Ground Control CamberPlates and Stress Bar
 

Good Morning all. We just got in our newest batch of camberplates and stressbar in gold, red, pewter, and blue. These currently work with 2.25", 60mm, and 2.5" springs.

Will the stress bar work with any other top plates? I noticed on the website it's an option to get it seperately.

Any plans to make camber plates that work with stock struts and springs?

Joe unfortunately not, the stress bar is designed to bolt to the GC camberplates.

That's what i figured i thought it was odd on the website there was an option without the plates though.

We're still exploring ideas on camberplates to be used with OE diameter springs.

Adam, are my blue painted matching housings there yet?(Post pic!)

pics to go up later today Gem

I purchased GC's complete suspension kit for my FR-S.

Installed it and was able to get only 2.1 degrees negative camber in the front. I wanted 3.0+. Discussed this with Adam and he said he'd check with the engineers and call back. I think I was the first FR-S for their suspension kit.
He called back 2 days later and said the engineers had built different shock towers and they were on the way to me (at no cost). Installed them and was able to get 3.0+ negative no problem. The handling (autocross) on the car is now really good at 3.0.
GC's customer service with Adam is outstanding. He kept me posted on what was being done to fix the problem.

I highly recommend Adam and GC for your suspension upgrades on these cars.

Jim H.
DFW, Texas

Please post some installed pictures if you can, thanks

Installed Pictures
 

I sent a bunch of pictures to Adam that were taken by a friend with a really good camera.

Adam can you post them?

I'm just a driver and not very good with this PC stuff.

Jim H.
DFW Texas

On it Jim, Thanks.

How did you do this season

Curious, what you ended up with for spring rates, settings etc? how much drop? how many clicks?
what did you do in the rear end- lca or bushings?

sounds like there arent alotta guys going this route, but those who do, are indeed serious about tarmac performance. any opinions you can share before and after strutbar? I would like to end up around -2.5 camber up front for faster tracks, and some autox.
thanks
gem

Had the dreaded cel-traction control etc etc problem 2 weeks ago. Dealer replaced the ECU and the car now runs better than ever. Had to co-drive my old car in STR to get enough points for a second in class for the YTD points with one club.

Going to do two more events with the Porsche club in December then our season is over until February. I'll let you know how the car worked in December.

Jim H.
DFW Texas

GC/Koni is one of my top choices for the low 2k price range :thumbup:

GC Stuff
 

I think the spring rates Adam sent were about 470 front and 430 rear. He also sent another set that were in the 500 range. Car is a daily driver and weekend AX weapon so I stuck with the softer 400 range springs which worked very well.
Car was lowered 1 inch.
Rear revalved Koni's were set at half way between soft and stiff (have to take them off to change settings) and I set the fronts at full stiff for some sites and 1 to 2 clicks from stiff for other sites depending on the surface.
In the rear after the car was lowered I was able to get 2.5 negative which is what I wanted. Nothing else has been done in the rear.

Before and after the strut bar? Huge difference in turn in, the car really goes where you point it. I hit a few slalom cones at first because I wasn't used to the really good turn in. Also I'll be ordering Sam Strano's front sway bar next week to replace the stock front bar and will be running no rear bar.

The only problem I've had is the car draws a crowd when I open the hood. It's just too pretty with the GC stuff <grin>

Jim H.
DFW Texas

Definitely. Better than your "budget" coilovers. GC engineers their stuff correctly.

Here are some pics of AX FRS's (Jim) car with the GC complete system on it.:thanks: Jim

I was on your web site am I understanding correctly that the tops are compatible with KW v3 ?

If that is true, then there goes more of my money. I like how everything is integrated, and one of the beefiest looking strut bar setups on the market.

Take 2 seconds and look at how this "beefy" strut bar is actually attached to the camberplates. I've had a dozen different types of strut bars in my cars over the years but never a setup that used such small hardware to hold it all together. Also the elongated holes to help with installation is great for a mass produced item but offers less strength to the overall design which is kinda key when dealing with a strut bar. But HEY it looks cool right lol I've noticed alot of the modding on this forum goes by way of the "looks cool factor" vs "actually functions factor". This ideology will mature eventually when more actual enthusiasts purchase the car versus all the first time buyers and early adopters that are present right now.

Regarding the strutbar I would like to see the setup redone with larger hardware or even better if the entire setup could be one piece as that would be the overall strongest version. Who cares if installation is a tad bit harder it's what enthusiasts have come to expect.

But I will give respect to GC/Koni as I've run this setup on previous cars and for the money it's hard to beat. I eventually started upping my budget and taking racing a little more serious so I opted for one piece true coilovers but for the budget orientated, as stated, the GC/Koni combo can not be beat.

