Rear Camber kits

flurbyjim · Post by **flurbyjim** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 06:57

I'm going to order a rear camber adjustment kit.

Which of these two kits should I go for?

KMAC or Ireland Engineering.

I'm not sure if one has any advantages over the other, maybe someone who has one fitted could tell me more.

KMAC is £106 + postage.
I.E. is £41 + postage.

Aaron

cleomantra · Post by **cleomantra** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 17:06

I would go for the KMAC no welding or grinding needed

TSW · Post by **TSW** » Mon 13 Aug, 2007 10:09

I chose the KMAC kit for mine about a year ago for exactly that reason - no welding.

It's quite a job to fit as the bolts connecting the swing arms to the cross-member are impossible/very difficult to remove on at least one side of the car.

I chose to remove the cross-member with the swing arms and diff as one piece and then fitted the KMAC bushes off the car before re-installling the whole lot. At the same time I fitted Powerflex bushes where the cross-member fixes to the chassis.

As for the toe and camber adjustment - it's not easy as the bolts are still hard to get to of course, and it is necessary to combine the adjustment of each pair of bushes on each trailing arm; but I was able to get exactly what I wanted in terms of toe and camber, so it definitely did the job.

Hope this helps.

msassoon · Post by **msassoon** » Wed 25 Jan, 2012 14:53

What was the result of these? I need to do this, but not sure which to choose.

Bench · Post by **Bench** » Fri 27 Jan, 2012 18:56

I am interested in the kmac kit also? Anyone fitted it.

exdos · Post by **exdos** » Sun 05 Feb, 2012 22:57

I fitted the IE camber/toe brackets several years ago to my M Coupe and I would highly recommend them. BUT, it's a big job to do if you don't have a lift and would be expensive if you had to pay someone to do it for you because you need to dismantle the back end to remove the subframe from the car. I also took the opportunity to fit Polyurethane subframe bushes at the same time.

The K-Mac system uses polyurethane subframe bushes which can squeak after a time, I ended up removing poly TA bushes because they drove me mad when I couldn't stop the buggers squeaking no matter what I tried.

You also have a greater range of adjustment with the IE brackets and you need to know the original geometry BEFORE you fit any of these things so that you can set up to correct any of the angles. None of these things are easy to adjust either.

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Mon 06 Feb, 2012 10:43

I had this idea the other day of raising the subframe (there's a big gap above the subframe as part of the normal subframe bush movement), this could be a way of reducing the camber a little. The subframe bushes would either need to be stressed by using oversize washer cups at the bottom which meant it pushed the subframe furhter up as you tighten or the bushes removed and new ones sat in at a lower position.

It may not work due to clearance but the movement can be seen if you ever rested the car on axle stands using the subframe - it really sinks up a lot (well it doesn't on my car anymore since I packed the top space out with rubber!).

msassoon · Post by **msassoon** » Mon 06 Feb, 2012 11:39

I did try and do this with washers, but it seemed to make no difference to my car.

exdos · Post by **exdos** » Mon 06 Feb, 2012 15:26

Here are a couple of photos I took when I did this job in 2006.

THE OEM subframe bushes have lots of movement in 3D and fit fully inside their housings in the subframe, whereas the polyurethane bushes are near-solid and overlap the metal of the subframe at both ends.

The OEM bolts on the outboard ends of the trailing arms are absolute ba$$ards to undo, because they're torqued highly and have locking nuts which will have rusted and there's no room to get a ring spanner over the nut. So when I fitted the IE toe brackets I inserted the bolt from the outside, so that the nut would be easier to access as in the first photo. I did all my calculations for the geometry before I started this job, so that I knew the positions that I wanted to weld and adjust the brackets, because it would be very difficult to do this by repeat trial and error, because access for adjustment is so difficult.

The second photo shows that I inserted a disc of industrial conveyor belting which fits above the subframe bushes so that there's no space between the flat metal stop plate on the subframe pin and the subframe, which means that the subframe is held absolutely captive. I also have a butt-strut fitted too so the whole of the rear suspension is properly restrained which all improves the handling.

Deano1712 · Post by **Deano1712** » Mon 06 Feb, 2012 16:36

The Ireland Engineering version of the subframe bushes includes a counterbore in the upper so it sits tight up against the washer on the the big downward facing stud. I would be concerned your 12mm spacer throws of the diff pinion angle (risk of vibration and driveshaft wear). I assume its ok though since you say it was done in 2006.

I have a set of rear camber plates which were made in UK, arranged by a member on here (cost £40). I haven't fitted them though since its sizeable job. Its not just fitting - its the setting up that seems tricky. Maybe I will get round to it.

exdos · Post by **exdos** » Mon 06 Feb, 2012 16:55

Deano1712 wrote:The Ireland Engineering version of the subframe bushes includes a counterbore in the upper so it sits tight up against the washer on the the big downward facing stud. I would be concerned your 12mm spacer throws of the diff pinion angle (risk of vibration and driveshaft wear). I assume its ok though since you say it was done in 2006.

With the AKG bushes in place there's a natural 12mm gap above the subframe and the pin plates, I've merely filled it in with the rubber discs. The ACS suspension comes with aluminium spacers which effectively do the same thing.

Deano1712 wrote:I have a set of rear camber plates which were made in UK, arranged by a member on here (cost £40). I haven't fitted them though since its sizeable job. Its not just fitting - its the setting up that seems tricky. Maybe I will get round to it.

Yes, you need to plan the necessary cuts in your OEM subframe brackets before you weld the camber/toe brackets in place to ensure that you get your intended new settings properly lined up and to ensure you've got the optimum range of adjustments. If you'd like to discuss this aspect send me a PM.

exdos · Post by **exdos** » Tue 07 Feb, 2012 17:48

Here's a photo of the ACS spacer fitted showing that when the car is loaded onto the suspension the centre of the spacer will lock inside the subframe bush housing preventing any horizontal movement of the subframe.