Review: CP Racing Triangulated Front Strut Tower Brace

[www.03msp.com]

Hey everybody!

I thought I would share my experiences with one of many products from CP Racing (http://www.cpracing.ca).

From the time I had ordered to the receipt of the product, turn-around-time was under two weeks (and it came from Canada!).

The exterior packaging was to be expected, but was larger than I had thought.

Upon opening the package, my mouth began to drool at the enormity of this product and the thickness of the bars. WOW!

The interior packaging had lacked, they should wrap the brace in bubble wrap or foam due to some nick marks on the bar from packaging. Though I am a stickler on this, this is the first time I had passed on it due to the price/value of what I thought was fair.

Earlier yesterday I had picked up less than five dollars worth of Grade8 hardware (as the brace doesn't come with any) to mount this bad boy in. The hardware needed is to attach the point to the firewall. I purchased the following (all in 3/8"): 2-3/8"x1.5" bolts, 2-3/8" nuts, 6-3/8" THICK washers, and 4-1/2" THICK washers all from the local Home Depot near my employment.

Prior to even starting the job last night, I reviewed the recommended install procedures via the support page on CP Racing's web site. It was not highly detailed but sufficed for me.

Honestly, the job took all-in-all about 1 hour. It may take a novice a little more. I spent about 20 minutes more trying to modify the existing bracket that held up A/C on the firewall, and after staring at it, I just decided to use, two black tie wraps and I have a mangled bracket left over.

I'm not going to do a "full install" procedure on this as it is pretty self explainatory when you get involved. Honestly, basic hand tools as well as a drill (self tapering drill bit does help) should suffice. A few of the existing small brackets may need to be bent a little as the placement of the brace directly goes onto both shock towers and does not utilize the black brackets on either shock tower that the stock bar uses. This was all very minor.

I have to say - when bolted up, it's awesome and definitely dwarfs the stock bar. After going for a spin last night and driving "spirited" to work this morning, the stock bar "is for looks".

My impression on handling is that of my Type-R. When driving in a straight line, it is very apparent that the body is more rigid. When going over bumps, it is more stiff as well, but a "good kind" of feeling. When going around corners, holy s***! - what a difference. See, there is this one turn that I always used to take hard with the Type-R and it handled awesome, but this car didn't quite do the same. Now, with this bar on, it is better than the Type-R!

I am a happy camper, and advise that my $150.00 was well spent.

Okay, here is the pic of it installed:

- Brian

 

[srtchick]

looks really good !(thumb)

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

I've got one from them, and I was also really happy with it. I've got nothing but good things to say about CPRacing. Did you know that they make a rear one now too?

 

[jaisai01]

does it fit with CC tho...

 

[jersey_emt]

Looks really good! $150 is not a bad price at all.

 

[www.03msp.com]

does it fit with CC tho...

Speeds don't have it - otherwise the CC would need a modified bracket.

 

[www.03msp.com]

I've got one from them, and I was also really happy with it. I've got nothing but good things to say about CPRacing. Did you know that they make a rear one now too?

They do!?!? Where is that listed - on their site?!

- Brian

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

They used my Mazda as a model to size up the bar. I told them I'd bring it back to them so they can take pics of it in and put it on the site. They did a great job on it, it doesn't interfere with the trunk space at all but it does make it hard to put really long things in it by folding the rear seats down. I can still slide my snowboard in it though so its not that bad. Worth it though considering how much it stiffened up the rerar end. Give them a call, their number is on their site I think and they'll be able to give you better details.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

By the way. I had a qusetion that you might be able to help me out with. I just got my 03.5 Speed and its got about 2500 miles on it now. I've been noticing that when I step on the gas in 4th or 5th gear I feel a little hesitation. Like its not getting enough gas or something. I've heard a thing or two about people getting the ECU flashed or something. What does this mean and do you think it applies?

 

[Natey]

Nice! (thumb) My CP Racing STB should be here any day. How do the welds look? The Paint? Is it spray painted or powdercoated?Sorry for the questions, I'm getting excited, I guess.

FYI: They'll send a bracket for the CC if you need it, I'll post whether it fits or not in a couple of days.

