Re: Various 16v questions

["I.Mannix" <mannix@privatei.com>]

>What is the camber plate, where does it go, @ how much for one?
>
A camber plate replaces the strut bearing - it is essentially a strut
bearing that lets you move the strut tops inward, so you can get more
negative camber.  I don't know the cost, because they are pretty useless,
IMHO, in the VW.  With the use of smaller diameter bolts (an alignment shop
can get them for you, Napa makes them, lots of sources - often called an
eccentric bolt or crash bolt), you can get upwards of 3 degrees out of the
front end of a VW.  Negative camber, that is.  So, if you can spend @$32 on
bolts (I just bought two, 7.50 each), why bother with camber plates?  I
agree, they look cool, but you don't need them.


Now, CASTER plates are good.  If Eurosport would rotate their camber plate
so you could move the shock tops backwards, I'd buy a set.  Basically,
static negative camber means the tires are pointed inward at the tops, like
this -----> /  vw  \.  If you take a car with lots of camber (say 2 degrees
or more, IE, clearly visible) and not much caster (VW A1, maybe A2), and
compare negative camber while pointed ahead vs. turned all the way to one
side, you'll see that the camber on the outer wheel (the more important one
in a corner) goes away.  Caster preserves camber in corners.  Without
caster, the tire will have a tendency to "stand up" under cornering - not
from loads, but mechanically.  My GTI has 1.4 degrees of caster, I've been
told I need 5-7.  Yikes.  OPM's delrin bushings claim a gain of 2.5
degrees, but in reality, you wind up with roughly 2.5 - about a degree.
Every little bit counts, I guess.  Two friends have delrin caster enhancing
bushings, both had similar  results.  YMMV.  Lots of caster, lots of camber
preservation, requires less static camber - resulting in a better contact
patch.  Hope this makes sense.  IMHO, YMMV, etc - I just don't see the need
for camber plates when I could get 4+ degrees out of my car with crash
bolts.  I use 2.5 right now, it seems to work.  Excessive camber will also
toe in the fronts - this last alignment I set the car with 3d- camber, and
had tons of toe in.  Backed off the camber until I had good toe out, wound
up with 2.5.  A second adjustable tie rod will cure that.  Anyway.




>Where, besides autotech, can I get HD front strut bearings?  Autotech is way
>outta stock.

No idea, Velocity is out of stock too (or was 3 weeks ago), but if you are
going to go for the camber plates (and modify them for caster?  That
thought has crossed my mind.....), does'nt matter!    Best of luck!


Mannix


>
>Chris Taylor
>'87 Scirocco G60-to-be
>
>      Virginia Polytechnic Institute
>          and State University
>         College of Engineering
>chtaylo4@vt.edu ::::: chtaylo4@aol.com
>
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