opinions on frame rail strengthening options

[SpeedWorks]

So I remembered seeing this youtube video a long time ago of someone beefing up their frame rails and for the life of me I couldn't find the video, until last night. Here it is:



My frame rails are kinda smashed like many others have experienced with their miatas. I'd love a set of frame rail braces, but don't have the money at the moment to get some and this mod seems like it would work well in place of braces and I can get it done on the cheap. Also, since my car is fully stripped at the moment, this would be the perfect time for me to do something like this on my car.

What do you all think about this method to strengthen the frame rails? Do you think I would compromise anything on the car by cutting off the original frame rails and going this route?

Any suggestions or comments on this?

Also, i'm gonna talk to my fabrication guy and see how much it would cost if he could make up a set of frame rail braces for me. If he can do braces on the cheap, then I might have him make me a set, but I think I might still want to go through with the repair like the video first to repair the rails, then cover them up with a set of braces.

[—atank—]

I know you mentioned money, so if it were me I would save until i had enough to get frame rail braces, the original frame rails can be pulled back out with a dent puller, are your vertical walls crushed? Got any pictures?

[Boris]

That looks absolutely stupid.
Pull the dents out as best as you can and spend your money on seam welding the door openings.

[SpeedWorks]

I know you mentioned money, so if it were me I would save until i had enough to get frame rail braces, the original frame rails can be pulled back out with a dent puller, are your vertical walls crushed? Got any pictures?

Atank, if you go to my build thread on the last page, you can kinda see the condition of my frame rails from the pics of the car on its side. I can probably have some frame rail braces fabricated locally for less than what they cost from FM, so I might go that route, but I will have to straighten out my rails in order to install the braces. My thought was that maybe I can do something similar to the youtube video and then install the braces afterward. I might give extra strength and rigidity by doing both and it would save in having to straighten out the factory rails.

That looks absolutely stupid.
Pull the dents out as best as you can and spend your money on seam welding the door openings.

Seam welding was not part of my plan at all on the car, and I don't plan on going that route either, but thanks for the suggestion.

[—atank—]

I would not cut them, just take your time and get the dents out, then have some braces fabed, keep us updated on your progress, the FB's that you are going to have fabed what material you planning on using SS? Aluminum???

[wannafbody]

I had a local welder cap mine-it really made a noticable difference in stiffness.

[SpeedWorks]

so it looks like i won't be cutting my frame rails after all. I'm gonna try to get my car back in rolling form soon and get it over to my friend's shop where I can put the car on the lift and start pulling the rails and straightening them up as much as possible. I also got word of some frame rail braces made by static 9 that are very inexpensive, so i'm gonna try to pick up a set of those soon to install while the car is up in the air.

thanks for all the feedback on this topic everyone. if you want to see the continued progress on my car, just check out my build thread.

thanks

[Darthteddy]

The V8R rails that 949 sells are very affordable and work great.

So much easier then spending all the time pulling out dents in them.

[SpeedWorks]

The V8R rails that 949 sells are very affordable and work great.

So much easier then spending all the time pulling out dents in them.

normally, frame rail braces fit snugly over the stock rails. If the stock rails and smashed or pushed in to out of shape in any way, the braces won't go over them, so I'll probably have to pull my stock rails in order to fit any brand of frame rails braces on.

[The Driver]

The V8R rails that 949 sells are very affordable and work great.

So much easier then spending all the time pulling out dents in them.

I did this, and it is worth EVERY penny. I have the V8R, but I actually recommend the Flyin Miata ones better.

[—tsingson—]

I have the Boss Frame rails on mine and they made a pretty noticeable difference. The price on these were really good, even though I won mine in a raffle. I don't know if they are still for sale though. As far as crushed rails go, as long as you can pound them to where you can slip the rails on you should be fine. Part of mine were slightly crushed and we had to pound the rail to slip on the frame rail.

[Jumbosrule]

Use a bench vice sitting on a floor jack and pinch the crushed frame rails back into shape. Easier than pounding back into shape.

[wannafbody]

I think properly designed door bars would be more effective.

[Massiah]

I have rails on both my cars, FM on the NA and Static Nine Garage on the NB. In both cases the factory sheet was crushed to bits. I got a large pipe wrench and muscled them back into shape, then installed the rails. Both were inexpensive, the 9 rails are cheaper but come powerdercoated. If I lived in an area with weather, or had a lower car, I would get the FM rails or some other stainless option.

[The Driver]

I think properly designed door bars would be more effective.

I'll have to disagree here. Door bars are probably stiffer, but they are also more intrusive. No just that, but once the frame rails are installed, you won't even know they are there. So the door bars would add stiffness at the expense of been in the way.
I have heard stories of cars developing understeer tendencies after the door braces have been installed. Maybe, maybe not, but they are certainly more intrusive.