We have an 85 with IROC suspension pieces under her, our problem is we can't get enough caster, 2.5-3 max, were running in the 24hrs of LeMons and want more adjustment. Sense we can't put expensive camber plates on a $500.00 car I was thinking of disassembling the camber plates & mounting the bearing inboard & to the rear making the stock appearing plate more adjustable and no problems with the BS judges. So give me some opinions, is it a good idea or should I pull my head out my rear!

 

I just checked out the LeMons site and now I have to enter that competition.

Depending on how hard you're going to drive I'm sure additional camber to some extent will help. Caster would be more of a feel thing. Do you want caster for other reasons or just feel?

As for manipulating the stock plates to get more c and c, I'd say go for it.

Did I mention I need to try this race series?

ramey

 

You should be able to get quite a bit more caster than that stock. If you were to remove the strut mount you would see that the sheetmetal is slotted and that is what allows the caster adjustment, not the strut mount itself. Though you could theoretically build a strut mount that was offset further to the rear for more caster but you could also easily just enlarge the slots in the car.
The problem with what you are describing is that you are still not near what a stock thirdgen can adjust to. IIRC i was able to get over 5 with stock strut mounts but my memory might be fuzzy. I know i have over 5 with spohn mounts (which i do not recommend buying).
The other problem you may be having is the strut dust boot may be hitting the side of the strut mount opening. Remove the dust boots.

UMI, caster helps in a handling car because as you turn the wheel it increases camber on the outside tire and decreases it on the inside tire. The downside is added steering effort. It never bothered me though and I am maxed out with big tires.

 

yea, easy answer is to ditch the stock boots (they _will_ hit if you go anyplace past stock) and lengthen the slots in the top of the tower.

most later cars can get in the 5* range, but some of the earlier cars will not... things like exactly how you had things lined up when you bolted the lower strut pinch bolts, amount of camber.... can all affect the total caster available.

 

We did have the plate slid back as far as it would go, that's why I was surprised when we only got 2.5-3.0 degrees of camber. Iv'e always read that 5-6 degrees was attainable with stock parts. One more reason for modifying the the camber plate, centered or offset is that it will remove the rubber damper making the struts react firmer. I'm just assuming that our chassis was a friday afternoon build and those guys just wanted to get out of the plant. The car has never been wrecked and still has it's still has it's original paint. It' amazing how sloppy some mass produced parts can be, take a straight edge and set it along the rocker studs or valve stems, you think they'ed be straight, there not. Anyway, thanks for your input, I'm going to try the mod, can't hurt, got lots of plates from 5 3rd gens that Iv'e parted out. Also since were here, get 4-6 people together, build a LeMons or ChumpUcar from whatever crap you can put together, you'll never have more fun on 4 wheels!

 

i figured you could put new camber/caster plates down as safety being there part of the suspension? no?