DIY camber plate install?

[and 1]

anyone here install their own camber plates? i didn't see anything in the DIY section

i basically understand what i need to do, just not the specific steps or any weird 1er quirks. a buddy of mine who knows what he's doing is gonna help me out, but any tips/links would be awesome. i bought ground controls btw

[Lubo]

Originally Posted by and 1

anyone here install their own camber plates? i didn't see anything in the DIY section

i basically understand what i need to do, just not the specific steps or any weird 1er quirks. a buddy of mine who knows what he's doing is gonna help me out, but any tips/links would be awesome. i bought ground controls btw

If you are on the OEM suspension, get a real good spring compressor.
Once you remove your spring the shock itself will pull itself in about half way in, and there is no way you will be able to pull it out. It is a problem with most spring compressors to compress the spring enough for the top nut to catch on. Other then getting an alignment it is very straight forward installation. It took us an hour to get both sides done. Remove struts, install camber plates and re-install on the car.

Lubo

[larryn]

Mike, I have spring compressors. You don't need a DIY if we're installing these next weekend.

[rojam792]

what camber plates are you installing??

[and 1]

Originally Posted by larryn

Mike, I have spring compressors. You don't need a DIY if we're installing these next weekend.

Haha you found my thread....nice. guess that means I'm on beer duty. Wiehenstephaner?

And I'm having trouble multiquoting from my phone, but I got the ground control street plates. My buddy has them on his z4mc and he loves them.

[IGoFast1589]

Bringing this thread back to life. How do you like the GC street plates? I just picked up a set. Were you able to get some healthy camber out of them? Any noise?

[Buzz135]

I have had GC camber plates for two track seasons on a daily driver with no problems. I run about 2 degrees at the track. If you have any questions give them a call they are always been helpful.

[GaryS]

Originally Posted by Buzz135

I run about 2 degrees at the track. .

Do you adjust them differently for street? I would love to run something like 2.5 degrees for track and 1 degree for street. But everyone I talk to says adjusting camber plates is too much trouble.

[Lubo]

Originally Posted by GaryS

Do you adjust them differently for street? I would love to run something like 2.5 degrees for track and 1 degree for street. But everyone I talk to says adjusting camber plates is too much trouble.

I had Vorshlag plates. I was able to run -2.5* on stock suspension. With lowering or M3 wishbones you should be able to go past -3*. Adjusting was really easy. However changes in camber from minimum to maximum changed the toe settings and would require you to do alignment every time you would do it. In the end I ran -2.5* from May till December with about 8k miles without any adverse tire wear. I've had not much track time this year, only one event. However I've done a lot of Auto-X. I was still seeing higher temps and slightly more wear on the outside of the front tire. This indicated that a little more camber would be required. I think -3* would be perfect.

[Buzz135]

Originally Posted by GaryS

Do you adjust them differently for street? I would love to run something like 2.5 degrees for track and 1 degree for street. But everyone I talk to says adjusting camber plates is too much trouble.

There is a reaaly good paper on tire rack under the BF Goodrich R1's that I use for setting up camber and tire pressure at http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires...ce_R1_care.pdf.

[pixelblue]

I use the same BFG R1 guide but I don't mess with changing camber. Set'em and forget'em!

[and 1]

i do really like the GC plates, but i live right outside of boston, not known for road quality, and commute to work every day. the noise over bumps/holes/etc isn't intrusive, but it's a little unnerving. to be honest, i'm sure i'm being hyper sensitive to it, but i'm constantly slaloming crap in the road, and my eyes are always watching the 20 feet directly in front of me.

overall, i had a good experience with the plates, but they're coming out this spring since i got the m3 and won't be tracking/autocrossing the 1 anymore

i could get a ton of camber out of them. i have the tension rods & control arms out of the e92 m3, so i went with ~3* of camber, only sliding the shock about halfway over. i marked it when i had the alignment done. goes without saying, but damn what a difference that camber made! both for handling and tire wear

to the point of adjusting, i specifically had my alignment set with toe as a limiting factor. meaning, i had the alignment done with the camber at 3 and toe 1/8" out, then found out how far i could dial the camber back without the toe getting too far in. ended up a hair under 2* iirc

[GaryS]

Originally Posted by and 1

i

to the point of adjusting, i specifically had my alignment set with toe as a limiting factor. meaning, i had the alignment done with the camber at 3 and toe 1/8" out, then found out how far i could dial the camber back without the toe getting too far in. ended up a hair under 2* iirc

Thanks! You're the first person I've talked to who adjusts them.

