[Blueprint2049]

Without going full Jeep with the light bar, what are some grill lights you all have? Looking for something small like these two PIAA lights. I wanted to buy this exact CX-3, but it was about $5k out of my price range, so I'm forced to emulate.

 

[SlyCoopers]

Jeeze.. these pictures are like crack to me lol Ive been trying to find a way to setup a bar for light mounting that didnt involve bolting to license plate holes. Is there a link to this for more pictures? I have seen this on subarus which usually bolt through the bumper on the frame or crashbar etc. Have yet to see this on a mazda from a seller.

Currently the only way as far as I know is the "universal license plate bull bar" which is really small and cheap and basically bolts to the license plate holes on the bumper. Unfortunatly the bumper isnt a stable or hard surface to hold something with weight of a decent set of lights not to mention the air resistance it would be getting. Worst case scenario it rips off with your license plate.

Another route Ive been monitoring is in relation to custom fabrication shops, some places in australia claim to have a full bullbar 2" tubing type thing but thats costing a lovely grand + international shipping so not looking to appealing from my perspective.

The easiest way seems to be to set up roof rails and a basket and attach lights on that if you were interested in pursuing that route also.

 

[SlyCoopers]

After further research as this got my hopes up I came across this

https://www.amazon.com/Subaru-Cross...&qid=1541809459&sr=1-3&keywords=ssd+rally+bar

Its a subaru only product but the bar looks identical to it so thats half the battle, there looks like there is 4 mounting points as it overhangs in front of the license plate. One of the variations of this bar I came across seems doable depending on the mounting configuration. I wish I could get a better look at that mazda to see how its mounted because im almost certain its one of these bars without the SSD logo bolted somewhere either on the bumper (which would be a terrible idea) or somewhere around the radiator.

 

[Stokers Rule]

That car looks wicked. Are those the same tires you're running Sly?

 

[SlyCoopers]

Yep bfgoodrich ko2s on sparco wheels. I almost debated those same exact wheels after seeing them on a subaru once upon a time but the price of the cheapo ones I got was much more appealing

 

[Blueprint2049]

This car was for sale on my neighborhood, but it was sold about a week ago so the only information I have is what I remember to screen shot. However, if you Google "Mazda CX-3 5280 package" you'll see a few more pictures of it. I'm pretty sure the 5280 package was just something that this dealership threw together, but I am trying so hard to copy

I find it funny after looking at the pictures closer, the description for the car says General Grabber, but they're clearly the Bridgestones and it says the light kit is Hella, when clearly it's PIAA. Not sure what the SDD means

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[Blueprint2049]

Apparently whoever put the description together also thought it had 18" wheels

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[SlyCoopers]

Thank you for taking screenshots since all traces of this seems to have been removed from the internet apparantly.

Wow that "package" description hurts to read.. you dodged a bullet not getting this by the way. I would not trust a dealership (or any really) that blantantly lies and tries to hype up literally cheap things that cost a few dollars.. not to mention misrepresenting packages and installed parts. You can literally buy a new base model cx-3 (which im pretty sure this is) and spend maybe a grand to get a full set of ko2s on stock 16, thule basket even though theres a ton of different other options at cheaper prices, and a can of plastidip to hit up the emblems. With an extra 5k You might as well upgrade to the GT version and get AWD included (this was not on base in 2016 not sure about now), LED headlights, and other perks.

Time for some annoyances:
-18" wheel lol if this was the case the wheel would not fit. I debated trying ko2's on the stock 18 and the sidewall it needs in general is just extremely incompatible with the space available.
-tire size is fake
-tire type is fake
-STI roof spoiler is a lie and does not exist lol what even
-SSD lightbar and thule roof basket are probably the only 2 things that are accurate not justified by "6500" value
-Black lettering lol this cost almost nothing...
-"We believe in aggressive pricing our inventory by performing daily market analysis" + also misleading customers into a 5k upcharge made appealing by saying its originally $6500.



Regarding the front bar, I am doubting the structural integrity of the bar itself depending who installed it. If this is a "new" car thats been rigged up by the dealer then its suspicious and sketchy and probably not warrantied because mazda will never cover anything aftermarket like that especially a "custom" job like using a SSD lightbar from a subaru thats been somehow mounted. If someone else did it then you would not be sure unless it was inspected by yourself or a professional to verify the integrity of the mounting positions.

