Mazdaspeed3 Rear Traction Bar from TB Performance!

Bar group buy is over, but can be purchased at https://tbperformanceproducts.com/ right now!

The Product

-CNC machined billet mounting cups

-Hand TIG and MIG welded

-Durable high gloss black powdercoat

-USA Made

-Reduce rear end float

-1"x1/2" Rectangular tube steel provides the ultimate in strength as well as a low profile design

-Easy install. Simply remove two bolts and bolt the brace right up

-No cutting or welding

-Clears all exhausts

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PURPLE SHOWN FOR DETAILS. Brace will ship in high gloss black powdercoat
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Yes this will clear all aftermarket exhausts.
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How It Works

The Rear Arm Bar connects both lower arms together which helps improve handling and predictablitiy in corners. This is achieved by reducing the amount of chassis deflection in this area. This deflection causes minute and sudden changes in the vehicles alignment which creates an unstable and unpredictable pattern for the driver. It also makes suspension tuning and adjustment harder as the chassis is throwing an additional variable at the system.
 
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SharksInSpace
Interested but curious about actual, legitimate real-world benefit when the backend on this platform is already fairly stiff, especially if you already have an rsb upgrade.
 
Mauro_Penguin
SharksInSpace said:
Interested but curious about actual, legitimate real-world benefit when the backend on this platform is already fairly stiff, especially if you already have an rsb upgrade.
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Depends on your suspension setup....

If you're on stock suspension, this is a complete waste of money. Stock suspension absorbs a lot of flex before it even affects the chassis.

However if you are on a stiff aftermarket suspension that resists roll and flex, then you could begin to notice the slight flex in the unibody.

There was a guy that posted here on MSO who studies chassis rigidity, and posted info about our cars and the focus regarding points of highest flex. I'm too lazy to link it here.

Either way I wouldn't bother putting this on a car unless you've upgraded everything else (including bars and tires).

If you don't believe there is any flex in this platform, try jacking up a corner in the rear. Open the hatch, and close it while watching the edges and their alignment. I guarantee that they will be slightly offset. Extreme point to test since a car will rarely see that much concentrated stress, but you can make a better judgement call about any parts.
 
SharksInSpace
I'm on B8s with Swift springs, CS rsb on full stiff and 245s....so nothing too crazy but also definitely not stock. I'm highly tempted to bump in on this, given it's a pretty cheap gamble and would give me an excuse to do some wrenching, I've just also seen a good amount of debate over the true efficacy of adding a brace in this location.
 
Mauro_Penguin
SharksInSpace said:
I'm on B8s with Swift springs, CS rsb on full stiff and 245s....so nothing too crazy but also definitely not stock. I'm highly tempted to bump in on this, given it's a pretty cheap gamble and would give me an excuse to do some wrenching, I've just also seen a good amount of debate over the true efficacy of adding a brace in this location.
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I wouldn't add braces anywhere else except maybe the strut towers and these lower control arm braces.

Just plan ahead for any clearance issues if you add any others besides this one.

Speaking of clearance issues... I've got that tin can brace from GTSpec in the front, must have hit a bucket at some point because recently I noticed it was no longer straight. Might order the front brace also to see if it holds up better.
 
Sales@TBPerformanceProducts
Forgive me lol, I forgot to explain the heritage of this brace. It has been on numerous time attack and road race vehicles since its release in 2016. Since most of my r&d was done on the focus ST, I forget that you guys havent been as exposed to my bracing and heard the first hand accounts of the product being a very noticeable upgrade...My sponsored Global Time Attack team uses it on their car and would not run a race without it according to their drivers opinion.

The reason this brace works is because it links right at the toe arms. This area of the chassis is weak and prone to deflection which as stated in the op leads to minute and sudden changes in rear toe alignment. For those of you who have done a track style alignment, you know how big a deal toe in and out can be for predictability in corners.

Now, to address the "this is only suitable for heavily modified suspension" belief. This is a reoccurring belief in the aftermarket community which is partially true and partially untrue. Of course the true bits are based on a kernel of truth. With CERTAIN types of bracing, most notorious being a strut bar, this is pretty accurate. As the deflection that a strut bar most frequently protects against is an up down deflection of the strut tower. While there is some deflection left and right, up and down is the most dramatic. The OEM suspension travel as posted above will likely be taking more of that deflection than the chassis. Once you move to aftermarket coilovers or springs etc, the chassis will take more of this load.

The Rear Arm Bar on the other hand DOES NOT work like a strut tower brace. The lower arm bar family of braces(to which the Rear Arm Bar fits into) protect deflection of front to back(relative to the vehicle) as well as some torsional forces. This is why the brace is designed with rectangular tube steel on its edge. What actually is occurring is that the base for the toe arm is being shifted forward and backward suddenly and very minutely. This means that even on OEM suspension, the Rear Arm Bar will yield results as the suspension travel has very little to do with it.

I hope this helps explain the brace a bit more and remove some of the misinformation out there about bracing on this chassis. IF you guys have any other questions about it though, definitely let me know. I have been doing this for close to a decade now(since I first started playing with chassis related things) with 7 years of actual time in business so its a huge passion of mine and I love to share it with others!
 
Sales@TBPerformanceProducts
Mauro_Penguin said:
I wouldn't add braces anywhere else except maybe the strut towers and these lower control arm braces.

Just plan ahead for any clearance issues if you add any others besides this one.

Speaking of clearance issues... I've got that tin can brace from GTSpec in the front, must have hit a bucket at some point because recently I noticed it was no longer straight. Might order the front brace also to see if it holds up better.
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Definitely let me know :D I have about 50 Traction Bars in stock that wont shred as easily as GT Specs
 
Mazdurrr73
1) Mauro_Penguin
2) motherfnmonsta
3) soundsophist
4.) sharksinspace
5.) Mazdurrr73
[doublepost=1536660670][/doublepost]Can we claim made in usa to save on duty for us Canadians?
 
nekret
alright i'm down!

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2) motherfnmonsta
3) soundsophist
4) sharksinspace
5) Mazdurrr73
6) 707speed3
7) nekret
 
_Mazdarati
sign me the fuck up

1) Mauro_Penguin
2) motherfnmonsta
3) soundsophist
4) sharksinspace
5) Mazdurrr73
6) 707speed3
7) nekret
8) _Mazdarati
 
Speedhunter
1) Mauro_Penguin
2) motherfnmonsta
3) soundsophist
4) sharksinspace
5) Mazdurrr73
6) 707speed3
7) nekret
8) _Mazdarati
9)SpeedHunter
 
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