Ground Control Camber Plates Installation Question

[Bruce AaLee]

I'm about to start installing the camber plates, but I was wondering if they can be installed with the strut still in the car? I've seen this done on other cars where you disconnect the strut nut bolt and slowly lower the front suspension releasing pressure off the spring until you can remove the strut housing. Obviously the other option is to completely remove the strut assembly and disassemble reassemble off the car.

I didn't receive any instructions with the camber plates and I didn't really find any DIYs online for this so any help or tips and tricks would be appreciated.

[chetrickerman]

Do you have lowering springs installed?

[Bruce AaLee]

Originally Posted by chetrickerman

Do you have lowering springs installed?

Stock suspension 2018 ZCP. I do have a spring compressor as well.

[chetrickerman]

Ok, yes if you have the spring compressed, you can just remove the top strut nut and lower the whole suspension down without removing the strut from the knuckle.

[Bruce AaLee]

Originally Posted by chetrickerman

Ok, yes if you have the spring compressed, you can just remove the top strut nut and lower the whole suspension down without removing the strut from the knuckle.

Awesome, thank you. I'll give it a shot tomorrow after work. Any other tips? Overall it seems pretty straightforward

[chetrickerman]

Be careful when torquing the Allen bolts, because you can strip them if you torque them too much.

[Bruce AaLee]

Originally Posted by chetrickerman

Be careful when torquing the Allen bolts, because you can strip them if you torque them too much.

Will do, thanks again.

[Luc@Speed&Tech]

I installed mine with the strut still attached to the knuckle too. I have KW V3 though making it really easy because all I had to do was lower the perch all the way to relieve pressure on the spring. With stock springs it might be a little difficult to do due to the lack of space and height of the spring. Why don't you just remove the entire strut? It's just a bolt holding it on the knuckle. If you get a knuckle spreader tool it makes it really easy to take out.

[Bruce AaLee]

Originally Posted by LucBroDude

I installed mine with the strut still attached to the knuckle too. I have KW V3 though making it really easy because all I had to do was lower the perch all the way to relieve pressure on the spring. With stock springs it might be a little difficult to do due to the lack of space and height of the spring. Why don't you just remove the entire strut? It's just a bolt holding it on the knuckle. If you get a knuckle spreader tool it makes it really easy to take out.

Just being lazy I suppose.

I just watched this video and it seems super easy to remove so if I have any issue with the spring pressure, I'll just pull it all the way out. Thanks for the suggestion.

[larryn]

Just swing it out from under the fender. and remove it from the collar clamp. It's sooo much easier than wrestling the strut still clamped in place, swinging back and forth and very easy for a DIYer to do fender damage.

I've removed dampers on F82s about a dozen times now.

[Bruce AaLee]

My wife got sick over the weekend and we ended up spending Sunday at the ER. Thank God, she has almost fully recovered but I never got a chance to install the plates. Given the circumstances, my service advisor at the dealer offered me a discount to install them and do the alignment to my specs, and I took her up on it so I can have the car ready this weekend at COTA. Thanks for the suggestions. When it comes time to swapping the car back to stock, I'll be ready.

[Dr._Who]

Hey,

Just came across your post.

What would be the (different) alignment spec's. for the G.C. camber plates, once installed?

I'm thinking of installing these in order to extend my front tires (outer tread) lifespan a bit.


Cheers!



Hope the Family is all well!

[Bruce AaLee]

Originally Posted by Dr._Who

Hey,

Just came across your post.

What would be the (different) alignment spec's. for the G.C. camber plates, once installed?

I'm thinking of installing these in order to extend my front tires (outer tread) lifespan a bit.


Cheers!



Hope the Family is all well!

For a street/track setup, I think most people go up to neg 2.5 front and neg 1.6 rear with everything else being as close to stock as possible. I'm no expert on this, so please double check the forums for the discussions on the settings..

[MPoweRo]

Originally Posted by Bruce AaLee

For a street/track setup, I think most people go up to neg 2.5 front and neg 1.6 rear with everything else being as close to stock as possible. I'm no expert on this, so please double check the forums for the discussions on the settings..

Roughly the same here too.

[MyFragileHalogen]

After installing camber plates, two bolt holes for the tension strut does not align and I can't put the bolts in. Would it have any performance or safety impact and should I worry about it?

I also had an issue with when aligning the top of plate due to two bolts (wrote 'HELL' in the second picture due to my frustration at the moment) not being straight up. I had to use a big plier wrench to get them straight.

[MyFragileHalogen]

Originally Posted by MyFragileHalogen

After installing camber plates, two bolt holes for the tension strut does not align and I can't put the bolts in. Would it have any performance or safety impact and should I worry about it?

I also had an issue with when aligning the top of plate due to two bolts (wrote 'HELL' in the second picture due to my frustration at the moment) not being straight up. I had to use a big plier wrench to get them straight.

I made it work by slightly bending three top bolts (using rubber mallet). Monday I am going to a shop for alignment and should there be any issue...then I will contact the vendor to consult resolution. (Passenger side camber plate had no issue fitting)

By the way, I must say that the DIY videos are not correct on not needing a spring compressor. Even taking out front struts with oem springs required a bit of compression to clear the fender.