# Lets talk camber!



## JT - '02 330i (Dec 29, 2001)

After a year of autox, I'm now regularly PAXing in the top 5-10% overall. (Finished 11th out of 208 at the last event)

My 330i is basically stock except for a set of UUC sways. I've done an alignment and now I have a whopping .5 negative camber on the front. My autox times are good, but my tires are wearing badly on the outside edges.

What I'm looking for is a good STREETABLE way to increase camber. So far I have three choices:

KMac camber plates $399 - poly bushings
GroundControl camber plates $399 - solid bushings (on the street?)
Dinan fixed camber plates $269 + dealer install - unknown bushings.

Now my understanding is that the e46 spindle doesn't permit use of "Crash bolts". so we're screwed there, and I'm not going to have someone bend my struts, nor slot the shock towers.

In a perfect world, I'd like 1.5-2 degrees negative camber, and that the car when viewed by the dealer at my next service appointment wouldn't get noticed at all. (Last visit had them writing crap about my aftermarket sways on the service order.)

Anyone been in a similar spot? Suggestions?


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## teamdfl (Sep 24, 2002)

The fixed camber plates do not require you to disassemble the strut assembly (no spring compressor needed) because the go between the upper strut bearing and the strut tower. They are probably the easiest way to gain a little more negative camber without killing the ride on the street.


Ed


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## JT - '02 330i (Dec 29, 2001)

Do fixed camber plates change the ride height? 

1/8th to me doesn't matter, more does...


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

I read that the Dinans add 1/2.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

JT, here is a free way to add negative camber up front. I learned this trick while at Sears Point last week-end - thanks Tino and Jonathan. :thumbup: 

All you need to do is swap the right and left strut tower mounts, making sure to keep the arrow on the mounts still facing forward after switching them. I am going to do this to my car within the next couple of weeks. It is supposed to add 1.5-2 degrees negative camber.

Stay away from the camber plates. I had bought the K-MAC plates for my car, but returned them when I saw how crappy the construction was. The quality did not seem to be there. Also, while the claims are that the camber can easily be adjusted at the track, that is far from true on the K-MACs, as there aren't even any markings on them to determine the amount of camber you add or take out. While the Ground Control units have markings on them, if you look carefully, you will notice that it is impossible to always get the camber adjusted precisely unless you get your car aligned on a rack.

Lasly, find another dealer if they are giving you so much crap just for having aftermarket sways.

Later.


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

What does it take to swap the strut tower mounts?


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

Nick325xiT 5spd said:


> *What does it take to swap the strut tower mounts? *


I think you just need to unbolt the strut assembly from the strut towers (3 bolts each side), then drop the assembly down, and use a spring compressor so that you can take the mounts out. Not sure though...my Bentley manual is not with me now.


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

Hmm... Sounds like a potential project for Jetfest. *g*


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## JT - '02 330i (Dec 29, 2001)

I've heard of this trick for the M3's.

I don't know if it's ever been tried for the 330's

I'd be plenty interested in how it works if you end up with an extra degree of negative.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Realise that swapping the spring hats may cause more problems, like caster and bump steer problems. Someone with a good bit of knowledge on suspensions looked into this for the M3s and found that it is not a good idea.

But I have heard of it also being done in the M Roadsters. 

As for good camber plates, check out Ground Control (www.ground-control.com). They have street and race camber plates.

I quess with the sways you are already running one of the prepared classes, but watch what mods do to your classification. But if you want to go wild, GC can setup a set of coil overs for any application (Street, Street/AutoX, Street/Track, Track, Race).:bigpimp:


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

Raffi said:


> *While the Ground Control units have markings on them, if you look carefully, you will notice that it is impossible to always get the camber adjusted precisely unless you get your car aligned on a rack.*


But could you get close enough with something like SmartCamber from Smart Racing Products? A couple people on bimmerforums had some nice things to say about them.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

[email protected] said:


> *
> 
> But could you get close enough with something like SmartCamber from Smart Racing Products? A couple people on bimmerforums had some nice things to say about them. *


Yeah, true, but that becomes too much of a PITA for me - I would rather have a fixed camber than have to play with it all the time. I am not club racing YET :bigpimp: so the adjustability is not a big factor for me at this time.


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

Raffi said:


> *
> 
> Yeah, true, but that becomes too much of a PITA for me - I would rather have a fixed camber than have to play with it all the time. I am not club racing YET :bigpimp: so the adjustability is not a big factor for me at this time. *


Maybe a difference between tracking and autocrossing, then?

If JT is looking for the best streetable solution, this may be the right way for him to go...it could allow him to have the best of both world...more camber at the events and less for the rest of the week.


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## JawKnee (Dec 20, 2001)

The strut tower mount swap trick did come from the e36 m3 days, 96+ I believe. However, I think you can indeed use the mounts from the e36 m3 (96+) on the e46. I was going to attempt this swap, but I'm pretty happy right now with my negative camber up front. I have -1.5&deg. of camber up front 

My alignment specs can be found at http://www.coolpixpower.com/~jawknee/


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