IE Camber Plates - One more time

#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.

#21

I just got mine yesterday. Call them, they have them in stock.

JP

#22

I ordered mine direct from Ground Control and got them about five days after placing the order. They went in with no muss or fuss.

I got mine at the end of November. According to a note in the package an upgraded bracket was to be available in Dec that would be free to those who bought the original design. I tried once to get it via the web site, but their ordering system wouldn’d take a zero cost order. I guess I need to call them.

#23

Ok, i just cancelled the IE order since I’ve had trouble w/ their cust service in the past and well, it doesnt take much. I spoke w/ James and he said theyre out of stock, but expect more real soon. I placed the order.

#24

Maybe it’s just beginner’s luck but I ordered a set of IE plates and had zero problems installing them. I am able to use all 4 bolts and am sitting at -2.7* with room to spare (I still drive it to the track). I did buy these around August 2006 IIRC, and could be that the design has been changed.

#25

Looking at the pics provided in this thread I am not clear on something…On stock setup there is a washer that goes between strut bearing and (final) 19 mm nut that goes on the top of shock rod. So once the camber plate is in place did most of the people just not use the washer before putting 19 mm nut on?

Igor

#26

Resurrecting this thread as I’m trying to assemble my IE plates…

Here is what it looks like with the large BMW washer and the IE supplied washers on the shock shaft

They supply a sleeve that appears to fit inside the spherical bearing, but it only fits overtop of the threaded area and doesn’t go any lower. The bearing is a sloppy fit on the shaft if I don’t use the sleeve. There will only be a few threads for the top nut if I use the sleeve. Is the sleeve supposed to go down further on the non-threaded portion of the shaft?

thanks,
bruce

#27

I’d love to work on this with you guys, however, I am still waiting for my camber plates/sways from IE. Its been 3 weeks!!! GRRRRR

#28

an update from some behind the scenes discussions - it appears that the sleeve I received has an ID of 13mm when the shaft is 14mm. Working on a replacement now.
thanks,
bruce

#29

IE apparently changed the design from what they were shipping 1 or 2 years ago, as I don’t think the sleeve was part of the equation then. Seems like it’s a new spherical bearing, probably with multiple applications, and required the sleeve to fit on the Bilstein strut shaft. Anyway, it would have made sense for that sleeve to fit down snug against the spacer-washers. Hopefully the right piece will make the difference.

I think Craig Geiger actually has the best illustrated writeup on the setup. Still available on his website at http://brandnewengine.com/bmw/ie_camber_plates/

#30

How did the Ireland Engineering Plates affect the ride height if at all? Bumping a decade old thread is a honor

#31

Universal answer. Distance from top of the spring to body can change depending of the location of the top plates bearing. Uses to affect the height since H&R weren’t adjustable, now we can dial it out, but a poorly designed top plate will eat up shock travel. With only more or less 1 inch of travel off the bump stop, a top plate could make the same ride height be off or on the bump stops. Usually called “stack up height” a lower one is preferred in general.