 

[www.03msp.com]

Nice! (thumb) My CP Racing STB should be here any day. How do the welds look? The Paint? Is it spray painted or powdercoated?Sorry for the questions, I'm getting excited, I guess.

FYI: They'll send a bracket for the CC if you need it, I'll post whether it fits or not in a couple of days.

Welds look good, paint - hard to tell how it is affixed on, I see no spray marks, nice and even.

- Brian

 

[jersey_emt]

You aren't being one with the search button! lol

Read up on this thread: http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50549. It has information about the hesitation and a bunch of other issues you may encounter with your MSP.

Also, it is not considered proper 'forum etiquette' to post an unrelated question in someone else's thread. If you have a separate question, you should start a new thread by clicking the "New Thread" button.

By the way. I had a qusetion that you might be able to help me out with. I just got my 03.5 Speed and its got about 2500 miles on it now. I've been noticing that when I step on the gas in 4th or 5th gear I feel a little hesitation. Like its not getting enough gas or something. I've heard a thing or two about people getting the ECU flashed or something. What does this mean and do you think it applies?

 

[STAR 80]

Sorry guys but I firmly believe the bar to be rather sub par.

The workmanship the fitment the packaging the lack of instruction. This bar could be constructed in 30 mins. using around 15 dollars worth of material. And done better in every aspect.

My tabs in the rear to mount to firewall are so crooked I couldn't mount them.
No packaging whatsoever. And for anything that would require altering brackets, removing brackets, scratching freeking paint on the vehichle to get it to fit somewhat properly should have a little "sorry for the BS weld job, but heres what you may have to alter on your car to get my product to work instructions" included in the packaging. I mean write something up in MS Word and printed and throw it in the box for your customer. How exspensive in money or effort could it possibly be?

Props to CP to even support the Protege and other Mazdas, I payed $175 for the product that in my opinion could have been better in some areas. I will say it does its job. But then again so did the stocker.

 

[Natey]

Yikes. I haven't heard the best things about the welds/paint/ fitment before this, now I'm a little bit worried. I bought my bar through essentialspeed,and they told me that "we wouldn't send anything that looks sub-par to our customers."(or something to that tune). I guess they clean up the welds, repaint the bar, and hopefully test fit it before sending it to their customer.

That's service!(thumb) I'll post when I get it...hopefully all those issues have been dealt with by the time the STB makes it to me.

 

[carbonfibermp3]

Where does the front bar mate up on the fire wall? Is there any reinforced metal behind the firewall or something? My friend and I build our own bracing in our cars (01 ES and 01 MP3) and the firewall doesn't seem strong enough to support the stress of the bar and may puncture the firewall in a crash. I'm not bashing the product because I haven't actually tried it, but we had the same idea and it didn't seem wise when we tried it. Just my $0.02

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

You aren't being one with the search button! lol

Read up on this thread: http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50549. It has information about the hesitation and a bunch of other issues you may encounter with your MSP.

Also, it is not considered proper 'forum etiquette' to post an unrelated question in someone else's thread. If you have a separate question, you should start a new thread by clicking the "New Thread" button.

Sorry dude, didn't mean to offend. I went to Brian's website from his sig and saw on his mods that he did the 'flash' upgrade so I thought I'd ask him specifically about what it was. I used the search engine and found nothing related to it. That may be because I don't know how to surf this site yet though LOL. Thanks for the link to the other thread though, some interesting stuff there.

Anyway, back to the topic. I could feel a difference between the stock bar and CP's. Like someone else said already, the stock one is just for show. Sorry you didn't like it Star, but I didn't have the same experience with them. If I wasn't happy with it I'd have called them to sort it out. I don't know about the install issues cause I took it there and they put it on for me. The bar was spray painted and the welds looked fine to me. For where it mates with the firewall look at Brians pic that best describes it. Nice job on the painted valve cover by the way, it looks tight!

 

[www.03msp.com]

Sorry dude, didn't mean to offend. I went to Brian's website from his sig and saw on his mods that he did the 'flash' upgrade so I thought I'd ask him specifically about what it was. I used the search engine and found nothing related to it. That may be because I don't know how to surf this site yet though LOL. Thanks for the link to the other thread though, some interesting stuff there.

