I auto cross and would love to see how much negative camber I can get out of this with the strut grind. It is mentioned in the Chevy field service manual (from what I hear) so it is considered a legal 'mod' for stock class.

Any info, pics, explanations on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Sub'd for info. I searched for this too and I know it was on here at one time but i couldn't find it again.

 

PM qwikredline, he'll know!

 

I've got my first event on april 7th so gonna be doing this and putting my new rear Konis on before then. As I understand it when you pull the lower bolt on the strut it is stamped to the certain amount that you can legally (SCCA stock classing) grind. I have seen pictures online, just can't find them now.

 

I did the mod... got -1.8 at each side.. could get more but needed to stay within -1.8 to be SCCA stock
lega....

here's the doc from GM...

 

Thanks for the info. One more quick question. That looks like it's off of a cd, do you know if it is also in the repair manual, or is it just on the cd?

Thanks

 

sub'd for pics after work

 

I have that image printed out. spent 20 minutes looking for it before I posted! Thanks JT

 

FYI, just take it to an alignment shop and tell them the specs you want and they will do this for you to exactly what you want.. this is a VERY STANDARD procedure

 

its out of the workshop manual; open up the lower hole in the strut to the limit of the outer ring in the strut ;it is a stepped hole.

 

Thanks qwik. For the people who have done this do you know the torque specs for the strut to knuckle nuts? Also, what did you guys use to open the hole up? Would a dremel work or did you just use a circular file? Also, anyone know the size wrench/socket for the nuts, I took a quick look at them today and they seemed fairly large. ....Yes, I know I need to get the shop manual.

Thanks.

 

I did this some time ago on an earlier vehicle. I used both a drill and a dremel -- but the dremel is pretty slow - patience counts. Pay attention to the 'embossed ring' about the hole -- according to SCCA, you can drill out to the 'embossed ring' around the hole. The SCCA rules say you can only used stock camber specs -- UNLESS there's a factory 'embossed ring' -- in which case you can run whatever camber you can get. I got about 3 degrees of negative by doing this...

Yes, they're fairly large, about the same size as the lug nuts -- in fact you could use a lug wrench. I don't remember the torque specs, however, I now use a Goodyear electric impact wrench (from Pep Boys -- best investment I ever made) and torque them until they stop. Yeah, I know, it isn't 'torqued' to spec, but I change stuff up front so regularly (just did again this morning) that I don't bother to torque the strut bolts any more. BTW, the swaybar endlink bolt is the same size as the strut bolts.

Scott

 

Thanks, I have impact sockets for my lugs and a few sizes bigger so I should be set. I have a craftsman cordless impact and it was also on of the best investments I have made. Makes working on everything so much easier. I have my first auto-x with this car next weekend and will probalby leave it stock for the first event, and maybe the weekend after do this. At the very minimum it should improve tire life. Thanks again.

 

How did you event go? I have been thinking about increasing the negative camber. But the contact patch seems pretty good on the Kumho Ecsta SPT street tires I run. I guess I need to move up to a race tire.

 

Subd

Do you guys leave it in this position for DD? or adjust it before you go to the track?

 

Also could use camber bolts. they replace the stock strut/knuckle bolts with one that has a cam lobe to it to aid in dialing in some extra camber.

 

Except camber bolts aren't legal in stock -- the grind is...

Scott

 

oh gotcha, missed that part

 

First event was good, I finished in about the middle of the pack (raw times) out of about 160 people. I haven't had time to grind the strut holes you yet. I'm still on the stock conti's, and thought that they were pretty decent for an OE tire. There was some rollover even when they were pumped up, but I thought they did pretty well. I don't know how much the mod will help my times, I need more time behind the wheel of this car before I can start comparing times with camber adjustments.

No reason you couldn't leave with that much camber. It will cause excessive wear on the inside edge of the tire though. You might also have to be a little more careful in the rain as you are decreasing the contact patch in a straight line.

 

Contact patch does not change because of alignment, even wider tires do not increase the contact patch. Only weight and tire pressure can increase or decrease it.

 

For those that did this "strut-grind" mod on stock suspensions... whats the ideal camber?
I have -1.8 but it's not quite enough and still having lots of tire sidewall rollovers... so I'm
planning on getting a bit more camber but also concern that too much might hurt accleration
and braking.

Suggestions? -2.0? -2.2?

 

Last year I ran 2.5 on the Nittos. This year 2.375 seems to be the sweet spot.

Get a good temp gauge and go for it.

 

Do any of you happen to have a picture of the "embossed ring"?

 

Did my alignment over the weekend... I can barely go over -2 degrees on the front camber.
Not sure how you guys got over -2 but I was told I'm at the edge of the embossed ring in this
setting.

 

I just had mine set to -1.6 and 0 toe.....seams to be fun for now. Maybe I'll try -2.0 next spring.


I was worried -2.0 would eat up my tires on the highway for daily driving....Or am I wrong?