Making camber plates?

[eclipsh]

My buddies and I like to make stuff for our cars. We also like to work on our suspensions. As such we've been looking into making camber/caster plates for our cars instead of paying someone else $300 for a set that should be $100.

The problem is finding the right bearings to do it with. Does anyone know exactly what bearing we'd need to do this?

 

[RayPeters]

You need a spherical bearing to do this, with a flange. The size will be determined by the hole size needed. Try a circle track racing supply shop or maybe Jegs or Summit. I'll look at mine and see if they have info stamped on them.

 

[eclipsh]

Would this be what you are talking about?

EDIT: I just ran out to the car and the bolt coming up through the center bearing looks to be 1/2". $20 per bearing plus steel and machining should make some nice plates.

 

[Elvenhome21]

its actually 15mm, 1/2 is to small. 5/8 works.

 

[RayPeters]

This should have all the sizes and styles available...
http://www.aurorabearing.com/Files/articles/2003-04_Internet_Catalog.pdf

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Did this ever turn into anything?

 

[Elvenhome21]

I made set of plates for kyle mavis but I cant produce anymore until late fall when I get my shop setup and get the tooling for the project.

 

[thekellbeast]

its actually 15mm, 1/2 is to small. 5/8 works.

That all depends on the shock shaft diameter. My RRE bearing plates are sized for Koni's.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

I used to do all sorts of suspension mods to my 87 Accord LXI-Turbo Sedan using parts from Summit and Jegs. I could adjust every aspect of my suspenion. Everything was bought from Summit and Jegs. Bearings, Tube Pipes, Ball Joints... alla that good stuff.

 

[mavisky]

I made set of plates for kyle mavis but I cant produce anymore until late fall when I get my shop setup and get the tooling for the project.

I've had good luck with these so far. Hoping to get a good test of the difference they provide this weekend if the autox stays dry as its at the same venue as the last event where I was on stock upper plates.

 

[99gst_racer]

Elvenhome21 OR Kyle - Got a pic of the set-up? I have a camber plate set-up for late model circle track cars, and I'm wondering how different these are.

 

[mavisky]

Mine still need finished as they're still a Beta test version, but I'm having excellent results with it. I'll leave it up to Jason as to whether or not he wants me posting his design just yet.

 

[Elvenhome21]

kyle go ahead and post up the pics,

Paul are you meaning just the spacers for the upper aframe, if you are that might work the same way for a 2g (i havent seen how a 2g front is, but i know its a double a frame setup) but the plates I made are for a 1g.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Get some 2g stuff goin! I wanna prototype some stuff out

 

[mavisky]

kyle go ahead and post up the pics,

Paul are you meaning just the spacers for the upper aframe, if you are that might work the same way for a 2g (i havent seen how a 2g front is, but i know its a double a frame setup) but the plates I made are for a 1g.

I've got a race this weekend and I'll be doing some work on the car on Saturday. I'll try to get some pics of the new setup this weekend.

 

[talonTSIDriver]

Get some 2g stuff goin! I wanna prototype some stuff out

I would love some camber plates on my 2g. only problem is there is not enough room on the sturt tower for camber plates on a 2g. At least thats what every suspension company keeps telling me.

 

[mavisky]

I'm always a fan of making camber adjustments through the lower control arm as pushing it out to gain camber also gains you extra width and every little bit counts. Of course this does take away the small benefit you can see by tipping in the tops of the front tires to clear large wheel and tire upgrades.

 

[jtmcinder]

I would love some camber plates on my 2g. only problem is there is not enough room on the sturt tower for camber plates on a 2g. At least thats what every suspension company keeps telling me.

This is a joke, right? I mean, 2Gs are double wishbone, so camber plates won't do anything but add weight. Camber and caster are changed by the control arms only (which includes those funky balljoints on the outer ends of the upper arms).

- Jtoby

 

[eclipsh]

As it turns out, I'll likely be keeping my eyes open for a cheap set of Ground Control camber plates on eBay. My buddy found out you can use the Evo plates by just drilling one more hole for the 4th bolt to go through and getting the right insert for the strut diameter.

 

[jtmcinder]

The RRE plates are worth every penny that they cost. I would want to be 100% sure that the bearing was going to be able to carry the weight of the car. I know that the bearing that they use can survive serious bangs from pot-holes at 70 mph. And the nose of your car probably weighs less than mine.

- Jtoby

 

[Elvenhome21]

The best way for caster camber adjustment is with an adjustable lower a-frame. That way stock camber plates can be used and caster and camber can be adjusted just by turning a heim tube. Its a lot better and stronger method of adjusting caster and camber. And like kyle said it adds track width, the only issue I see is with running out of adjustment length with the tie rods. The other issue i see is with the sway bar end links.

As for the 2g suspension like i said before, I have never seen the front suspension with the tire off, but a double a-arm suspension is normally adjusted with the upper a-frame using spacers on the mount, or with adjustable length arms on the a-arm. If someone can take a pic with a couple angles of the front suspension and link them to me I will take a look and see what I would do or use to adjust it.

jtmcinder: with the bearings, and plates kyle has done a LOT of testing for me and I cant thank him enough. But I do believe that this combination will stand the test of time. But I wont sell any of these until I know for sure that these cant be broken, or at least without warning well in advanced.

The plates in the picture are NOT going to be the final product. These are the most extreme caster and camber I could put in and the actual production ones will have about 1/2" less caster and probably 3/4" less overall negative camber, which will eliminate the need for a 2 angle slot. Also the next plates will be a 1/16 thicker and use less cutting of the tower.

I am still curious to know how many people would want camber plates that will fit a completely unmodified strut tower. So it would have around 1/2" of added caster and 2" of camber movement.

 

[mavisky]

I'll try to get some photos of those plates today. I wasn't able to make it to the autox event as I injured my knee real bad at a coed softball game on Thursday night and I'm not able to bend the knee far enough to wiggle into the seat without banging it on the steering wheel.

I'm pretty secure with these plates, I've wacked them into some serious bumps where I was just waiting for it to break, but it didn't.