siguy9900

I have been reading some very involved camber kit discussions on here, but I havent totally figured out if I should get one. I am getting ready to install the gc/koni suspension on my EM1. I plan on going about 3 inches. It is only driven on nice weekends and spends a lot of its time parked in the garage. Since its not a DD I didnt think it would need a camber kit, but because of how low Im gona go I didnt know it I should.

Thanks for your input.

instrument

wanna find out for sure, lower it, go get it aligned, and you'll have your answer.

BlackoutVTi

An alignment is what is necessary, but a camber kit is good to assist with the alignment. It'll help the guys get your car back to specs, and adjust the necessary camber to fit your wheels into your fender wells without excessive negative camber.

I don't want to spend a lot of time talking **** with people who say that camber kits are a waste, I'm just saying that I'm lowered 2.5 inches, and I got a camber kit installed during my alignment. They told me that it made the alignment easier, as with stock hardware, the camber could only be adjusted so much. There's my suggestion.

siguy9900

Thanks for the suggestion.

v!taminb16

get the camber's

B serious

iTrader: (1)

If you're lowering by 3'', I would:

1.) NOT get GC/konis.
2.) Get a camber kit.

Usually I dont advocate them, but for a car lowered by 3'' and daily driven, it may be nessecary. Since your car will be bouncing a lot, the tires will scrub like crazy on the pavement and wear out fast. Might as well wear out the WHOLE tire fast.

Set your camber to like -1.0 to -1.5 all the way around with stock toe and you shouldn't have many tire wear issues.

If you're drag racing or doing burn outs, set camber to 0.

mikeycivic

Why are you telling him to not get the gc/koni setup if he is going 3"? Also his car is NOT a DD. The gc/koni setup will be fine. I would however suggest getting the gc extended top hats to give you more travel.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mikeycivic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Why are you telling him to not get the gc/koni setup if he is going 3"? Also his car is NOT a DD. The gc/koni setup will be fine. I would however suggest getting the gc extended top hats to give you more travel.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Because at 3'', the shocks will be out of their optimal range. Even if you do get the extended top hats, it's a waste of $$. Why buy a "nice" suspension if the car is going to handle and ride like **** with the way you set it up? Counter productive.

If I wanted to hard park, go low, and still have a decent ride, I'd buy some cheapy full body adjustable coilovers. D2s or Megans or K sports should be available for under $1k.


OP: regardless of if the car is a DD, at 3'' of lowering, the geometry will be pretty wack. Trust me. So you'll want a camber kit. The ball joints will be loaded diagonally. They're not meant to do that. So the Front upper ball joints will wear FAST...even if the car is just sitting there. That's dangerous and annoying.

Without a camber kit, you'll be putting pressure on about 3'' of his tire. If you ever want to launch the car, it will be like launching on a donut.

Again, I usually dont recommend camber kits, but it may be beneficial for you.

The GC koni setup is not the one you want, however.

siguy9900

Would lowering it 2.5" put the same amount of stress on the ball joints?

I have heard really good things about the gc/koni setup, so that's why I went with it. I dont have to go 3" either.

I'm probably gona go with a camber kit no mater how low I do decide to go, because I want to be able to return the susepsion back to factory specs. Since its not a DD, this is more for looks than performance.

HybridEKHatch

get the camber kit unless you want some threads poking out soon

Ej Girl

I have blox camber kits (front and rear) and im not lowered much at all. They save you money in the future in buying tires as you wont have to buy them as often. I would get them because they arnt that expensive and save you money in the future

B serious

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HybridEKHatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">get the camber kit unless you want some threads poking out soon </TD></TR></TABLE>

You're talking about TOE wear. Camber wears tires gradually and at a much lower gradient that toe.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by siguy9900 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Would lowering it 2.5" put the same amount of stress on the ball joints?

I have heard really good things about the gc/koni setup, so that's why I went with it. I dont have to go 3" either.

I'm probably gona go with a camber kit no mater how low I do decide to go, because I want to be able to return the susepsion back to factory specs. Since its not a DD, this is more for looks than performance.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well camber is the thing that puts stress on ball joints, regardless of how low or high the car is. With a camber kit and some relatively conservative angles (like I said before, -1.0 to -1.5), the ball joint stresses are not bad at all.

The Koni GC setup should be allright around 2.5''...but again, you'll most liikely be beyond the shock's optimal range. For hard parking, a cheap full body adjustable coilover would be better.

You dont want to nessecarily return the suspension back to factory specs. Depending on what wheels you'll be running, you may get a lot of rubbing and catching on fender lips...which can damage tires to the point of a blow out at high speeds. No good.

Whatever specs you put it at, GO GET IT DONE AT A GOOD ALIGNMENT SHOP, and make sure it doesn't rub.

Rubbing is bad....just ask a girl with big thighs.

siguy9900

I am going to run the stock Si rims. When I install it I will play with the high a little and decide what I like ( I havn't totally decided yet). The more I think about it, I like the idea of having it just lower with the stock specs. Would that hurt it a lot?

Thanks for your info man. It has been a great help.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by siguy9900 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am going to run the stock Si rims. When I install it I will play with the high a little and decide what I like ( I havn't totally decided yet). The more I think about it, I like the idea of having it just lower with the stock specs. Would that hurt it a lot?

Thanks for your info man. It has been a great help.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You can go low with the stock specs I'm sure. Do that if you want to. I just dont see the point in lowering a car and not getting atleast SOME performance gain out of it....even if it was just for looks. -1 to -1.5 deg of camber isn't going to hurt anything. But if you want stock, go stock. Just make sure it doesn't rub.

chicken head

how can a shop do an alignment with out an adjustable camber kit?

NoLeftTurn

I just lowered my car about 3 inch. My front camber was off by 1.6. Yours will be close, so get the camber kit. And for the rear, they said I need an adjustable ball joint, but im trying to add spacers to see if i can go the cheap route. Take it to les swab because they have that warranty for a month. Mess with your alignment and take it back to them for a free alignment again.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NoLeftTurn &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I just lowered my car about 3 inch. My front camber was off by 1.6. Yours will be close, so get the camber kit. And for the rear, they said I need an adjustable ball joint, but im trying to add spacers to see if i can go the cheap route. Take it to les swab because they have that warranty for a month. Mess with your alignment and take it back to them for a free alignment again. </TD></TR></TABLE>

There is no way your camber was only off by 1.6 degrees after lowering it 3''. Unless something was broken or wrong. -1.6 degrees is nothing. For DCs, -2 deg. camber is within spec in the rear. With 3'' of lowering, you'd probably have around -2.75 to -3 deg of camber. More in the rear. -3 deg. atleast.

The rear suspension of a civic or integra has no ball joints. They sell adjustable links that are MUCH easier to mess with and tune than adding washers. Less ghetto, more money.

Les schwab only gives out 1 month warranties? F that. Sears has a 6 month warranty alignment for $65 and firestone does lifetime alignments for $140ish.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chicken head &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">how can a shop do an alignment with out an adjustable camber kit?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You line up the toe. Done.