Give it 6 months and I guarantee you will see a similar setup to the one listed in this thread, made by another manufacturer and will emcompass everything I have mentioned. It's only a matter of time.

Yes, you are correct our camberplates do work with the KW V3. In fact we sent some out yesterday.


Call me

It is hard to see, they are 3/8 inch grade 8 fasteners. The yield strength is well over 10,000 pounds each. This means that ONE of those bolts can pick up one Subaru BRZ...... PLUS a Scion FR-S, a Honda SI-R and a Troll, all with JUST ONE of the bolts.

Source:
http://www.smithfast.com/shcsmech.html


The fasteners are superior in size and strength to the tower bolts on a Honda or Acura, and are more than strong enough. If this was an airplane or aerospace application, the fasteners would be specified even smaller, they are actually overkill.


Mass produced item for a mass-produced car. The unibody varies in width on these cars. The slot is a perfectly appropriate design solution, just like the oversize holes that are already designed into the sheetmetal for the same reason.


Yes it does, thank you. We spent quite a bit of time removing weight from the prototype designs.


I have not noticed that. Of course we are actually designing and testing the parts, rather than speculating and guessing, so our company may not see the "cool factor" point of view.

Does not need larger hardware, as stated above with chart.


Thank you for this comment. As you mention, price and value do come into consideration when designing a product. This is why the stress bar and camber/caster plate are 3 pieces.

The Ground Control struts and shocks, however, are separate pieces for strength, not money saving. A strut tube with threads cut INTO it, is not as strong as a strut tube with threads OVER it.

Quoted for May 30, 2013.

Thank you for your input. It is always nice to have the opportunity to educate people about the design process of performance car parts.

None of the dimensions or hardware choices are ever taken for granted. Every single aspect of the design is revisited and retested, but fresh ideas are always fresh ideas and we appreciate the chance to tell you about the products.

I see no problem with the hardware. With both pieces machined the way they are should be good. Although if we start to see bent bolts could be a problem. But with machined parts the lip should be taking the load hard to tell from the photo.

Gregg

I agree. Single shear load rating is almost 12,000 pounds per fastener, and there are 4 fasteners.

http://www.smithfast.com/shcsmech.html

The only thing I'd like to see on the strut bar would be a way to add a teensy bit of preload to the bar just to give it a bit of extra stiffness. The fastener size is a nonissue. Most standard tubular strut bars are mounted to the strut tops with extremely thin metal plates and have bends in the bar itself to allow them to easily clear motor components. All of that adds flex. The GC unit here has none of that. It looks well designed to me.

Nathan

Hey Nathan, this is a piece of cake.

Jack the car up on one side (does not matter which), loosen then retighten all of the fasteners and....Voila! Preloaded truss bar!

Here is a video of how much a Porsche 951 flexes, before bolting down the GC stress bar:

http://youtu.be/iIgC0fZP_ME


FT86 is similar, but I don't have a video.

Good call.

I think this is what the doctor ordered should help with the over steer issue too.

theres really no need to preload...

Pre loading seems like a bad idea.

Does anybody have a comparison of the dampeners VS the KW.

question time

i am not an engineer and my understanding of physics is limited to a certain degree of mcgyverism


but my understanding is that sidewall deflection happens on two axis and while your bolts may do more than enough laterally can you reasure us with some tech-talk that the independent vertical loads are not a concern for the small hardware? i'm thinking of the torquing forces on such a small area.

i've attached a crude diagram to explain my thoughts, which could be entirely incorrect but i'm open to education

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...21472653_n.jpg

Simple answer. The design, material and dimensions chosen are laterally rigid, but not vertically rigid.

That is the reason why the bar looks like it does.

I notice you specifically chose the phrase "small hardware". Thank you for pointing out that modern metallurgy can produce an incredibly strong bolt in a small size.

In fact, the size of the fastener used for the connecting rods in a built WRX motor is also 3/8 inch, and is good for over 400hp at 7500 rpm. This means an acceleration of zero to full stress 125 times PER SECOND. And they don't break either.

and this isn't a concern in the intended application?

which i guess it wouldn't be because the vertical deflection must be minimal... but still i'm just curious

Yes it is a -mild- concern, which is why it (vertical movement) was taken into account during the design phase.

Wow, Adam--these Plates are works of art... Can't wait to get them on. Nicely done!!!

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8517/8...49d7fdbf_b.jpg

^^^ looks awesome! I went with the pewter also but I have been out of town so I haven't even been able to open them yet to see how they look :cry: I will get to see the whole setup in all it's glory on superbowl Sunday when I get to come home and rip into the package like a fat kid and a box of twinkies.

Ok i am ordering KW clubsport coilovers, and dont want to spend the extra 1k on the camber plates, do you guys make a rear solid top mount too?

I LOL'd!!!