I will be looking into the rally bar when the weather warms up because the positioning is ideal and I found similar styled ones (also for subarus unfortunatly) from rallyInnovations and was going to experiment with sourcing random pieces of hardware to see if I could find a mounting setup where other parts especially the radiator and surrounding parts are not put in harms way if you bump something with the bar.

 

[Blueprint2049]

I totally agree, I'm glad I got the touring model I did, because like you said I can do everything that this one has for less than half the "add on" price.

Thank you for taking screenshots since all traces of this seems to have been removed from the internet apparantly.

Wow that "package" description hurts to read.. you dodged a bullet not getting this by the way. I would not trust a dealership (or any really) that blantantly lies and tries to hype up literally cheap things that cost a few dollars.. not to mention misrepresenting packages and installed parts. You can literally buy a new base model cx-3 (which im pretty sure this is) and spend maybe a grand to get a full set of ko2s on stock 16, thule basket even though theres a ton of different other options at cheaper prices, and a can of plastidip to hit up the emblems. With an extra 5k You might as well upgrade to the GT version and get AWD included (this was not on base in 2016 not sure about now), LED headlights, and other perks.

Time for some annoyances:
-18" wheel lol if this was the case the wheel would not fit. I debated trying ko2's on the stock 18 and the sidewall it needs in general is just extremely incompatible with the space available.
-tire size is fake
-tire type is fake
-STI roof spoiler is a lie and does not exist lol what even
-SSD lightbar and thule roof basket are probably the only 2 things that are accurate not justified by "6500" value
-Black lettering lol this cost almost nothing...
-"We believe in aggressive pricing our inventory by performing daily market analysis" + also misleading customers into a 5k upcharge made appealing by saying its originally $6500.



Regarding the front bar, I am doubting the structural integrity of the bar itself depending who installed it. If this is a "new" car thats been rigged up by the dealer then its suspicious and sketchy and probably not warrantied because mazda will never cover anything aftermarket like that especially a "custom" job like using a SSD lightbar from a subaru thats been somehow mounted. If someone else did it then you would not be sure unless it was inspected by yourself or a professional to verify the integrity of the mounting positions.

I will be looking into the rally bar when the weather warms up because the positioning is ideal and I found similar styled ones (also for subarus unfortunatly) from rallyInnovations and was going to experiment with sourcing random pieces of hardware to see if I could find a mounting setup where other parts especially the radiator and surrounding parts are not put in harms way if you bump something with the bar.

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[SlyCoopers]

I wrote this before I noticed you edited the question in the previous post but am leaving it up as additional info*

Subaru Products

https://www.amazon.com/Subaru-Cross...&qid=1541809459&sr=1-3&keywords=ssd+rally+bar

They're different for each subaru with slight variations but after looking around amazon I noticed primarily 2 different mounting versions available (see attached pic) the left has a vertical bolt mount while the right has the horizontal bolt position. Subaru has closer internal components near the grille and open areas in the front bumper which allow the bar to bolt onto certain locations. On the cx-3 however its going to require additional hardware since there is no mounting spot available similar to the subaru . I highly doubt they modified the bar itself to fit the cx-3 and most likely bolted on some metal pieces to connect to the mounting points of the bar. This is the ideal scenario but its integrity will depend on what the bar is going to be used for (holding lights will probably work, hitting things with it will probably cause more damage than without). The worst scenario is they bolted onto the bumper which is gonna end up as a terrible idea soon lol.

 

[Blueprint2049]

I wrote this before I noticed you edited the question in the previous post but am leaving it up as additional info*

Subaru Products

https://www.amazon.com/Subaru-Cross...&qid=1541809459&sr=1-3&keywords=ssd+rally+bar

They're different for each subaru with slight variations but after looking around amazon I noticed primarily 2 different mounting versions available (see attached pic) the left has a vertical bolt mount while the right has the horizontal bolt position. Subaru has closer internal components near the grille and open areas in the front bumper which allow the bar to bolt onto certain locations. On the cx-3 however its going to require additional hardware since there is no mounting spot available similar to the subaru . I highly doubt they modified the bar itself to fit the cx-3 and most likely bolted on some metal pieces to connect to the mounting points of the bar. This is the ideal scenario but its integrity will depend on what the bar is going to be used for (holding lights will probably work, hitting things with it will probably cause more damage than without). The worst scenario is they bolted onto the bumper which is gonna end up as a terrible idea soon lol.

