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Front Camber for Cars with Clamp Attachment Struts


smeyers

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Most of my cars have had front struts that attach with camber bolts. Except for my Mazda3’s. Real problem with front tire wear when autocrossed.

So, in checking around, I’m finding more and more cars these days have front strut attachments like my Mazda3’s! The front struts fit into a large metal clamp, then tightened to hold the strut to the lower control arms.

I now find many of the current top SCCA Class cars have this arrangement. VW Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Sports and SI’s 2016 and newer), and even some newer BMW’s……

So what do these guys and cars do to get front negative camber? Just suck it up and flip tires on wheels every month or two? I would think this lack of camber would diminish handling, too.

Please discuss and share. I just don’t get it. Am I missing something?

Thanks.

 

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Looks like some really aren't adjustable much in stock form. I found an article online about how to adjust a 10th-generation Civic's camber, and it seems it's only adjustable by +/- 0.32 degrees, so barely anything. The adjustments are possible by moving the position of the shock itself it seems: https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/how-to-adjust-front-camber-on-a-tenth-gen-civic.15715/

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19 hours ago, Mach5Mk5 said:

Found on the Focus ST it's not possible at all. Seems like sizable camber adjustments are becoming a thing of the past for some reason. Seems bizarre to me for such performance-focused vehicles!

"Make the suspension adjustable and they will adjust it wrong -- look what they can do to a Weber carburetor in just a few moments of stupidity with a screwdriver."  - Colin Chapman

  • Haha 1
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Hey, I’m very good with Weber carbs. SU’s too. Strombergs.

Consensus on the no camber for cars with strut knuckles seems to be you have to flip tires on wheels every 40-50 runs.

Crap. That would suck, for sure. How can they do that to us?🤨

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In the rulebook 13.8-B, the last sentence states "However, no suspension part may be modified for the purpose of adjustment unless such modification is specifically authorized by the factory shop manual.".  Now, back when I ran my Taurus in HS (and this was a long time ago) the line also said "even if the modification is specifically for crash damage." which it no longer says. So you might want to see if you can get a clarification on this line includes modification for crash damage, and check your factory shop manual for that possibility. In my instance the factory shop manual allowed the drilling out of the three spot welds that held in the factory caster/camber plate, move that plate, and then drill and rivet the plate in place.

Edited by Eric Evans
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