RSB Bracket Broke AGAIN - Looking for replacement options

[fywdyl]

Planning to replace the brackets with something that won't break, so sick and tired of them breaking and the clunking.

I've found 2 options so far, are there any other recommendations?

Corksport:
http://corksport.com/mazda-billet-sway-bar-brackets.html
(not sure if the bushing will fit around the JBR sway bar, I couldn't find the diameter anywhere on the website)

JBR:
http://www.jamesbaroneracing.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=46_224_67&products_id=734&zenid=dc0m3neegtmg2nu4mde470o6g0
(looks like overkill to me, but at least it will fit for sure... but an extra like $25 to ship to Canada...)

Thanks.

[Lmmorden]

I'd get JBR
Edit: may be overkill but you did blow a bracket twice

[fywdyl]

I'd get JBR
Edit: may be overkill but you did blow a bracket twice

True, but the bracket alone will cost like more than half of the swaybar, haha.

[SomeGuy]

I would question why are you breaking them in the first place? Is there something damaged/worn out with your suspension?

[murdaspeed]

Are these breaking due to stress on the brackets, corrosion, or both?

[Lmmorden]

True, but the bracket alone will cost like more than half of the swaybar, haha.

Did you install your rsb? Is it stock ? What are you running and how is it adjusted?

The few chimes are right.. Two brackets does seem odd

[Kiyomi]

if you buy a new sway bar from cs, they come with these brackets now. think of it as getting a new sway bar for about half price with the brackets you want.

[ottoyu34]

then sell your old one for cover up cost.

[Lmmorden]

then sell your old one for cover up cost.

...If it's not bent...

[fywdyl]

...If it's not bent...

I don't swing that way, I'm straight... come over and find out....


Did you install your rsb? Is it stock ? What are you running and how is it adjusted?

The few chimes are right.. Two brackets does seem odd

JBR RSB, yes I installed it, yes I jacked up the wheels when mounting the sway bar. It is set on the middle setting.

[fywdyl]

I would question why are you breaking them in the first place? Is there something damaged/worn out with your suspension?

How would I go about diagnosing? I mean, the car drives fine, but it's not like I'm taking every corner super duper hard.

[Canadianbacon]

I just ordered the CS RSB glad they included the brackets $80 vaule since mid January Now. Good deal!

[Lmmorden]

I don't swing that way, I'm straight... come over and find out....

Woah.. What are you thinking about?

[fywdyl]

Woah.. What are you thinking about?

Whatever you have in mind... ;) I'm open to suggestions...

[SomeGuy]

How would I go about diagnosing? I mean, the car drives fine, but it's not like I'm taking every corner super duper hard.

Check the shocks aren't leaking. Check all the bushings for wear/play. Check everything is tight. Are you on coils or anything? Change dampening settings?

There shouldn't be much stress on those brackets which is why I'm surprised you've broken a couple.

Also, you can buy the Energy bushings/brackets off amazon.ca for around 30 bucks.

[fywdyl]

Check the shocks aren't leaking. Check all the bushings for wear/play. Check everything is tight. Are you on coils or anything? Change dampening settings?

There shouldn't be much stress on those brackets which is why I'm surprised you've broken a couple.

Also, you can buy the Energy bushings/brackets off amazon.ca for around 30 bucks.

Stock suspension except for RSB. No leaks from the shocks (at least from what I can tell). Haven't checked bushings.

[Lmmorden]

Are the brackets big enough for the upgraded bar?

[speed77]

There shouldn't be much stress on those brackets which is why I'm surprised you've broken a couple.


Really ? Pretty sure the rate of that bar is over 1,000lbs. A lot of that force goes into the brackets trying to keep the bar in place.

Reference EG/EK/DC2 Honda/Acura sway bar mounts tearing from the subframe after upgraded RSB. Pretty sure E36 BMW have simliar issues.

[fywdyl]

Are the brackets big enough for the upgraded bar?
Came with the set, wouldn't make sense if it wasn't.

Read on msf that it is a common problem and even Jamie himself said that it's the weakest part.

[SomeGuy]

Really ? Pretty sure the rate of that bar is over 1,000lbs. A lot of that force goes into the brackets trying to keep the bar in place.

Reference EG/EK/DC2 Honda/Acura sway bar mounts tearing from the subframe after upgraded RSB. Pretty sure E36 BMW have simliar issues.

