Miata BDB Frame Rail Braces

I installed the front and back BDB frame rail braces at the same time as I installed the V8R Frame Rails on my '93 Miata, which made the install go smoothly and everything lined up as it should. I would change two things about the package, first I wish V8R would include torque specs, especially since there are some steel fasteners going into aluminum spacers. And second, on the NA Miata the aft most holes (of the frame rails, and thus for the rear brace) are really tight to the rear bulkhead, requiring you to either relocate or cut through the rear bulkhead to get a good fit. Everything is under the carpet so you can't tell once it's all back together, so it's really a minor point. Altogether the package is great and the improvement in the stiffness of the chassis was immediately noticeable.

I have a V8 Roasters front subframe, but a Flyin Miata butterfly brace. There is no way it is going to play with the Flyin Miata brace without major surgery front and rear. I will use them on a later V8 build with all V8 Roaster bits. I really wanted the front to close in the rear of the front subframe, but will just fabricate a bar. The welding and finish are excellent. If I was starting from scratch I would still buy it.

The rear brace bolted right up after adding a 1/2" of spacers (and new bolts) to all 4 mounting points. This was needed to clear my exhaust, Racing Beat Power Pulse, no resonator (not exactly a massive exhaust). I imagine it only clears the factory unit. The spacers should be a little longer out of the box for exhaust compatibility.

I am unable to bolt up the front brace for several reasons. The middle mounting points that attach to the frame rails do not line up to my bolt holes. Those mounting points should have been a little bigger/slotted/something to make up variance in frame rail installs (other mounting points do). Nor do I have the OEM front sub-frame. I assumed it was compatible with the v8 Roadsters sub-frame, that was a mistake on my part and I should have asked first. I'll have to make some new holes in the brace, modify my frame rail install points and possibly modify the middle mounting holes on the brace. For now, it's hanging on the wall as an art piece.

Some torque specs for the bolts that go into the spacers would be nice as they're aluminum and ripping out the threads from over tightening was a concern.