Suspension Springs, Shocks, Brakes

Camber questions

Old May 2, 2013 | 10:31 PM
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Camber questions

Can someone give me a camber 101+102 and possibly a 401 class in getting negative camber on the cobalt? I currently autox my cobalt and want to get some negative camber to get better performance in the turns. I've seen the Eibach camber bolts, but is that the only/best way to get camber? Also, what about shims for the rear?

I searched the forum threads and didn't some much than a passing glance at camber, everyone is worried about their springs and bumper.... way past that!!

Thanks
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Old May 2, 2013 | 10:34 PM
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well, the only ways to adjust camber in the front is

1. cam bolts, which will usually give you +/- about 1 degree or so
2. slot the bolt holes in the struts to allow for more adjustment. you will probably be able to make a bigger adjustment this way.

As for the rear.....you need shims.
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Old May 2, 2013 | 10:38 PM
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Thanks, anyone that has done this around here?

I'm looking for around -3 in the front and what ever I can get in the back. Are there plates available that I haven't seen or is the bolt the only option at this point?

Some people were mentioning that the shims for the balt are a pain in the @ worth the struggle?
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Old May 2, 2013 | 10:39 PM
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I've often wondered just how much camber gain is built into our front suspension and if we really do have a need for a metric crap tonne of initial camber.
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Old May 2, 2013 | 10:42 PM
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well, I think some coil over setups have the camber plate on top....but don't think they make anything like that with a factory strut setup......

There isn't really a whole lot of camber adjustment in the stock set up....so bolts or slotting the struts are really the only ways.

As for the rears......you need to insert the shim between the hub and the mounting plate. They aren't too bad to do.
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Old May 2, 2013 | 10:42 PM
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The max anyone has been able to get me is -1.2 on the TC struts. At this point I'm willing to try anything to keep the tires on the ground. People laugh at me when I show up with the balt and I hear them complain that an NA balt is beating them by a sec in their STI!!! Love at first race!!

Not always the case, but it happens often enough. Last race I took down a noob in his supped up evo.
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Old May 2, 2013 | 10:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Sunburst_SS
well, I think some coil over setups have the camber plate on top....but don't think they make anything like that with a factory strut setup......

There isn't really a whole lot of camber adjustment in the stock set up....so bolts or slotting the struts are really the only ways.

As for the rears......you need to insert the shim between the hub and the mounting plate. They aren't too bad to do.
Paying for coilovers is out of the question at this point so I'll try the bolts and shims out. Any suggestions on the shims or just ebay and done?
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Old May 2, 2013 | 10:44 PM
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Powell has a rear beam that allows camber adjustment if u have the money

coilover allow camber adjusting as well
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Old May 2, 2013 | 10:45 PM
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I think I saw a pic of that, do you know the cost? I can call but if you know....
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Old May 2, 2013 | 10:54 PM
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From: Port Perry
its a fwd dont need rear camber, you want performance buy my control arm bushings so the arms dont collapse inwards and take away what camber you have.

macpherson struts have minimal to no camber gain.

you can shim a drum brake rear car for camber, not a disc brake car you can shim a converted drum to disc car.

no need though.
buy my rear bar hardcore or triple x to keep the front wheels on the ground.

rear bar= front tire grip.

good luck.
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Old May 2, 2013 | 11:05 PM
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lol John!! I just bought XXX bar and CAB's this winter. Jizz worthy improvement, but I still lose traction on extremely tight turns.

Granted one wheel wonder doesn't help anything!

Last edited by Blackbalts; May 2, 2013 at 11:05 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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Old May 3, 2013 | 12:04 AM
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are u on yourcobalt site by any chance? black coblat focal f05 17s red xxx bar?
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Old May 3, 2013 | 12:49 AM
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You could do some fabrication. Name:  P81102102.jpg
Views: 374
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https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/susp...plates-284564/

you would have to figure out how to adapt the stock upper spring perch to work with the pillow ball, or just switch to different type of spring. And the stock struts do a pretty good job with slightly higher spring rates. Just don't try to lower the car too much on the stock struts. With the car at the ride right i'm at now i only have about 2" of travel before the strut bottoms out. I'm going to be shorting the strut and using some koni 8610-1436Race inserts , this should give me a good 2.5 to 3" more travel(the wheel will touch the wheel well at that point lol)

Last edited by phatnackySS; May 3, 2013 at 12:54 AM.
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Old May 3, 2013 | 01:48 AM
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I installed the Eibach camber bolts in the top hole and was able to get -2.6 degrees out of it, or at least that's what the alignment sheet said. It at least felt like it was this past weekend when I autocrossed.
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Old May 3, 2013 | 07:38 AM
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From: Port Perry
Originally Posted by Blackbalts
lol John!! I just bought XXX bar and CAB's this winter. Jizz worthy improvement, but I still lose traction on extremely tight turns.