I mean it's not taking as much as say a control arm...yes of course there's stress. That said, I've yet to see broken brackets on any of the cars I've worked on which is why if he's broken another set I wonder if something else is wrong causing additional stress to the component.

[miako]

Came with the set, wouldn't make sense if it wasn't.

Read on msf that it is a common problem and even Jamie himself said that it's the weakest part.
I ordered the jbr sway bar with the aluminum block bracket, had it installed by jimmy like early last year. No problem so far, I had the bar set at the stiffest setting. Imho, the upgraded bracket is well worth the money

[Kiyomi]

I ordered the jbr sway bar with the aluminum block bracket, had it installed by jimmy like early last year. No problem so far, I had the bar set at the stiffest setting. Imho, the upgraded bracket is well worth the money
miako ,did you get the competition bar or the .120? and if the .120, are you able to oversteer much?

[miako]

did you get the competition bar or the .120?
I have the 125 bar, not the 250 competition

[Lmmorden]

So what's the scoop?

[fywdyl]

So what's the scoop?

Most likely going w/ JBR, less fuss with fitment and what not.

Not gonna order it anytime soon, waiting until winter is over.

[baymoe]

Where are you located? I'm interested in buying the JBR for my Tripoint rear sways and perhaps we can save on shipping if putting an order together. The flimsy bracket that came with it had seen better days....

[fywdyl]

Where are you located? I'm interested in buying the JBR for my Tripoint rear sways and perhaps we can save on shipping if putting an order together. The flimsy bracket that came with it had seen better days....

MSpeed might put together a "save on shipping" order in the summer? Fobio

[Elusivellama]

I went back to OEM sway bar, no joke. I did not want to deal with poorly engineered / sourced shit breaking on me. Brackets broke twice (corroded through), sway bar was losing its fight with winter (powder coat was cracking off at the seams and edges).

I had the opportunity to see the OEM sway bar on another guy's speed 3 (2011 model) and it had no signs of wear, no rust, nothing. This as on the same day that Jimmy had my car up on the hoist for an oil change, same day I placed an order for a new OEM bar and brackets.

[fywdyl]

I went back to OEM sway bar, no joke. I did not want to deal with poorly engineered / sourced shit breaking on me. Brackets broke twice, sway bar was losing its fight with winter (powder coat was cracking off at the seams and edges).

Yup, not meant for Canadian winters.

[Elusivellama]

Yup, not meant for Canadian winters.

Don't forget those steel locating collars. Mine were rusted all over and dripping rust juice from every orifice, and I lost one set a few months after the sway bar was installed. Just looked under my car one day to check on things and the bottom half of the collar on the passenger side was missing. I ended up going to Spanauer in Kitchener and buying identical brackets for $20 and reinstalling again. Then my bracket broke again for the 2nd time and that was when I ejected that piece of shit from my car.

The sway bar should have been manufactured from a single bar of steel and not TIG welded together from 3 pieces - I don't care what people say, welds will always be weaker than a contiguous length of steel. Next, those locating collars should have been put into their proper locations from the shop, and the material should have been something like a stainless steel band crimped over the bar (see pic below). The brackets should have been this thick:

https://photos-2.dropbox.com/t/2/AABC0hBJDcy6wXWBbCAvNpB-GBNMdYbrd6hgn6ZP2E03-g/12/22252429/jpeg/1024x768/3/1424624400/0/2/CameraZOOM-20140215103028586.jpg/CI2XzgogASACIAMoAQ/N4GV4PobcaeN6y3riAxeRQNqiftLxoI4QpaUkK3vHEg

Finally coat the **** out of everything with layers of thick primer and paint, not powder coat (which is a thin layer of plastic, and plastic doesn't do well in cold temps and high stress).

[SomeGuy]

FYI - the newer CS sway bar and a couple others out there are a single continuous piece now.

I wonder what is up with these cars eating RSB/components though...I mean I haven't snapped or broken anything like you guys but I had my old CS bar bend, I've replaced one set of rusted to shit collars, I am on my third set of brackets (although all of them are still usable and one set is just because I got a new bar). I question why shit is actually breaking which I suspect might be from other components still...but they definitely don't seem to be holding up.

Then again, pay to play and at least RSB's are cheap lol

[Kiyomi]

FYI - the newer CS sway bar and a couple others out there are a single continuous piece now.

I wonder what is up with these cars eating RSB/components though...I mean I haven't snapped or broken anything like you guys but I had my old CS bar bend, I've replaced one set of rusted to shit collars, I am on my third set of brackets (although all of them are still usable and one set is just because I got a new bar). I question why shit is actually breaking which I suspect might be from other components still...but they definitely don't seem to be holding up.

