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how much camber?

Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2016 8:21 pm
by DavidM938
just got the new progress springs, getting them installed friday. already have the sway bars, and the adjustable Koni shocks and the fmc bump stops. since this is no longer an everyday driver, I'm willing to be more aggressive on the alignment for the last 4 auto crosses and and one track day this season(2013 NC club PRHT). running the RE-71's as dedicated autox tires. How much camber does this car like? I'm at 1.6 neg front and back now, and with the lower springs i should be able to get more, right? should i go zero toe front and rear or a little toe out up front? thanks for all the help. (this car followed your 2012 PHRT project pretty closely, and I'm very happy with it so far.) thanks david in Nashville

Re: how much camber?

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2016 6:28 am
by Brian
Likely you can get more, our "Project Blue" on coilovers runs:

Front
-2.8 camber
toe zero
Caster 6.5

Rear
-2.3 camber
Toe in 1/32nd per side.

On the lowering springs you may not get this much....

Re: how much camber?

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:22 pm
by DavidM938
Brian, I had the Progress springs installed yesterday, same shop that installed the Konis 6 months ago. Followed the instructions as per the mazda TSB, after rereading all the posts in this forum plus the ones in mazda.net. Got -2.3 camber in the front, -2 in the back, 6.5 caster, zero toe front an rear, then set the new Goodwin end links with no preload. Two problems, both rear springs didn't match the spring perches on the Konis; that is, when the springs were set in the ends of the perches on the shocks top and bottom, the shocks were off 30-40 degrees from allowing the shock to fit over the bottom post.we had to "re-clock" the shocks on the perches just to get the shocks to mount, leaving about an inch space between the end of the coil and the welded perch on the shock. Have you seen this before and it is it anything that can be a problem? Second the right rear is now 3/4 inch higher than the left rear, even after 100 miles and the second loosening and retightening on the ground, after putting pressure on that corner, just like was suggested. here's my measurements: LF 12 1/2, RF 13 1/4, LR 13, RR 13 3/4. If this was a stock car, I would say it had a couple rounds of "wedge" in it! I love how the car is driving, and handling with the progress bars and the spring/koni combination, but what do you suggest regarding the spring/koni fit issue and the height issue? thanks
David nashville

Re: how much camber?

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 8:00 am
by Brian
Give it some miles and then try the 'Rocky method' on that tall rear corner per the instructions in the product description and likely you get a little more movement there if it does not settle on its own. The Koni perches are different than some of the other choices, like the Bilstein, that part of the spring ends goes flat with weight of the car anyway so it won't matter.

Re: how much camber?

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 5:21 am
by DavidM938
OK I guess I'll keep trying that. Would changing those bushings to the Powerflex ones on your site take care of the problem? With so many people having this issue, one would think there was a solution by now. What has been the feedback on those Powerflex bushings? Do those upper rear links unbolt easy enough to just take them out
and press in the new bushings? Thanks again for any advise. David Nashville

Re: how much camber?

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 12:09 pm
by Brian
Powerflex bushings will not make much difference. It's the design of the arm holding the bushing, not the bushing itself. Because the design of the arm holding the bushing results in bushings getting pressed and twisted, the poly bushings can be even more likely to stick.

Re: how much camber?

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 8:56 am
by DavidM938
ok last Thursday followed your recommendations to again do the "rocky method", did all 4 corners, loosening the upper a arm bolts in the front and the rear, jacking up each corner in turn while the other corners were on ramps, then re-torqueing to spec. this was done with the sway bar links unhooked too. unfortunately the right side is still 3/4 inch higher than the left. then drove to a 2 day autocross with 75 mile distance each way, each day, for around 500 total since install. What next? Because i did not want to mess up the alignment while in my driveway, I did not loosen any of the lower links with adjustable bolts when I went through this procedure. Do I need to have this done again on an alignment rack and loosen up the lower alignment bolts too? thanks David in Nashville 2013 club PRHT 6 speed

Re: how much camber?

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 9:35 am
by Brian
Without having all the links loose, you really did not do the procedure. Thus, no surprise nothing changed as it was still a locked system. If it moves, you will gain camber at that corner. So, if you want it to change you must be willing to accept some shift in the alignment, otherwise cannot expect it to move. Having it all loose to do procedure right does not necessarily mean you need new alignment after, likely only going to get another -.3 of camber if it drops half an inch, etc.

Re: how much camber?

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 9:37 am
by DavidM938
ok thanks i will get it re aligned and redo the procedure with all the links loose. wish me luck!
david in nashville

Re: how much camber?

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 12:51 pm
by jboemler
Be sure you do the loosening FIRST, and get the alignment afterwards.