CSG and RCE tag-team suspension Q&A thread! Ask us anything!

[Spacemane969]

Originally Posted by churchx

Maybe leave rear camber as is, and dial -2.5 front (probably easily doable with two sets of camberbolts, given some natural neg. camber due lowering)? It might not be the very best for DD, but will lessen budget due not buying rear LCAs?

That might be an option, does anyone have experience with two camber bolts? I'm not really worried about the DD aspect, I just want it to feel sporty again. Currently I hate the rear camber but then again my front is +1.5 comparatively. Any drawbacks to your recommended camber?

[cjd]

2.5f/2r is a great for spirited driving without too much tire wear. Stick to zero toe. Lots of people do the two bolkt trick, including the entire SCCA SSC solo cpec class. SPC bolt in the top, move the topo bolt to the bottom I think it is. I don't have personal experience as I've always had camber plates so verify the bolt setup. Depending on tire size and wheel offset, you may get less camber before the tire is too close to the spring perch. Or more.

[FirstWinter]

Originally Posted by cjd

SPC bolt in the top, move the topo bolt to the bottom I think it is.

Others will have to chime in as I haven't tried it myself either but I thought it was SPC bolt for bottom and put OEM bottom bolt into top bolt. I don't think the other way would work since the top bolt is larger than the bottom bolt.

[churchx]

Originally Posted by Spacemane969

That might be an option, does anyone have experience with two camber bolts? I'm not really worried about the DD aspect, I just want it to feel sporty again. Currently I hate the rear camber but then again my front is +1.5 comparatively. Any drawbacks to your recommended camber?

Well, of course i have such experience, as running two camberbolts (SPC 81305 lower hole, Whiteline KCA416 top) front 2/3rds of time i have car .

"I just want it to feel sporty again" makes me suspicious though, as to what you really want and what is sporty feel by your book. It did felt sporty, but not anymore? My guess is that you installed grippier (or wider) tires while still staying at stock NA power, so car feels less lively/hard to loose grip if/when you wanted? Then not sure, if upping neg. camber will net what you may really want, as it will add grip in turns taken fast. I have suspicion that you may have wished ease of power oversteer "like stock", but it's just guesswork from my part. Less grippier tires imho should bring what you seem to want better.

[Chris_]

Originally Posted by FirstWinter

Others will have to chime in as I haven't tried it myself either but I thought it was SPC bolt for bottom and put OEM bottom bolt into top bolt. I don't think the other way would work since the top bolt is larger than the bottom bolt.

I'm lowered on RCE Yellows (2017 BRZ PP), with SPC rear LCA's and SPC front 14mm camber bolts.

I put the SPC camber bolts in the lower hole, and the original bottom bolt (14mm) into the upper hole. I'm able to max the front out at -2.5 degrees, but your results may vary.

[Bach415]

Originally Posted by Spacemane969

That might be an option, does anyone have experience with two camber bolts? I'm not really worried about the DD aspect, I just want it to feel sporty again. Currently I hate the rear camber but then again my front is +1.5 comparatively. Any drawbacks to your recommended camber?

I am currently running two camber bolts up front. Both SPC 16mm and 14mm. I have my current camber settings at -2.33 on both sides (driver side maxed out at -2.33 for some reason, might re-install to see, but passenger side went up to -3 max). When I had my camber plates along with both camber bolts, I was able to get close to -5 camber at max settings. The camber up front will help your turns grip a lot better, but it also depends on your tires.

Essentially you can get the SPC 14mm front bottom camber bolt and move the oem 14mm to the top. Only reason why I didn't go this route is because I am afraid of it slipping. Smaller bolt in a bigger hole without any support from it slipping into the gap that isn't filled despite being torqued isn't my cup of tea. At least with the SPC 16mm camber bolt up top, you can still adjust camber but still have that empty void in the hole filled up.

Originally Posted by FirstWinter

Others will have to chime in as I haven't tried it myself either but I thought it was SPC bolt for bottom and put OEM bottom bolt into top bolt. I don't think the other way would work since the top bolt is larger than the bottom bolt.

That is correct.

[Spacemane969]

Originally Posted by churchx

Well, of course i have such experience, as running two camberbolts (SPC 81305 lower hole, Whiteline KCA416 top) front 2/3rds of time i have car .

"I just want it to feel sporty again" makes me suspicious though, as to what you really want and what is sporty feel by your book. It did felt sporty, but not anymore? My guess is that you installed grippier (or wider) tires while still staying at stock NA power, so car feels less lively/hard to loose grip if/when you wanted? Then not sure, if upping neg. camber will net what you may really want, as it will add grip in turns taken fast. I have suspicion that you may have wished ease of power oversteer "like stock", but it's just guesswork from my part. Less grippier tires imho should bring what you seem to want better.