Much appreciated! I definitely would rather fabricate something myself to make sure the SSD light bar is mounted correctly and not in the bumper or something like that "5280 package" probably is

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[SlyCoopers]

Took a look around my mazda while wallowing in the sadness of my soon to be gone tire and I made a few observations regarding the potential of the "rally bar" (lets call it that for easy reference).

-There is no position around the radiator that can be used as it is basically just the radiator/etc there and any solid mounting points around it are out of bounds if we are looking to install through the lower grille opening area.

-Behind the license plate area there is a stiff metal bracket/panel/whatever mazda put there. This seems like the only suitable mounting point based on initial impressions. I would have to wait until I have a reason to take off the bumper in warmer weather to see what that actually is unless someone can produce a picture of the cx-3 with the bumper off. For all we know it could just be a brace to help the bumper keep its shape and might have absolute no capacity to handle the weight of the bar + 2 or 4 lights on it, although it was pretty stiff when I tried to see if it moved. I have attached 2 pictures of its relevant area.

-This is probably a given but any accident in the front will most likely result in so much more damage being done since the rally bar would basically be impaling whatever it can behind it so a simple low speed front collision which would crack the grille trim and dent the bumper a little (happened to me) may result in the rally bar stabbing into the radiator core. Im assuming its a radiator core just because of position but it could be a component of the AC systems evaporator or condenser etc.

-All warning and caution aside, this seems ideal for the second version of the rally bar I posted earlier and am uploading a picture of it again for confirmation.

-I would have to get the measurements of one of the bars in that style and also do more measurements to see where the mounting spots would fall on the cx-3 and the actual available space for installing lights. The last bit is extremely important considering I bought one of those universal license plate bull bar things and it actually restricts you on what you can install on it because of the really short base area that gets interrupted by the bar itself so anything that had a flat mounting surface (lights with side screws on a hinge with a flat base) would not work on it depending which slot you used. In addition to the bar itself stopping lights from being positioned straight because the bar would make contact forcing you to angle it up. This was one of the main reasons why I gave up on that part.

 

[SlyCoopers]

I knew I shouldve taken a picture of the front with the bumper off lol. Although I cant find a pic of the internals yet online, judging by the bumper removal guide, there doesnt seem to be any connection to the cover itself so that metal bracket may be the ideal position for it.

 

[SlyCoopers]

Little bit of an update as I seem to have accidentally highjacked the topic to be about the front bar mod and documenting its progress lol

I emailed the company a few days ago and they probably wont reply back to me seeing as I probably sounded like someone who wanted to get measurements from them to make another competitor product so I dont see any progress being made on that front. So the next best thing I did was to see if the measurements of the metal part shown a few posts ago on the cx-3 can accommodate the subaru rally bar. I dont have the exact measurement right now as I did this a few days ago but I checked it against the following dimensions.


-The 2015-2017 subaru wrx rally bar spacing of the 2 outer front mounting tabs are 21.75" apart as stated by the rep in an answer.[see source 1 question section]. Unfortunatly as life has taught me, nothing ever looks like it does in the pictures and seeing as that picture is shown exactly the same in multiple listings for different subarus I needed a real visualization of it. In [source 2] there is a installation video of someone installing this exact bar on a wrx and just a bit after 5:20 you can see a glimpse of the mounting tab of the light and its position to the rear mounting tab. The rear tab itself extends further than the front mounting holes used for the lights so the real dimension is going to be greater than 21.75".

I dont have the exact number of the dimension of the metal part of the cx-3 but 2 things are wrong here based on this information. The actual mounting hole itself that bolts onto the car is further than the dimension of that metal panel on the cx-3 so unfortunatly that position is not going to work. Also there is the issue of the giant width of the rear tabs and the clearance of the lower front grille of the cx-3. If you go up the picture showing the lower grille will also show those 2 vertical plastic parts which would get in the way of mounting the bar in this configuration.

Fortunatly not all is lost. After watching his installation videos and also installation videos of the second mounting type of this rally bar (vertical mounts on a crosstrek) I think we might be able to mount it onto the crash bar itself like the video actually shows, depending on the distances and dimensions. The mounting hardware/piece is going to come in handy by the looks of it and at most we may need to drill a hole to bolt a piece onto the crashbar and then attach the rally bar to it.