Anyway, back to the topic. I could feel a difference between the stock bar and CP's. Like someone else said already, the stock one is just for show. Sorry you didn't like it Star, but I didn't have the same experience with them. If I wasn't happy with it I'd have called them to sort it out. I don't know about the install issues cause I took it there and they put it on for me. The bar was spray painted and the welds looked fine to me. For where it mates with the firewall look at Brians pic that best describes it. Nice job on the painted valve cover by the way, it looks tight!

Guys -

I had NO fitment issues, no scratching of anything, nada. The welds and paint were pretty good. I have NO complaints. I have spent $400.00 on a bar like this for my Type-R and quality was no better (though it was polished). Where it connects up to the firewall - the firewall is double reinforced which means the sheet metal is about 12 gauge in thickness). I don't see how there could be any issues. There is a definite difference in handling. I would buy another product from them. They must have improved their process as I bought the bar DIRECT from CP (not Essential Speed).

I'm pretty stinkin' happy.


BLAH!

 

[jersey_emt]

Where does the front bar mate up on the fire wall? Is there any reinforced metal behind the firewall or something? My friend and I build our own bracing in our cars (01 ES and 01 MP3) and the firewall doesn't seem strong enough to support the stress of the bar and may puncture the firewall in a crash. I'm not bashing the product because I haven't actually tried it, but we had the same idea and it didn't seem wise when we tried it. Just my $0.02

I would think that in any frontal collision severe enough to have this happen you wouldn't stand much of a chance anyways.

 

[DiscreetSpeed]

Sorry guys but I firmly believe the bar to be rather sub par.

The workmanship the fitment the packaging the lack of instruction. This bar could be constructed in 30 mins. using around 15 dollars worth of material. And done better in every aspect.

My tabs in the rear to mount to firewall are so crooked I couldn't mount them.
No packaging whatsoever. And for anything that would require altering brackets, removing brackets, scratching freeking paint on the vehichle to get it to fit somewhat properly should have a little "sorry for the BS weld job, but heres what you may have to alter on your car to get my product to work instructions" included in the packaging. I mean write something up in MS Word and printed and throw it in the box for your customer. How exspensive in money or effort could it possibly be?

Props to CP to even support the Protege and other Mazdas, I payed $175 for the product that in my opinion could have been better in some areas. I will say it does its job. But then again so did the stocker.

i agree...seen the bar in person.

 

[STAR 80]

I too bought direct. Chris from CP, when he did leave a message he was very nice. But this isn't his first product.

This is what he states on ebay to sell the bar.

I quote:

BE CAREFULL! DO NOT WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY!

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, DO NOT SETTLE FOR NON-FUNCTIONING PRODUCTS!

Triangulated strut tower brace for the MazdaSpeed/Protege 5/MP3/3rd Gen 1999-2003.5. Designed to replace the factory brace and strut attachment brackets. Constructed of lightweight high strength steel tube and is of solid construction, no joints to flex or pivot. Bar bolts to firewall for maximum rigidity and strength. Easily installed without major disassembly or down time with basic hand tools. DOES NOT require alteration of any engine or under hood components. Comes with detailed installation guide and all necessary hardware.

It mounts to firewall using nothing other than firewall sheet metal and your choice of washers. (As none were included) Something of which you do have to alter and does so with the removal and alterations of brackets. Which The last sentence clearly is incorrect. I altered my passebger side emission bracket and it came out rather nice-elly. But I can see where the majority of people will destroy the bracket due to the metal is weak and only a couple of bends will break the bracket.

And to be honest here only today did I actually find CP's website.
CPRACING.ca and that was by using his email address. Only then did I find the Acrobat installation file. That was a little more useful than not.

I like the bar. And presently its the coolest of the strut bar options. But the workmanship and packaging needs addressing. Any of you guys waiting for your bar Fear not!! You will be happy.

I will try maybe to make a quick install guide and show you how I modded the bracket for future installs. As it does intale a few step thaat are very neccessary and without guidance.