I'm making a set for my car that will allow camber to be set for 0 -2.5 degrees and caster +/- 2 degrees from stock.

The units would:
1. be entirely adjustable from under the hood (no need to reach under the fender);
2. have index marks for settings;
3. involve no drilling or otherwise modding the car;
4. not change the ride height;
5. use spherical and radial bearings to allow steering and suspension movement;
6. use no squishy rubber elements;
7. allow for a strut brace with minimal tweaking to the Rogue airbox, should you have one fitted.

Materials are aluminum and stainless steel. Items 1 and 3 and 4 were the difficult part, and as far as I can tell, none of the other items on the market or soon to be on the market can do it.

I'll post a link to a picture soon.

 

Sounds cool!

R

 

I'm all about adjustability, please keep us posted on progress/pics/availability!!!

 

Very nice jlm! :smile:

 

jlm,

Definitely keep me posted about this. I would certainly be interested in camber adjustment. Your hardware looks great.

Dave

 

Yes, please, build it, sell it

 

Would it be anything like this?



R

 

(gasp!)

Davbret: are those Ground Control camber/caster plates "for" the MINI? Looks like you had to drill all new holes to mount. What car are they designed for then?

No teasing!

 

I looked at the Ground Control plate, (your photo came from the grass roots project car) and it requires that you cut the mounting towers with a sawzall and plasma cutter; the H-Sport required you drill new holes.. processes I was avoiding.

 

Yes, not my car, that's the Grassrootmotorsports track car.

Obviously the GC plate requires extensive modification to use, but is the end functionality what you are shooting for? Is this the type of "under hood adjustibility" you are describing?

R

 

If we were in dream-mode, I want camber/caster plates that:

Allow +/- 3 degrees of both caster and camber, independantly adjustable (i.e. adjust one without screwing with the other). Looks like the GC plate is in my ballpark, although it looks not to have the caster adjustment I desire.

 

my gizmo will adjust them independently without having to get up under the tower to move something. All the necessary nuts/bolts are right on top of the bracket. the idea is you could drive to the track with the camber set at .3 negative, (stock) then lift the hood and in a minute or two, set it to your track setting of -2 degrees. typically, once the caster was arrived at, you wouldn't change it.

the primary limitation is that the 5.6" dia spring will contact the inside of the tower at about .7" movement which correlates to about 2 degrees negative camber from stock. Stock is about .3 degree negative, so you can get as much as 2.3 degree negative without cutting the tower. now if you need more, you can use a smaller spring, but it is still difficult to incorporate a lock-down method that will allow much more movement and still not alter ride height or require getting under the tower.

 

Great to hear the news about your gizmo's camber capabilities....however...

does the shock tower inhibit movement with caster adjustments? Typically you don't want less than stock, therefore, is there enough clearance to add a few degrees more positive caster?

Cheers,
Ryan

 

yes, you can get +/- 2 deg caster change.

specs in opening thread.

since i couldn't get a pic posted here, thry this:
http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...threadid=24041

 

Oh ohh, very cool!!



R

 

looks like great machine-work.

Technical Q: Will the strut move around that camber adjustment? also, I wasn't aware that the struts had rod-ends!

please clarify your technical design theory

Cheers,
Ryan

 

there are several pieces not shown in the photo that mount below the strut tower. The bearing and bearing carrier is mounted to a load plate which has a rod-end like extension that is captured by the upper plate/brackets.

the way the adjustment works with a McPherson strut suspension is that you move the top of the strut around to set camber and caster; typically the bottom joint position is not changed.
Our upper bearing carrier replaces the stock carrier by bolting on to the strut end.

 

I know of a well known company making camber/caster plates for the MINI. There is versions for both pre and post 3/02 builds. All adjustments are from in the engine bay and can be adjusted while the vehicle is under load. The unit fits all stock holes....no drilling etc. Strut bars fit right over with no problem. There is two versions of these being made, one for street and one for race setups. The company has being building these since the 70s.

I cant' say anymore then that though...i promised...but will post more in the next couple days as I hear more, but I've seen photos of the setup and the company is fairly well known.

 

the first camber plate I bought was in 1978 for my 2002; the idea certainly isn't new. When i looked into it for my mini, there was nothing on the market, just a few "it will be out next month" responses an a few versions that don't fit the new cars.

I made mine for my car in what seemed logical way, I don't expect it to be unique, but is is on my car now, not "next month"

 

jlm - my point wasn't to make your work look bad so please don't take it that way...was just posting some info I heard today...figured i would put it in this thread as it was about camber plates instead of starting a ton of new threads for the same topic.

Cheers matey

 

jlm: I'm looking forward to seeing more info on your product, as well as availability for "the rest of us"

Cheers,
Ryan

 

no offense taken.

I should have more info soon. We are atepting to get a set in Ranny's hands by friday as well.

 

New to this web site. I haven't worked with McPherson structs in awhile - 20 years.

Question: How does changing the caster affect the Ackerman affect on this car? Caster is a tricky little animal that can affect trail, and turn-in if, amoung other things. Just curious if anyone is track testing settings applicable to street cars occasionaly driven to the track.

I am looking very hard at a new Mini and what I've seen here is making the choice easier - great website!

 

Welcome to MCO meb!

Excellent question indeed.
My guess is that since we're talking only a couple degrees change, the geometric difference at the ball-joints and tie-rods will be minimal. I could answer this better once I get my car. Any changes in ackerman angle or bump-steer should be nominal. Also, changing your camber will result in similar minute changes to the steering geometry.

Does someone have an alignment bed to test these theories?

Cheers,
Ryan