Being tail happy is one big aspect that I do miss, but I'm willing to compromise for cornering ability. I did go a little stickier, running pilot sport AS3+ in stock size(with 1inch lowering). The biggest thing I'm chasing is just the overall balance though. In stock form weight distribution and braking into a turn were flawless..the car went exactly where I wanted. Now I'll brake into a turn and it's pretty much a guess as to where it's going with understeer and a general lack of control.

Great to know I can get -2.3 with bolts. I think I'll go this route. Thanks for everyone's responses!

[churchx]

Spacemane969: If you are on lowering springs as you mentioned, then with two camberbolt sets you can go to -2.5. If even more wished, one can get powerflex front LCA bushing pff69-801g (both camberbolts + it = ~ -3, so lowered, probably -3.2). Even more than that - one will need camberplates.
Weird to hear that understeer/oversteer grip bias has changed. Lowering rised camber, but in both rear & front, vs stock, didn't it? I wonder if it's not due toe getting out of whack and maybe one may simply need alignment to get both sides even and put toe back to zero (or slightly toe-in, if on rear). Of course, stock alignment already is understeer biased (but you said, you liked it?), so extra camber both front & rear shouldn't change it much. Well, anyway, more neg. camber front then rear should deal with excessive understeer unlike stock that had camber other way around (0 front, -1.2 rear).

[Spacemane969]

Originally Posted by churchx

Spacemane969: If you are on lowering springs as you mentioned, then with two camberbolt sets you can go to -2.5. If even more wished, one can get powerflex front LCA bushing pff69-801g (both camberbolts + it = ~ -3, so lowered, probably -3.2). Even more than that - one will need camberplates.
Weird to hear that understeer/oversteer grip bias has changed. Lowering rised camber, but in both rear & front, vs stock, didn't it? I wonder if it's not due toe getting out of whack and maybe one may simply need alignment to get both sides even and put toe back to zero (or slightly toe-in, if on rear). Of course, stock alignment already is understeer biased (but you said, you liked it?), so extra camber both front & rear shouldn't change it much. Well, anyway, more neg. camber front then rear should deal with excessive understeer unlike stock that had camber other way around (0 front, -1.2 rear).

Yea my last alignment was -2 rear with -.5 up front...no idea how that front came about, that seems positive from stock camber. Hope it's not a sign of damage, I did drive for a while without alignment after lowering. I'm on TRD springs. That's a good point about stock alignment before lowering. I guess things just got alot more extreme after lowering, and parts probably getting worn with 75k miles now.

[churchx]

75k miles on bad roads can wear shocks, indeed. Maybe not to failure, but to performing worse then new. For best bang for buck suggest getting slightly used MY2017 shocks. Many speak very well of them.

[Spacemane969]

Originally Posted by churchx

75k miles on bad roads can wear shocks, indeed. Maybe not to failure, but to performing worse then new. For best bang for buck suggest getting slightly used MY2017 shocks. Many speak very well of them.

I do have shocks high on my list. How difficult is install for a beginner? I had my springs installed for me because I was worried about dealing with the spring tension.

[Shark_Bait88]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

IMO if you have a BRZ with lots of miles and you stumble across a set of low mileage 2017 dampers (PP preferred, but even regular) then yeah absolutely go for it. I do like the Bilstein B6 a lot though if you can fit them in your budget and want something new and inverted monotube up front.

- Andrew

I went this route (low mileage regular '17 OEM BRZ dampers) for my FR-S that I'll be running in 86 Cup stock class. We'll see how it works out.

[churchx]

Originally Posted by Spacemane969

I do have shocks high on my list. How difficult is install for a beginner? I had my springs installed for me because I was worried about dealing with the spring tension.

Install imho isn't difficult, if you have needed tools to lift car for maintenance, eg. jacks & stand. Problem comes that after changing shocks one needs to do alignment. Which while also can be DIY doable (eg. strings method and such), but is time-sapping tedious process i find much better being done on laser alignment rig while i drink coffee

[ApexEight]

Originally Posted by Shark_Bait88

I went this route (low mileage regular '17 OEM BRZ dampers) for my FR-S that I'll be running in 86 Cup stock class. We'll see how it works out.

Are the regular '17 dampers any different than the '13-'16? My '14 is past 80K miles on what I believe are the stock dampers. They still feel good. Throwing on TRD springs soon which I would imagine would degrade their performance a little quicker but not willing to drop the money on Bilstein or Koni.