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Camber Plates

2K views 31 replies 12 participants last post by  mievil 
#1 ·
Does anybody make a set of adjustable camber plates for an '01 ZX3. I'm getting ready to convert my car to an official track car and am having no luck finding a set. All I've been able to find are camber "correction" kits. Not what I'm looking for. I want a set of actual adjustable camber plates. I usually run upwards of 4 degrees negative camber on my current SCCA car and would like to retain that kind of adjustability when I build my new car.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
#2 ·
As far as I know the only readily available camber plates for the Focus are the generic Ground Control plates. In order for them to fit you do have to hack the strut towers a bit - which might not be a problem if it is going to be a track car.
KMAC makes some camber plates but you have to order them from Australia ....
I feel your pain about the lack of camber though. I am running almost -2 degrees and I am killing my track tires. I wish I could dial in -3.5 for track days and then return to -2 for every day.

Albert
 
#3 ·
no, comtal, there are others available.

GC plates arn't the only ones.

http://www.newedgeperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=186

these are what most everyone uses.

and some run these...though not too many that I know of.
http://www.newedgeperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=170

---

The SPC camber plates are finiky as hell.

They dont' allow +-4*, only 1.
they also adjust camber with caster thus cuasing more headaches.

If your used to running -4*

then the GCs, even though they are very heavily modification oriented to install...would be your better option.
 
#4 ·
You may not need THAT much negative on the Focus if your spring and damper rates are adequate.
-3 may be the Max you'd need.
I suggest, (based on your experience and application), that you scroll down the page and spend alot more time in our Road Racing/Auto-X/Rally Forum.
You'll get LOTS more feedback down there for this sort of thing, BUT, since we're here, I'll help as much as I can.

Due to the fact that camber and caster are constantly adjusted in tandem with the Specialty Products Corporation (SPC henceforth) plates, there are compromises. The advantage is that there is no cutting or drilling of the strut towers.
The other trade-off is that the front struts are always at X amount of misalignment with the springs. Which direction depends on which way they are adjusted, but the strut top is ALWAYS X amount out of alignment, and there are concerns with binding of the strut and/or spring.
One of our most regular Enduro NASA racers (Gary K) has a different solution that has worked with success.
He has a company that he works with who can take the OEM control arms, (The best on the market to date), and slot the outer bolt holes to allow at least 3 degrees of adjustment. This way, everything but the CV axle stays in alignment. The resulting stresses on the CV axle have not yet produced detrimental results to the best of my knowledge.
Combine the slotting with the drop that will already accompany any serious set of Race Springs, and you're in the ballpark that you're looking for.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the help. I spent a good portion of the evening looking through the road racing/auto X forum last night. I've got a lot of homework to do before the car is built.

BTW my current car:
 
#6 ·
Sorry but I don't consider those SPC plates track worthy. I would never run them so I wasn't about to recommend them. And, yes, I had tried them in my car and besides looking fragile they didn't work with my coilovers.

Albert
 
#8 ·
we found the spc plates to be very breakable...and michael we can actually dial in up to -5 degrees although we have found -3 to be optimal...and -2 in the back....since the switch to toyo's, we have had phenomanal wear...one set has gotten us through 4 sprints and one enduroplus 5 days of instructing....and will probably make it through the emra weekend at pocono coming up....
 
#11 ·
Yes, I'd be interested in seeing a few good pictures of the slotted control arms also. I saw a couple pics that weren't worth much, but a few good ones would be great!!
 
#12 ·
In addition, Gary do you pics of the slotted arms that you would be willing to post up? With all the talk about the arms in the past, I've never seen any pics of them
i'll try to find where they are posted...was sometime 2 febuary's ago..i, being an old fart, do not even have a digital camera..if nothing else, i'll have someone take a shot of them during pocono race weekend coming up...and disrupter, the rear has what i like to call "john tricks"..that is the insane fabrication john cummins does at kearney racing...we have quite a few one off suspension tricks..like i dont need to carry a right hand and a left hand spare strut to races (although we do-john's idea..my sway bar is mounted directly to the control arms...he is truly evil
 
#14 ·
anything is o.k....we willingly share any info we have...i spent too much time and money on this stuff...dont want anybody else to make some of the mistakes i made..this is the focus community......
 
#15 ·
anything is o.k....we willingly share any info we have...i spent too much time and money on this stuff...dont want anybody else to make some of the mistakes i made..this is the focus community......

 
#18 ·
^ Well said!
 
#19 ·
anything is o.k....we willingly share any info we have...i spent too much time and money on this stuff...dont want anybody else to make some of the mistakes i made..this is the focus community......
x2

The Focus community is lucky to have a you and your crew on board!!

Remeber that when he's racing in your area and needs a helping hand on crew.

 
#21 ·
Actually GaryK is KINDA in my area- bout an hour away I guess. So if ya need a hand Gary, feel free to let me know.

(although my somewhat rookie hands are now showing the blisters of an education in the focus, lol)
 
#22 ·
That's how Seanmc and the table (aka Joe) got their start.
Rookie-Wrenching for Gary + Track Days = much fun and a path to comp license.

I'd help more, but I'm MUCH more than an hour away.

I definitely owe the man a few beer.
 
#23 ·
anything is o.k....we willingly share any info we have...i spent too much time and money on this stuff...dont want anybody else to make some of the mistakes i made..this is the focus community......
x2

The Focus community is lucky to have a you and your crew on board!!

Remeber that when he's racing in your area and needs a helping hand on crew.

I never forgot


It was just "bad luck" that the day I was supposed to be rolling up to limerock with a local Focus buddy to help crew the pit, I was involved in an accident, rendering the car immobile.

Although I plan on being there in September when Gary comes rolling through!
 
#25 ·
This way, everything but the CV axle stays in alignment. The resulting stresses on the CV axle have not yet produced detrimental results to the best of my knowledge.
I thought I wanted to go with this option until I read this.

On a super high horsepower car, one of the weak points is going to be the axles. I don't want any funky alignment on those bad boys that might help assist them to crap out on me on a hard launch.

-Nick
 
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