IE fixed uses a stock roller bearing... IE adjustables use a spherical...

Helix use a roller bearing...

And some use a double roller bearing and a spherical... *cough*

 

Might want to get that "cough" checked, just make sure they don't bend you over to check it.

The TSW Camber Plate is using a double bearing and rocks. Just one of the many fine TSW parts we are proud to offer at AXC.

 

Not knocking any of the products mentioned in this thread.
BUT, if someone asks if it will raise the car ANY at all, lets be honest and tell them yea or nea. Let them make their decision based on the facts given to them from the ones that have used/installed them already. That is part of what all this is for anyway..
Fair enough??????????????????

 

I have a set of IE fixed camber plates on my MINI. AS far as I can tell they did not raise the car, but I didn't measure the ride height either. A 1/8 or a 1/4 is really not much. If it was on a race car then yes that could make a difference. On my street car it's a non issue for me.

Hope that is fair enough for everyone.

This is not a commercial endorsement of any product..... Yada yada yada......

 

It was not my intent to mislead anyone with my statement of this morning. It was based on my installs of the IE's. I had never taken a tape measure to a MINI before or after install, but had also never noticed any visible difference in a MINI before or after. 1/8 or even a whopping 1/4 of an inch is so hard to notice. I was an honest mistake, one I corrected and publicly admitted.

What more can I do?

 

Hang your head & say 4 Hale MINI's.

 

Small finger from your left hand, please...

 

the stock ones sag over time too!

Matt

 

... so do the strut towers with the stock ones...

Maybe that's a good lowering strategy... extreme mushrooming.

 

That would be one way for me to get some extra camber and NOT raise the car either!!! I have a plan though.. maybe should call it a dream..

 

BTW, after driving the IE fixed plates for a while with my 22mm solid rear sway bar, I've ordered a 20mm bar to move the balance back a bit more toward understeer.

The solid bar I've got now is 2.3x stiffer on the soft position, while the 20mm bar is 1.9x stiffer on middle (i.e. twice as stiff as OEM), and, for winter, adds 1.5x stiffer on the softest position.

I think that this will be a bit more to my liking for public roads where going "off-track" could kill you after the 200-ft. drop...

 

Good choice. Personally, I run a H-sport 19mm bar on the middle position all the time... and, for me, it's plenty of bar.

 

I'm running an H-Sport 19mm bar at the tightest setting with IE fixed plates up front. In dry conditions I find that set-up ideal for me. In the wet the tail can become a bit loose. For this winter I've backed off the bar to it's softest setting. So far so good.

 

on the middle setting.... And -2 front camber, -1 rear. But don't forget the other items... Spring rates play a role, as do chassis braces.

Matt

 

Anyone care to do a detailed install of camber plates? How difficult a job is it?

 

Fixed plates are the same procedure as installing front struts and/or springs:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ll-how-to.html

The first time I did it, it was a chore. Now I can swap both front springs in about an hour. You pick up a lot of technique along the way. There are some good pointers in the linked thread.

Adjustable plates may require additional modification (cutting) of the tower top to provide access to adjustment bolts. Some do, some don't.

 

...

 

I'm curious, Matt - why would you reduce the rear camber from stock setting, which I believe is -1.5?

Mine is at 1.75, same as the front - is that inappropriate?

 

and I came to these settings working with my alignment guy.... But one thing to keep in mind is that the front doesn't have much camber gain, and the rear has some, so as the outside compresses, the front will stay near the 1.75 and the rears will increase. how much depends on how much the suspension compresses. This will depend on spring and anti-sway bar rates and the like.

But the real test is how's your tire wear and cornering balance? If you're happy the settings are fine!

Matt

ps, this isn't my area of expertese, and that's why I work with a suspension guy who's been doing it all his life....

 

Just as a post-script on this thread, I've currently got a 20mm rear bar, and backed off from its middle setting to the softest. That would be pretty-much equivalent to a 19mm bar on the middle setting.

On the middle position with the 20mm bar, I found that the car was just too eager to dive for the inside if I gave it some gas during a corner. Plainly, you don't need as much rear bar with camber plates on the front.

 

I agree with you Old Rick as you know i just had my work done and am at -1.8 camber up front,i started on the soft setting and have moved to the middle on the H-Sport 19mm and find the car is beautyfully balanced at this point,i will move to the stiffer hole to see what it's like but would be hard to imagine it being better.One thing i dont like is the camber plates ringing like a little bell on rough roads and they are new,so i wonder if it will get louder in time,goal was to create an excellent daily driver.

 

Stock, the front contact patch is poorly managed so it can't do what it should. With more camber, it works better and turns the car more.... I'm running my 19mm bar in the middle position I think.... Stock front bar.

Matt

 

I just installed these last week:
http://www.mini-madness.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=323
The difference they make in the car handling is night and day. Very little change in road noise or harshness. Got rid of all my wandering issues.

I have installed IE fixed plates. I measured before and after. They raised my car 1/4" in the front. After about 6 months they have settled about an 1/8".
This all measured, not eyeballed.

my 2 cents.

 

I'm running the fixed IE plates & have 1.8 & 1.9. The IE fixed plates are dead quiet. The 19mm H-Sport rear bar set at the stiffest setting. Rear camber is 1.5 & 1.5. For me the handling is wonderful.

That being said last winter I backed off the rear bar to it's softest setting because the tail wanted to wag the dog.

 

IE fixed plates use BMW Z4 strut bearings, not stock mini strut bearings. FYI