Steeda Camber Plates Install Question

[wildcatgoal]

Special spherical bearing? You dont have to go into extreme detail and divulge your secrets but what makes this spherical bearing different than others? The teflon lining?

This is the special bearing + housing.

My understanding is the bearing itself and its housing is toleranced very specifically, identified after numerous teeny micro changes during R&D to perfect, such that it does not bind (from being "too tight" so to speak) but that specific tolerance and that sort of oversized metal plate it sits within combined prevent knocking over the their life expectancy, often associated with "loose" bearings or weak housing structure (flex/movement). More specifically, that large ring of metal (bearing housing) adds strength to the point at which the suspension force is applied ensuring there isn't give and the bearing is not subjected to binding forces and in turn excessive wear that leads to knocking over time. The bearing is also sized appropriately for the task at hand and the assembly itself provides a critical cradle for the upper spring seat bearing, which other camber plates do not do at all or as effectively, allowing the potential for the spring itself to shift in the assembled strut (this happened to me with my previous camber plates and according to its manufacturer, they were installed right). Additionally, the strength of the plates are superior to a previous set of camber plates aforementioned which bent just torquing down the three top nuts to spec.

People for some reason don't think of Steeda's camber plates first because they are not camber + CASTER plates. Caster adjustment on these cars is unnecessary - these cars come with a ton already and you're just complicating things unnecessarily playing with it. Additionally, caster adjustment is minimal in plates that offer it and achieved by oversizing the channels by which you adjust camber, inviting more opportunity for issues (noise, wear, alignment not sticking) if the assembly happens to slip or become loose.

Other folks seem to dislike Steeda plates because they don't have a fancy plate that goes on top of the strut tower and/or the hardware looks cheap. Those plates, as far as I can tell, seem to only be there to advertise in your engine bay or look cool - I can't for the life of me understand what the point of those are. The hardware is grade 10.9... more than enough.

The only change I'd make to the Steeda camber plates is including slightly larger diameter washers that will protect the paint from the spinning socket as they're being tightened down, which I think they actually now come with.

Look closely at the design of Steeda plates vs. the competition. Even the studs are beautifully welded into place to ensure those don't become an issue either. Excepting Vorshlags units which are twice the price and overkill even for Steeda's own race car, I haven't found any other camber plates that I could check all the same boxes that Steedas plates check.

Sorry for the novel.

Sponsored

 

[TNcoupe]

@jbailer install was super easy especially if it is going onto Steeda dampers. Hardest part was holding the damper shaft with a wrench to tighten down the retainer nut. The alignment went easy also. Got it close on static camber (with a Longacre digital) before I drove it to Firestone for the toe alignment. Their readings on camber came out the same as mine and they set the toe and checked everything else. I have mine set at -2.2 all the time as I dont DD the car.

It helps to have someone help you as you guide the strut assembly up into place to ensure you dont bang up the threads on the camber plate studs as they pass through the shock tower holes. As far as paint scratched around the nut areas, I didnt pay attention to it because racecar.

 

[Gnfanatic]

How do you torque down the strut nut when you also have to stop the strut rod from moving with a boxed wrench???

 

[wildcatgoal]

How do you torque down the strut nut when you also have to stop the strut rod from moving with a boxed wrench???

Use either a socket with an open side to it or a crows foot.

 

[jbailer]

How do you torque down the strut nut when you also have to stop the strut rod from moving with a boxed wrench???

I've wondered that too. My torque wrench will use a socket which covers up the top of the strut so I have no way to hold it down. I can tell you what I've done in that past and what I did with the rear shocks, I held the strut bar with a small wrench and used a wrench rather than a socket to tighten the strut nut and just guessed at the torque. I'd love to know the correct way though.

 

[Gnfanatic]

Use either a socket with an open side to it or a crows foot.

Open end wrench adapter wont slip when torquing that much? Whats what I was worried about

 

[jbailer]

Use either a socket with an open side to it or a crows foot.

I've never see these sockets with an open side, do they have a name I can search for? The crows around here won't let you get close to them. :headbonk:

 

[wildcatgoal]

http://www.sears.com/schwaben-strut...d=IExyyyymmddSRSSTDOCFTransSRSOrderProcessing

Didn't work very well but it works... crows foot is easier.

 

[wildcatgoal]

Also - use a FULLY BOXED wrench (surrounding the entire hex) on the locking nut (the part you hold to keep the strut rod from spinning while tightening the assembly nut to spec). Do not use a 12 point. Do not use a crescent wrench. Surround the entire thing with wrench flats.

 

[TNcoupe]

You also have to do some math if you torque it with an offset socket or a crows foot. There's a torque multiplier involved because the socket isnt inline with the torque wrench centerline.

 

[jbailer]

http://www.sears.com/schwaben-strut...d=IExyyyymmddSRSSTDOCFTransSRSOrderProcessing

Didn't work very well but it works... crows foot is easier.

LOL it's even called a strut nut socket! Thanks!

So, is the way you use the crowfoot wrench, it goes on the strut nut and connected to the torque wrench with an extension? Then you just put a wrench on the strut end?

 

[wildcatgoal]

Steeda posted a video of how to do it with a crow on this forum somewhere and I can't find it. [MENTION=25806]SteedaTech[/MENTION]

 

[wildcatgoal]

You also have to do some math if you torque it with an offset socket or a crows foot. There's a torque multiplier involved because the socket isnt inline with the torque wrench centerline.

I THINK that only matters with any significance if the crows foot is not straight in line with the shaft of the torque wrench. I could be wrong.

 

[jbailer]

I THINK that only matters with any significance if the crows foot is not straight in line with the shaft of the torque wrench. I could be wrong.

I think it's correct because the fulcrum would be longer which changes the torque. I used to calibrate torque wrenches along with a lot of other equipment in the Army many centuries ago. I just found a formula on line. I think I like this better than the socket still.

 

[Gnfanatic]

You also have to do some math if you torque it with an offset socket or a crows foot. There's a torque multiplier involved because the socket isnt inline with the torque wrench centerline.

I dont see how a socket would have a different rating then a crowfoot. If an extension had to be used then I understand.

Sponsored