I was pondering the things I want to do with my SE-R, and started thinking about making my own camber plates for it, because I'm cheap, and camber plates are expensive. I'm not sure how feasible it is, but I think it'd be a fun project to try. I'd like to make something that would take a stock spring, but is easily adaptable to use with coilovers, since I plan to get GCs eventually. I'd like to gain a bit of travel in front with them if I can, as well, though I don't know if that would be possible with a stock spring. It would be great if I could pair them with the shortened koni trick in another thread and get a significant amount more travel in the front. If anyone has an old strut mount lying around that they can take pictures of and send me, that'd be a help, and an actual mount to play with would be great. I can't really afford to take mine off my car, since I need to drive it almost every day. If I manage to make something that actually works though, I'd think about making a few more sets as time permits.

Before anyone tells me to just buy camber plates, understand that I'm not a *total* idiot. I'm an Architecture student at a good school, but with 1.5 years of engineering courses, and I have at least 2 years of machine shop experience (I work part-time in the machine shop here). I want to try it because I think it would be an interesting project, not solely to save money. I don't really like any of the products out there either - the Stillens don't gain any travel and are way too expensive, and the GCs can't be used with stock springs (and are also too expensive). If I come up with something decent that gives a bit of extra travel, it could potentially be useful to all the people with the new group deal springs, who can't use the GC plates. Who knows, this might be a crazy idea, but I'll have fun trying it.

Josh

Josh,

Camber plates aren't all that hard to make. As you surmise, you have a lot of homework to do on the subject.

Just buy an upper mount. You could get a new one from a dealer. This would be your best choice. You could also get a used one from a bone yard, or even a new one from an aftermarket source such as Monroe or Gabriel.

Good luck.

I actually have a question for you, george. In my research, I was looking at the old Zotz page with your first suspension upgrade. I noticed that the front strut mount seemed to be in several parts, with the thrust bearing all by itself. How is that bearing held in place? Are these parts just held together by the tension of the spring when you get it all together? If so, this might be easier than I thought. I actually have never had the front suspension of a B13 apart, and the strut mounts in my old Mercury Tracer were one piece (not sure how they were constructed).I couldn't figure out any way to secure the thrust bearing other than just spring tension. Now I am thinking I can make a slotted plate that mounts on top, then maybe I can reuse the stock upper spring seat and make a thick block/spacer that incorporates the stock thrust bearing and attches to the slotted plate (I am assuming the stock spring seat simply rides on that thrust bearing). Then when I switch to coilovers, I could make a much thinner block with that same thrust bearing incorporated, to gain some extra travel with the smaller spring/top hat. Don't mean to bore anyone, I'm just thinking out loud here. I imagine I'll also have to have some sort of spherical bearing up at the top nut. I'll be sure to pick up an upper mount if I see a B13 the next time I'm in a boneyard.

Where is that page with photos of all the B13 suspension assembly parts exploded and identified? I'd like to see that again.

Josh