IE Camber Plates - One more time

#1

After reading all I could find from using the search, my install still raised some questions. 2 allen heads or 4? Using the 4 washers supplied with the kit?

I took some pics and created a quick page for discussion. My main concern is with some type of spacer between the upper spring perch and the bearing.

http://SpecE30.homestead.com/camber.html

Comments are welcomed.

Thanks,

-Scott

#2

If you have to, use 2 to get more camber. I ran on 2 bolts with my Ground Control plates for years without problems. I am currently doing the same with the Ireland plates.

#3

Scott, the four spacing washers did fit over the threaded shock rod for my car. The sequence: lower strut, spring, spring hat, big BMW washer, spacer/washers (as needed,mine took two on each side) camber plate, final 19(?)mm nylock nut. The big BMW washer and spacer/washers provide clearance for the strut to rotate without the spring hat binding on the camber plate. Hope this helps, Robert Patton

#4

Scott,
on this step:

there should be the 4 washers (labled 6 in the picture above) between the big washer and the plate. The washers that came with mine were 1/2" rather than 14mm. 1/2" won’t work since they don’t fit over the strut. If thats the case, I’d contact your supplier and ask for the correct washers.

As others mentioned, I couldn’t get max camber using the four bolts, instead I’ve settled for lesser camber, but still using four bolts.

Gareth

#5

If I’m remembering correctly, Carlton’s and my mechanic (who does things we either can’t, or don’t want to do) used longer bolts on the inside and put a spacer sleve to raise the bolt head up above the center stut mount center ring, so he can get a little more neg camber.

Why am I helping my competition???

:S

Carter

#6

Ugg. This much variability doesn’t seem to support a "spec". I wish I didn’t have to change out my nice, boring, fixed IE plates to run in SpecE30. :frowning: [/rant] [umbrella]

#7

Carter wrote:

Because we are so far from being competition it doesn’t matter. :stuck_out_tongue: I don’t think Scott has reached the half-dozen mark for HPDE’s yet, and I’ve never driven a rwd car in anger, so you’re safe for a couple years at least. :lol:

#8

Patton wrote:

I assembled mine as above and thought all okay. However, the spring perch still hits the underside of the camber plate. This is because the spherical bearing allows the plate to pivot over enough that no number of the washers seem to rectify it. To my mind, there should be another big washer at the top that would lock the perch vertically when the final nut is installed. The supplied washer only covers the sperical bearing, allowing the whole deal to pivot randomly.
Am I missing something? I had a quickie install of the assembled strut in the car and trying to turn the strut (as if turning the steering wheel) the plate and top strut perch were making contact. That can’t be right.

#9

Hello Folks

I disassembled my IE plate on the drivers side, as on the passenger side, the supplied washers had deformed, disentergrated, disappeared…

The sign is a "clunk" in the front end. The washers supplied are not up to the task, which is isolating the upper strut mount from the top spring hat so it can pivot, turn etc. Also on the drivers side the top ledge of the strut insert piston had started beating thru the upper spring hat, as it had on the pass side. You must use one of the stock washers as Robert mentioned between the upper spring hat and the top strut mount. I am getting some washers cut from a stock spacer that will be twice as thich as the supplied washers, hopefully that will solve my problem.

Al
Fiat Abarth Driver

#10

Al,
you say you are having washers made from the stock spacer - is there a reason why you don’t make one spacer that is the required height?
thanks,
bruce

#11

Is it just me or does it seem like there are WAY too many issues installing the IE adjustable camber plates? When I installed mine back in February I had the same troubles that many orher guys are still having. I have installed several other vendors camber plates on other cars and never experienced the problems that myself and others are having with the IE plates. Seems that even when you call the company they aren’t much help either. I called and talked to some very laid back guy (forget his name) that was pretty much useless to me. He faxed a diagram for assembly (since nothing came with my kit) and it was for an E28 installation with different parts. I called back and he tells me just to follow the diagram and use the parts that came with my kit in the same order as the e28 diagram.

Even when people think they have installed the plates correctly they later find out that they are wrong or they have worn out parts. Does anyone at IE follow this board or maybe listen to feedback from customers about their insufficient installation instructions and poor customer support? Perhaps they need to redesign the adj. plates so that you can get max camber while using all four hex bolts and provide clear assembly instructions for E30 appications. Anyone else feel slighted by IE?

#12

I’d have been happy with just a simple diagram that showed the sequence of parts. If it weren’t for this board, I’d still by trying to figure it all out. While I understand that ‘performance’ parts such as this ASSume a certain amount of automitive intelligence, it still is not exactly a no-brainer to install these. They are not inexpensive parts, either.
I wondered about the spacer washers myself. They looked a bit feeble. It’s together now, but I’ll have to check them after some use.

#13

Wow, mine didn’t come with spacer washers. My assembly consists of the following, from top down:

  • Top part of camber plate (part with the 3 studs that go through the tower)
  • bottom part of camber plate (part with the spherical bearing)
  • steel spacer sleeve (not washer) that gets sandwiched between the spherical bearing and the stock spring perch plate
  • spring perch plate
  • spring

I’d better take mine apart and inspect the perch plate. I had a hunch when installing it that the design was a bit shady.

#14

Thank all of you for the info. I felt I owed something back to [spece30] society, so here’s my contribution. Feel free to comment if desired:

http://brandnewengine.com/bmw/ie_camber_plates/

Over and out.

Craig G.

#15

This should be stickied as it will be helpful to a lot of people. Thanks

#16

that is really helpful - thanks Craig
bruce

#17

So has the above solution proven to work? Any more trouble?

I have some IE adjustable plates on order and i’m trying to make sure i’m getting what I need. The GCs look nice and offer castor adjustment (is there actually any room to increase castor in the strut tower hole?) but there another $100…

#18

Dan - IMHO the GC setup is cleaner and you can actually get 2 bolts on each side of the center bearing. The bearing also has and upper and lower billet spacer that fits into the spherical bearing so no other spacers/washers are needed. Well worth the extra bucks - my 2C worth. There is a some room for castor adj, but not much. The camber is limited with all plates by the shock tower housing and the top spring plate.
Ed

#19

Dan - IMHO the GC setup is cleaner and you can actually get 2 bolts on each side of the center bearing. The bearing also has and upper and lower billet spacer that fits into the spherical bearing so no other spacers/washers are needed. Well worth the extra bucks - my 2C worth. There is a some room for castor adj, but not much. The camber is limited with all plates by the shock tower housing and the top spring plate.
Ed

#20

hrmm kind of what i was afraid to hear… :slight_smile:

Bimmerworld does show the GC plates as back ordered… anyone know if they did decide to actually make them? i found an old post saying that they might not due to limited demand… I’ll call em tomorrow to clarify.