Rear Camber

[ClayW]

What is going on with my rear suspension? It has a set of Ireland Stage 1 springs, no swaybar and some probably worn out Bilstein Sports. I don't have that much in the trunk and I'm getting quite a bit of negative camber back there. Will a new set of Bilsteins HDs help?

[Guest Anonymous]

It is likely the Springs. The design of our semi-trailing arm suspension is that as you lower it...it gains negative camber quite fast....faster than e30 for example.

I doubt the bilsteins will change much as they are a damper not a spring...but I am sure if you added some high pressure KYBs they may add some buoyancy to your rear Either way you need to have proper shocks in the rear.

You can add a slotted subframe kit (requires removal of subframe) which will allow you to dial out the neg camber.

Look at the subframe mounts....they are not perfectly symmetrical from top to bottom. By flipping them (rotate 180 degrees) you can raise the subframe slightly which will take out some of that neg camber.

[jgmgti]

Clay,

Add the Billies and an ST rear sway 22mm and a front 19mm and all should be good.

The 1600 looks great.We ought to toss a little photo and get together soon with the local characters.

A brisk Rock Creek Park drive or more substancial,all ideas are welcome.

Jonathan

[eurotrash]

Clay, did you leave in the lower pads? As you probably know, there are 1,2, and 3 "dot" pads that are of varying thicknesses. Maybe you can raise the rear a tad with a thicker pad, which will dial out a bit of the -camber.. I have even read of others reusing the aluminum spacers from the front to raise the rear..?? K-Mac offers a urethane eccentric swing arm bushing to dial out -camber, but I have never read a review on how well they work.

EDIT: UPPER pads.. Thanks CD.

[M3M3]

yep, unless you have the adjustable trailing arm mounts installed, the lowerr it is, the more camber you get. your car is pretty low...too much camber. i adjust the ride height to get the desired camber...2.0 deg in my case. your car is way lower than mine.

[ClayW]

Clay, did you leave in the lower pads? As you probably know, there are 1,2, and 3 "dot" pads that are of varying thicknesses. Maybe you can raise the rear a tad with a thicker pad, which will dial out a bit of the -camber.. I have even read of others reusing the aluminum spacers from the front to raise the rear..?? K-Mac offers a urethane eccentric swing arm bushing to dial out -camber, but I have never read a review on how well they work.

That's probably where I should start. Should I go with 2 or 3 dot pads?

[eurotrash]

do you have any in there now? If not, try every one you can get your hands on until you like the result.. if you are currently sitting on a pair, go to 3 dot.

[c.d.iesel]

shocks do not control ride height

springs control ride height/camber in rear

should have one of three thickness rubber

seats at the top of the spring

and a very thin rubber at the bottom of the spring

to prevent rusting, noise, insulation

you can subsitute heater hose over the bottom coil

to meet the bottom need

order/scrounge DOT top rubbers

about 1.0 ~ 1.5 degree negative at the rear is nominal

[eurotrash]

EDITED. Thanks C.D. It's been over a year since I was in there..

[Lee]

flip the subframe mounts.

[eurotrash]

Lee, do you know the approx. numbers from flipping the mounts? I've never seen it published..

[Lee]

do not know the numbers, but the resuts are obvious.

[eurotrash]

Kthanks.

[TobyB]

Short answer- your car is too low.

You're running low on shock travel.

Looks great, btw... but...

hmmm.

t

[ClayW]

Picked up a set of 2 dots last night from WilliamGGruff. Between the two of us, I think we have a spare 2002. Should have them in this weekend. Will update.