Slotting struts for more camber

[sdm822]

Has anyone done it yet on these cars? After running at the track with just crash bolts (-1deg), it just wasn't enough. Looking to get 3-4 degrees and it seems like it wouldn't be hard to just slot the strut holes to get it. Seems much cheaper than camber plates.

[FT-86 SpeedFactory]

Originally Posted by sdm822

Has anyone done it yet on these cars? After running at the track with just crash bolts (-1deg), it just wasn't enough. Looking to get 3-4 degrees and it seems like it wouldn't be hard to just slot the strut holes to get it. Seems much cheaper than camber plates.

You can do that if you really want but typically doesn't hold up the the abuse. Plates are the best option. Slotting things gets into a gray area only racers understand.

[bfrank1972]

How does it not hold up under abuse? It seems to me that it would be very similar to using factory crash bolts (except with slotting you still use the original sized bolt). I'm considering this myself - going to fit SPC camber bolts in the top position and would like to be an even -1.6 to -1.8 up front. Not sure the camber bolts will get me there, so I might slot the lower strut mount hole outward a bit. Should only need a few mm.

[sdm822]

Originally Posted by FT-86 SpeedFactory

You can do that if you really want but typically doesn't hold up the the abuse. Plates are the best option. Slotting things gets into a gray area only racers understand.

Why would the joint be more prone to slipping? Clamp load at the joint remains the same. Also, camber plates are just slotted upper strut mounts, still have slots... Non-raising camber plates do allow more adjustment, but are $450 compared to a free 10 minutes on a mill.

[FT-86 SpeedFactory]

Nevermind....

"Slotting things gets into a gray area only racers understand."

If you are asking about slotting, you shouldn't be doing it....

[TeamZleep]

Originally Posted by FT-86 SpeedFactory

Nevermind....

"Slotting things gets into a gray area only racers understand."

If you are asking about slotting, you shouldn't be doing it....

I've done it before on old cars I could give a crap about...

What I will ask you guys because I trust your opinion (ft86speedfactory) is what if you welded a plate to the top of the strut mount for reinforcement with the slots built into the plate? I've seen it before but wasn't sure if it was legit to do on a car like this....

[FT-86 SpeedFactory]

Originally Posted by TeamZleep

I've done it before on old cars I could give a crap about...

What I will ask you guys because I trust your opinion (ft86speedfactory) is what if you welded a plate to the top of the strut mount for reinforcement with the slots built into the plate? I've seen it before but wasn't sure if it was legit to do on a car like this....

In theory it all works. We do things like this to our Lemons and Chumpcars. Does/would it work on the FRS/BRZ sure. Is it a lot harder to stomach when you got a 2013 car and doing " racer trick mods " to it...well that is for you to decide. Some day you may not own this car and want to sell or trade it off so mods you can remove, or explain to the standard car enthusiast are generally better.

[bfrank1972]

Originally Posted by FT-86 SpeedFactory

Nevermind....

"Slotting things gets into a gray area only racers understand."

If you are asking about slotting, you shouldn't be doing it....

All due respect to your racing experience, that's a pretty obnoxious way to answer. Why not take a few minutes to bless us with your wisdom? Bad personal experiences with slotting struts?


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[CoupedUpSubie]

Slotting struts? I am assuming you are talking about making the hole for the camber bolt longer. That seems like a recipe for disaster if not done properly. Get camber plates or camber bolts that allow for more camber. On a car used for Lemons or something, who cares. This is a new car, get it setup for proper adjustments if you want to race it. Shadetree engineering is fine on stuff like exhaust but leave the suspension alone.

[bfrank1972]

Originally Posted by CoupedUpSubie

Slotting struts? I am assuming you are talking about making the hole for the camber bolt longer. That seems like a recipe for disaster if not done properly. Get camber plates or camber bolts that allow for more camber. On a car used for Lemons or something, who cares. This is a new car, get it setup for proper adjustments if you want to race it. Shadetree engineering is fine on stuff like exhaust but leave the suspension alone.

Recipe for disaster how so? I totally get if you slot the hole to the point where you weaken the mount, but if you're talking about elongation of maybe 2-3mm what disaster are we talking about? Possibility of slippage but as with using factory crash bolts in the upper position, the clamping force of the bolt is enough so that slippage isn't *usually* a problem (most of us aren't participating in the Dakar rally). I've done it on prior cars with no problem, including cars that I drove at track events - btw on the comment about selling cars with slotted struts, I've bought an extra set of front strut assemblies to do this on. If I sell the car it will have the original unmodified assemblies installed.

Anyway I'm not trying to be inflammatory - I'm honestly curious about other's experiences has been - has anybody actually had failure doing this? (btw I'm talking reasonably mild slotting, nothing to get huge amounts of negative camber).

Thx

[FT-86 SpeedFactory]

Originally Posted by bfrank1972

All due respect to your racing experience, that's a pretty obnoxious way to answer. Why not take a few minutes to bless us with your wisdom? Bad personal experiences with slotting struts?


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You'r modifying an OEM part that a future owner ( if you don't own the car forever ) may not like, and possibly make them not want to purchase the car. Some people have a hard enough time wanting to buy a car they know has seen a track day.

I've even seen dealers inspect a car for trade in and tell people they were going to have to buy new struts because of this for liability reasons.

You can do it, it will work, and I have done it when needed ( Lemons and Chumpcar builds ). I personally wouldn't do it on a brand new street car though especially with all the nice options out there for our platform. If it was going into a class of racing with Koni inserts, and no camber plates were allowed, and notching was okay, then yeah do it.

Notching is a choice that a racer makes, they typically don't ask about it, they just do it as they know they need it.

[bfrank1972]

Originally Posted by FT-86 SpeedFactory

You'r modifying an OEM part that a future owner ( if you don't own the car forever ) may not like, and possibly make them not want to purchase the car. Some people have a hard enough time wanting to buy a car they know has seen a track day.

I've even seen dealers inspect a car for trade in and tell people they were going to have to buy new struts because of this for liability reasons.

You can do it, it will work, and I have done it when needed ( Lemons and Chumpcar builds ). I personally wouldn't do it on a brand new street car though especially with all the nice options out there for our platform. If it was going into a class of racing with Koni inserts, and no camber plates were allowed, and notching was okay, then yeah do it.

Notching is a choice that a racer makes, they typically don't ask about it, they just do it as they know they need it.

I gotcha, and I understand the liability aspects. Certainly whenever you do anything custom to your suspension there is a degree of liability. FWIW I'm doing this on a second set of used struts I bought. I wouldn't sell something like that to anyone.