing there and can use a rear bar

[Velocifero]

bump from the past! I did it today, installed a MX6 Rear strut support on my msp! There is still flexion in the rear so this will help take it down even one more notch.

[jeg0024]

theres no need for one on the sedan, pics though?

[Velocifero]

theres no need for one on the sedan, pics though?

Yeah I am gonna write up and post pics a little later. Sure there is support already there from the sheet metal and even the sub enclosure, but even more would be better, less flexion. Look at the x brace in the MS6

[Velocifero]

The purpose of strut bars is to reduce flex that these towers experience during hard cornering. When taking a turn a car's strut tower normally flex, resulting body flex and losing some traction. As a strut tower bar is designed to keep your car's strut tower from flexing, they distribute the pressure applied to one strut tower when taking a turn to both towers instead of just one. This keeps the wheels in position. Keeping the wheels in position helps keep the tires in the desired position on the road, and this will help to improve traction on the turns.

A rear strut tower bar is designed to work like the front bar by tying the two rear strut to work together, increasing the overall chassis stiffness. Rear strut bars minimize under steer due to less chassis flex and improves stability during corner braking.

Strut bars are a must for any upgrade to a wider tire&wheel combination. Addition of suspension upgrades such as sports springs, shocks and low-profile tires adds additional stress to the chassis which result in chassis flex. Strut bars not only reinforce the sub frame and improve chassis stiffness but also make steering quicker and more responsive

As well as plenty of other sedans use them, why wouldn't they be benificial in our sedan?

[shabaka]

i still would do it ...you can never be too stiff

i think the point in question here is the design of the protege vs say, a civic

other sedans comonly have a simple rear tray made of a single sheet of stamped metal

the protege on the other hand, and for reasons unknown, has a true boxed section tying the base of the c-pillars to the top of the strut towers
and in function creating it's own cross-brace/strut tower bar

so adding a rear stut tower will stiffen the car...yes
stiffen it as much as other sedans...no

[Velocifero]

i still would do it ...you can never be too stiff

i think the point in question here is the design of the protege vs say, a civic

other sedans comonly have a simple rear tray made of a single sheet of stamped metal

the protege on the other hand, and for reasons unknown, has a true boxed section tying the base of the c-pillars to the top of the strut towers
and in function creating it's own cross-brace/strut tower bar

so adding a rear stut tower will stiffen the car...yes
stiffen it as much as other sedans...no

that's what I am saying, i know we already have more support there, but every bit helps. Isn't the WRX unibody similar to ours?

[shabaka]

as far as the wrx goes i'm no expert
all though i've always loved that car

but i have noticed in pictures a stiking similarity between
the two cars in design ...like suspension and other little bits

when i regain an intrest in my protege this is one of the things on my to do list
i'll use the P5 bar from GT-Spec seeing as how i did all there other bits
with nice results

[Velocifero]

as far as the wrx goes i'm no expert
all though i've always loved that car

but i have noticed in pictures a stiking similarity between
the two cars in design ...like suspension and other little bits

when i regain an intrest in my protege this is one of the things on my to do list
i'll use the P5 bar from GT-Spec seeing as how i did all there other bits
with nice results

GT makes one for the sedan (or at least did, when i was first looking awhile back), but on a MSP you would have to remove the sub deck. The megan racing bar that I put in fits in the space just forward the sub deck, so no removal. I am going to look into a DIY cage setup like GT makes.

CP racing made a nice one that fit below the deck, but near impossible to find

reason I brought wrx into it is because they have a ton of rear strut support options

[njaremka]

subbing for info and pics, when available - i'm curious to see how you installed that thing

[shabaka]

GT makes one for the sedan (or at least did, when i was first looking awhile back), but on a MSP you would have to remove the sub deck.

reason I brought wrx into it is because they have a ton of rear strut support options

no they still make that piece, the upper bar from the trunk cage set-up
(i actually want to do both..:) because i'm a nerd)

as far as wrx goes, bolt pattern and width would be different i'm sure
but who knows maybe not that diff.

[Velocifero]

no they still make that piece, the upper bar from the trunk cage set-up
(i actually want to do both..:) because i'm a nerd)

as far as wrx goes, bolt pattern and width would be different i'm sure
but who knows maybe not that diff.

nah i don't want to use their parts, just seeing how much grounds there is to do this if the rear is already supported

[shabaka]

i see
yeah, why not do it...:) it won't hurt anything thats for sure

[Velocifero]

hopefully i'll have some time late tonight to finish the how-to with pictures and I'll link to it in here. i am just busy as hell with work and working on getting my car back up and running, the strut bar was just an addition, I fixed three fluid leaks and put a new turbo mani on, as well as readjusted all four corner's coilovers. Busy labor day weekend that ran too long because I choose to replace some gaskets after I already started, still waiting for them to arrive so I can put the mani back together.

[Velocifero]

sorry guys, i just got the car up last night and running now so I finally had time to write this out. It is a pretty simple how to. Here: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123683330