[Xaeryan]

Originally Posted by and 1

to the point of adjusting, i specifically had my alignment set with toe as a limiting factor. meaning, i had the alignment done with the camber at 3 and toe 1/8" out, then found out how far i could dial the camber back without the toe getting too far in. ended up a hair under 2* iirc

You sure about that? My toe plates seem to indicate the opposite: Adding more negative camber at the strut tower toes IN. Removing negative camber toes OUT. I know it's imprecise compared to a Hunter, but the suspension geometry seems to agree with this as well (the tie rod connection is in the lower front quadrant of the hub carrier). Thoughts?

[GaryS]

Here's a quote from Vorshlag:

He says it takes 30 seconds per side to adjust at the track. But almost everyone I talk to says it's a pita.

[Xaeryan]

Originally Posted by GaryS

Here's a quote from Vorshlag:



He says it takes 30 seconds per side to adjust at the track. But almost everyone I talk to says it's a pita.

Glad you found that, who am I to argue with Vorshlag (although it still seems odd in my head and experience...).

I've had good luck with a medium pry bar to adjust trackside. I leave the rubber tip cover on the bar, and use rags on any leverage points as to not damage paint.

[CrustyNoodle]

Originally Posted by and 1

i do really like the GC plates, but i live right outside of boston, not known for road quality, and commute to work every day. the noise over bumps/holes/etc isn't intrusive, but it's a little unnerving. to be honest, i'm sure i'm being hyper sensitive to it, but i'm constantly slaloming crap in the road, and my eyes are always watching the 20 feet directly in front of me.

Which version of the GC plates do you have? They seem to have 3 or 4 different designs that will fit the 1er: GC Camber plates suitable for the E82

[Focusedintntions]

Originally Posted by Xaeryan

Glad you found that, who am I to argue with Vorshlag (although it still seems odd in my head and experience...).

I've had good luck with a medium pry bar to adjust trackside. I leave the rubber tip cover on the bar, and use rags on any leverage points as to not damage paint.

I was with you when i first hear about the this, but last time I was under my car i studied the suspension geometry, and because the end links for the steering attach the frontal area of the hub, when the shock towers get pushed in (neg camber) it pushes the front of the hub outward to give you the tow out. Generally front wheel drive cars, b/c of all the hardware that's there, have the steering linkage attached to the rear of the hub, which with neg camber would cause toe in.

[IGoFast1589]

Originally Posted by GaryS

Do you adjust them differently for street? I would love to run something like 2.5 degrees for track and 1 degree for street. But everyone I talk to says adjusting camber plates is too much trouble.

Personally, I like setting and forgetting about them and it's worked for me on past cars.

[and 1]

Originally Posted by CrustyNoodle

Which version of the GC plates do you have? They seem to have 3 or 4 different designs that will fit the 1er: GC Camber plates suitable for the E82

lol minor edit here. actually rewriting my whole post

now i remember about the version thing. the website was unclear so i just called them. they make a Street, Hybrid, and a Race version. i got the Streets. i forget the exact differences, but iirc the Streets have more rubber and a diff type of bushing (like spherical vs something else?). sorry i'm not much of a help, but a 5 min convo with GC answered my questions

FWIW though, GC said that the Streets make ZERO noise. the guy i spoke to was pretty adamant about that. now i haven't tried the Hybrids, Race, or anyone else's plates, but my car def clunks a little over sharp bumps.

[CrustyNoodle]

Thanks for that - appreciated.

They are indeed the street. Does anyone have any experience with the hybrids?