Again its most likely that the ideal rally bar is not the one I mentioned a few posts ago that has horizontal bolts and looks like the one in the source link. The vertical mount one is looking alot more appealing with the inclusion of the stock mounting hardware. The only question that remains now to find is what are the dimensions of one of the crosstrek bars and where the ideal mounting points would be on the cx-3.

Also in terms of practicality and installation, it seems that by using the vertical mount the only way to actually install it on the cx-3 would be from beneath. Moving the engine splash guard aside we would be able to get to the mounting points seeing as we have to install the actual bar with the bumper on given that the lowergrille does not come out and getting tools through it would be difficult.


Source 1: https://www.amazon.com/Fits-2015-Su...qid=1542161358&sr=1-12&keywords=ssd+rally+bar

Source 2:

pause after 5:20 ish to see a glimpse of the bar size in relation to the mounting points.

 

[Blueprint2049]

Little bit of an update as I seem to have accidentally highjacked the topic to be about the front bar mod and documenting its progress lol

I emailed the company a few days ago and they probably wont reply back to me seeing as I probably sounded like someone who wanted to get measurements from them to make another competitor product so I dont see any progress being made on that front. So the next best thing I did was to see if the measurements of the metal part shown a few posts ago on the cx-3 can accommodate the subaru rally bar. I dont have the exact measurement right now as I did this a few days ago but I checked it against the following dimensions.


-The 2015-2017 subaru wrx rally bar spacing of the 2 outer front mounting tabs are 21.75" apart as stated by the rep in an answer.[see source 1 question section]. Unfortunatly as life has taught me, nothing ever looks like it does in the pictures and seeing as that picture is shown exactly the same in multiple listings for different subarus I needed a real visualization of it. In [source 2] there is a installation video of someone installing this exact bar on a wrx and just a bit after 5:20 you can see a glimpse of the mounting tab of the light and its position to the rear mounting tab. The rear tab itself extends further than the front mounting holes used for the lights so the real dimension is going to be greater than 21.75".

I dont have the exact number of the dimension of the metal part of the cx-3 but 2 things are wrong here based on this information. The actual mounting hole itself that bolts onto the car is further than the dimension of that metal panel on the cx-3 so unfortunatly that position is not going to work. Also there is the issue of the giant width of the rear tabs and the clearance of the lower front grille of the cx-3. If you go up the picture showing the lower grille will also show those 2 vertical plastic parts which would get in the way of mounting the bar in this configuration.

Fortunatly not all is lost. After watching his installation videos and also installation videos of the second mounting type of this rally bar (vertical mounts on a crosstrek) I think we might be able to mount it onto the crash bar itself like the video actually shows, depending on the distances and dimensions. The mounting hardware/piece is going to come in handy by the looks of it and at most we may need to drill a hole to bolt a piece onto the crashbar and then attach the rally bar to it.

Again its most likely that the ideal rally bar is not the one I mentioned a few posts ago that has horizontal bolts and looks like the one in the source link. The vertical mount one is looking alot more appealing with the inclusion of the stock mounting hardware. The only question that remains now to find is what are the dimensions of one of the crosstrek bars and where the ideal mounting points would be on the cx-3.

Also in terms of practicality and installation, it seems that by using the vertical mount the only way to actually install it on the cx-3 would be from beneath. Moving the engine splash guard aside we would be able to get to the mounting points seeing as we have to install the actual bar with the bumper on given that the lowergrille does not come out and getting tools through it would be difficult.


Source 1: https://www.amazon.com/Fits-2015-Su...qid=1542161358&sr=1-12&keywords=ssd+rally+bar

Source 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEtu8sziEe8 pause after 5:20 ish to see a glimpse of the bar size in relation to the mounting points.

Highjack away my friend

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[SlyCoopers]

Just an update, I havent forgotten about this at all and after many measurements and comparing dimensions across many youtube install videos people have done, I ordered a 2015 subaru forester SSD rally bar. It should be in late January and will have results after I attempt to install it while doing the lift install. This seemed to fit within the lower grille just clearing the vertical tabs. It is long enough so it can clear oem license plate and the crash bar mount piece is longer than that of others so it gives us more room to work with depending on where the I drill the holes.

I will make a full write up with pictures of the install process should it work.

Heres a video of some guy installing it on his subaru.