Granted one wheel wonder doesn't help anything!
well you have the answers!lol. this sounds greedy, but I am amazed how YYZ springs improve forward bite. Even with an open diff which you have, that would be what I would recommend. 2 degrees negative camber at front is very good; more than that the car will be a pita to drive on the street and the tires will wear on the inside rib a bit much cheers and enjoy!
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Old May 3, 2013 | 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by DSmastery
are u on yourcobalt site by any chance? black coblat focal f05 17s red xxx bar?
Thats me

Originally Posted by phatnackySS
You could do some fabrication.

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/susp...plates-284564/

you would have to figure out how to adapt the stock upper spring perch to work with the pillow ball, or just switch to different type of spring. And the stock struts do a pretty good job with slightly higher spring rates. Just don't try to lower the car too much on the stock struts. With the car at the ride right i'm at now i only have about 2" of travel before the strut bottoms out. I'm going to be shorting the strut and using some koni 8610-1436Race inserts , this should give me a good 2.5 to 3" more travel(the wheel will touch the wheel well at that point lol)
I'm liking this idea, I'm no welder though. I'll have to check with the Pro autox guys for guidance on this! Or is this a bolt on application? Thanks.

Originally Posted by Nukesforbreakfast
I installed the Eibach camber bolts in the top hole and was able to get -2.6 degrees out of it, or at least that's what the alignment sheet said. It at least felt like it was this past weekend when I autocrossed.
Good to know they work.

Originally Posted by Powell Race Parts
well you have the answers!lol. this sounds greedy, but I am amazed how YYZ springs improve forward bite. Even with an open diff which you have, that would be what I would recommend. 2 degrees negative camber at front is very good; more than that the car will be a pita to drive on the street and the tires will wear on the inside rib a bit much cheers and enjoy!
Are you referring to the v2's or 1's? I currently have SSC which has been amazing so far. Not too much travel and never bottomed out. I'll keep the camber in mind, but really right now this car is either in a garage or on the way to a race/meet.

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.
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Old May 3, 2013 | 12:27 PM
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your screen name could have gave it away but the auto x was it
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Old May 3, 2013 | 04:06 PM
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I can get -1.5 camber with just the upper slotted hole in my tc struts. slot the lower hole and you might get to -2.5. Torque the bolts to 110 or they will slip. Also as mentioned before, get the spherical CABS, because the stock ones are absolute garbage.
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Old May 3, 2013 | 04:08 PM
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Had the CABs since Feb. I'll be purchasing the bolts shortly since I wont have another race after this weekend until mid June. Any suggested brand or "they are just bolts" kinda thing?!
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Old May 3, 2013 | 08:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Blackbalts
Thats me



I'm liking this idea, I'm no welder though. I'll have to check with the Pro autox guys for guidance on this! Or is this a bolt on application? Thanks.



Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.
no welding needed, just precises measurements and drilling.
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Old May 3, 2013 | 08:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Powell Race Parts
macpherson struts have minimal to no camber gain.
My mental model wasn't accounting for the lower ball joint. Of course it doesn't. The top of the strut is, for the most part, fixed in space. doh!

How soon can you design and build an unequal length double wishbone suspension for the Cobalt?
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Old May 3, 2013 | 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Blackbalts
Had the CABs since Feb. I'll be purchasing the bolts shortly since I wont have another race after this weekend until mid June. Any suggested brand or "they are just bolts" kinda thing?!
a surprising number of people use them ask Wangspeed he would know best. I like hogging out the strut hole costs nothing much and works.
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Old May 7, 2013 | 11:17 PM
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Like John mentioned, I run the camber bolts. Works well for me, but you must make sure you put the washers on the correct side, and tighten the bolts down to 100ftlbs. Otherwise, that first track curb you hop hard will probably knock it loose.
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