Camber Plates

[kellzey]

Pelican carries a Camber Plate monoball cartridge from Elephant Racing for keeping the front end suspension in place. Weltmeister makes a special camber plate as well... Can someone educate me on the benefits/disadvantages of this type of addition to the front suspension? Obviosly I can understand that it holds the front suspension geometry in place better than the rubber factory parts. What else? When would it not be appropriate? Brad... I know you'll give us your $0.03 (a little bit more than the average person's $0.02)! Thanks,

[John Rogers]

If you replace the top mounts with essentially a solid mount then guess what absorbs the upwards shock, the sheetmetal has to. Normally this is a good idea for race cars which see lots of inspections and maintenance but street cars may get some torn metal? There was a post a little while ago showing the replacement of the inner fender sheetmetal for a race setup and that is what you'd need.

[kellzey]

Wouldn't the shocks absorb the "shock"?

[Zeke]

Karl, IMHO, normally yes. But John and others are using a real stiff shock, so more of the energy goes into the body, hence the harsh ride. Also, you ask what additional benfits to the mono balls. There is a little bit of lateral movement in the top of the shock, both front and rear or no bearing would be necessary. I'm thinking that a tiny amount of binding is eliminated. But I think the main two advantages are maintaining steering geometry and positive shock reflex action by elinminating the rubber which is counter-productive to the shock valve. Now that's about $.01, hah!

[John Rogers]

The way it was explained to me was that the initial shock of a bump right when the suspension is changing is felt by the lower mounts, if any and then the upper mounts and then the internal hydraulics get to working and do their job. This happens in nanoseconds so most of the time we never notice it. If the car has some stiff shocks and maybe 205 Victoracer tires and the after market upper shock mounts there is still some shock absorbsion taking place, but use Goodyear slicks with very stiff sidewalls and Koni sport shocks then the suspension gets nearly solid. I'd use something like the solid mounts if I had everything else done and needed just another 0.1 of a second off my Willow Springs lap times?

[Howard R]

I have the Weltmeister top mounts and use the car on closed road rallies. They make the steering feel more precise and I can get a bit more negative camber on the front. I wont be going back to the rubber things. Driving around normally they are fine.

[Brad Roberts]

They keep my alignments where I want. I dont need the camber changing when I go into the corner as I load and unload each side.

The bottom Welt is better than the top. The bottom one allows you some more negative camber with the second set of holes without cutting the tub. When I use the top one... I have to cut the tub to get more negative camber.

Less friction during turning (on the shock shaft) not much.. but some.

They impress your friends when you pop the hood... lol

It makes the shock actually work instead of the rubber dampening the intial movement during bump/rebound.

Take that... and that...

B

[DuckRyder]

Does it make me a bad pesron if I would buy the weltmeister on looks alone?

[Brad Roberts]

Yeah.. what sucks is you have to install them and you cant really see them after that.

B

[Zeke]

Originally posted by Brad Roberts


It makes the shock actually work instead of the rubber dampening the intial movement during bump/rebound.



B

Yeh, that's what I was trying to say, it just took an expert to say it in simple terms. Life's like that.