I have M7 USS, FSB, and HSport 19mm RSB. Probably want to to camber plates next, then eventually the rear control arms at the same time as springs/shocks.

So, will camber plates on the stock suspension give too much neg camber? If and when I lower it, will the camber change?

 

 

Camber plates can be fixed or adjustable.

If you choose fixed then you get one setting about -1.7 degrees but it can vary. Stock is -0.5.

More neg camber is good for cornering at high speeds but isn't that useful for normal daily street driving. You can still use it on the street but there is a tendency to wear the inner edges of the front tires a little faster.

Anytime you add suspension parts that affect the ride height (lower it) then you can change camber usually in the rear, hardly in the front. Lowering springs by 1" in the rear will likely cause camber to be more negative and in the range of about -2.0 to -2.4 degrees. Stock is about -1.0 to -2.0

 

We just added H-Sport plates on stock sports suspension. On our 06 if you get beyond -1.4 deg your drivers side spring will rub the inner fender. So be aware

 

Yea, I have adj. plates with stock springs, and the springs rub the inner fender. I'm used to it now, and the benefits of the neg. camber up front greatly outweigh the annoyance of a little noise on tight turns.

mb

 

I'm aware of the tire wear issues, etc. I've had custom alignments performed on previous vehicles that were adjustable, dialing in a little bit of neg camber makes a massive difference sometimes, and I'm sure that would be the case with the Mini.

I suppose adjustable is the way to go, I was considering fixed just because they are so much cheaper, but when it's all said and done, I suppose it's better to have the ability to dial it in just how I want it.

BTW, on my stock '06 330i I just replaced the factory tires after 45k miles. I drive quite aggressively on the street (when safe) and tend to wear the shoulders down. I'm not worried about the inside edge wearing down, the driving style more than compensates for that.

Anyhow, thanks for the thread links and the input. More research and discussion to come :D

 

I have the ireland engineering fixed plates on an otherwise stock suspension, and they make a big improvement in cornering grip. Unlike most adjustable plates, the rubber bushing keeps NVH at bay. For street, the fixed plates are a great choice.

 

Interesting, I have h-sport plates, and h-sport springs on stock sport dampers, and I am running -2.0 degrees of camber in the front, and I am not rubbing the inner fender at all. My h-sport springs are the same diameter as the stock springs, just that the ride height is lower. I doubt that would make a difference if there was any contact. Mine is on a 2003, but I doubt there were any changes to the wheel well between years.

 

ummmmm..... I could only get -1.7 camber on the front driver (US) side. There are two verticle ribs that are formed into the inner wheelwell. Even at -1.7 camber the top of the spring perch rubbed on one of the ribs. I have a 2003 S built in December '02. This was with stock springs and struts.

Alan

 

I believe that an extra rib is stamped into the towers on cars built after a certin point - don't know when that point is. Mine is a 7/03 build, and the shop that installed mine did a bit of hammering to make clearance for the springs after finding that they rubbed when it was all assembled. I don't have any rubbing at all, and I'm at -2.0 with the fixed plates. I think the rubbing issue and how much negative you can dial in varies from car to car.