Then again, pay to play and at least RSB's are cheap lol

im on my second cs bar now as well as mine snapped in half a year or two ago lol. i just took a look at the collars currently on the car, and they dont look the greatest. decided im going to try the jbr competition as im not able to oversteer with the cs bar maxed out with dampening on full stiff in the rear. rsbs cost enough that you dont want to be buying one every year or two.

[Canadianbacon]

http://corksport.com/mazda-billet-sway-bar-brackets.html i have these

http://www.corksport.com/blog/corksport-aluminum-swaybar-bracket/ Read the blog.

[fywdyl]

http://corksport.com/mazda-billet-sway-bar-brackets.html i have these

http://www.corksport.com/blog/corksport-aluminum-swaybar-bracket/ Read the blog.

Good read.

[optiklenz13]

I might need a bracket too, it sounds like mine is broken from what I heard driving to work this morning. I'll check under tonight, might order soon..

GB?

[Canadianbacon]

I might need a bracket too, it sounds like mine is broken from what I heard driving to work this morning. I'll check under tonight, might order soon.. GB?

Something like this better to order alone IMO, i ordered a RSB, got charged no taxs or duty(USPS). if its small GB like 2-4 people should be good(USPS). If you get UPS not worth it

[Lmmorden]

Something like this better to order alone IMO, i ordered a RSB, got charged no taxs or duty(USPS). if its small GB like 2-4 people should be good(USPS). If you get UPS not worth it

Ups vs usps .. I tried an order for rear and front sway bar and it seems the weight is above usps.
I'd say individual..

[optiklenz13]

Not ordering a sway bar, just the brackets..

[speed77]

From JBR's site...

Specifications Simulating 1" of body roll:
Stock Sway Bar setting:
MAZDASPEED 3 is 479 lbs/in
MAZDA 3 & 5 is 228 lbs/in

JBR 3-Way Adjustable Sway Bar Settings:
Stiff setting is 593 lbs/in
Stiffer Setting is 718 lbs/in
Stiffest Setting is 901 lbs/in



I wonder what is up with these cars eating RSB/components though...I mean I haven't snapped or broken anything like you guys but I had my old CS bar bend, I've replaced one set of rusted to shit collars, I am on my third set of brackets

The fact that we are asking the car and it's components to deal with between 2 and 4 times the amount of stress they were originally designed for is probably part of the reason...

Has anyone who is having issues checked for excessive pre-load on the sway bar when at static ride height ? Do you park the car on uneven surfaces ? Either of those could cause the bar and the brackets to be loaded more than usual and lead to premature wear/fatigue/failure...

[ptgrad2012]

Sorry to revive the thread, but my jbr bracket broke today =(, called Jimmy, he told me to use cloth hanger to tie the bar to the body for now.
I am planning to get the http://www.jamesbaroneracing.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=46_224_67&products_id=734&zenid=dc0m3neegtmg2nu4mde470o6g0
I know it's more expensive, but I hate to have it break again.

There's probably no warranty for my existing ones right? given that it seems like a common issue.

[SomeGuy]

Sorry to revive the thread, but my jbr bracket broke today =(, called Jimmy, he told me to use cloth hanger to tie the bar to the body for now.
I am planning to get the http://www.jamesbaroneracing.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=46_224_67&products_id=734&zenid=dc0m3neegtmg2nu4mde470o6g0
I know it's more expensive, but I hate to have it break again.

There's probably no warranty for my existing ones right? given that it seems like a common issue.

Ever thought of contacting JBR and asking?

[mickey_g]

Sorry to revive the thread, but my jbr bracket broke today =(, called Jimmy, he told me to use cloth hanger to tie the bar to the body for now.
I am planning to get the http://www.jamesbaroneracing.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=46_224_67&products_id=734&zenid=dc0m3neegtmg2nu4mde470o6g0
I know it's more expensive, but I hate to have it break again.

There's probably no warranty for my existing ones right? given that it seems like a common issue.

I dont think he will warranty that part but try contacting him and see but I would still get the newer brackets. You wont have to worry about those breaking

[S.F.W.]

He won't warranty the bracket if it rusted through. If it broke from normal use, he may.

[fywdyl]

Replaced the brackets with the big hunks o' steel yday. Feels good to drive a normal car again. Hopefully I don't have to get under there again to fix anything anymore.