BC coil over help..

[Wastegate13]

Yeah, I see that you do have them. You need to get your car to a pro stat!

Buddy... LMAO!

http://www.evasivemotorsports.com/ProjectEVO/Stage2/EVSEVO7.jpg

That is how the adjustable camber plates should look. How long has it been that way?

Do you hear the crickets? That's because you are the only one laughing at the moment. If you step back and take a moment to read what I wrote you will understand that you only need to cut the tophats in order to adjust camber once everything is bolted into the car.

To answer your question it has been this way since April 27 of 2008. They went in at 800ish miles on the odometer and the car rolled over 11k tonight. Now allow me to answer your next question, no I have not had any problems with the car or the suspension over the last 8-9 months.

The picture you posted of the Evo shows what a typical strut tower looks like, why Mazda chose to enclose ours more so will probably forever remain a mystery.

 

[boosted3]

The four allen bolts do not allow the top of the hat to sit flush against the underside of strut tower which is why it's supposed to be notched.Notching the tower allows the four adjustments bolts to poke through so that the plate can rest against the underside of the tower.
I am not laughing AT you and I'm sorry if you took it that way. I am laughing because I have NEVER seen anything like what you took a picture of... I would venture to say that it is dangerous.

Thank you for taking the pictures for me. Can I convince you to have someone look at the way you have that set-up? You'll thank me later.. I'm 99.9% sure that it was incorrectly installed.

 

[Wastegate13]

The four allen bolts do not allow the top of the hat to sit flush against the underside of strut tower which is why it's supposed to be notched.Notching the tower allows the four adjustments bolts to poke through so that the plate can rest against the underside of the tower.
I am not laughing AT you and I'm sorry if you took it that way. I am laughing because I have NEVER seen anything like what you took a picture of... I would venture to say that it is dangerous.

Thank you for taking the pictures for me. Can I convince you to have someone look at the way you have that set-up? You'll thank me later.. I'm 99.9% sure that it was incorrectly installed.

No offense taken. I wish I had a better camera so you could see what I see. The allen bolts are not and never have come in contact with the lip on the strut tower. I installed these myself alongside my father, who is a 30 year ASE certified master technician. This is not the first car I've laid hands on and even though it should be will not be the last. I appreciate your concern but in this matter you are mistaken.

PS: You never answered me if you had in fact tried to install the suspension before coming to your conclusion that you had to notch the tower.

 

[boosted3]

I have not installed the suspension, but will tackle it tomorrow. Josh at Import image where they were purchased told me they must be notched to use the camber plates. This is not the first set of coil overs I have installed, however. Most camber plates do not require a notching of the tower. The only other vehicle we've had to notch was an early 90's Taurus SHO.

Thank you again for taking the pictures.

 

[Wastegate13]

I have not installed the suspension, but will tackle it tomorrow. Josh at Import image where they were purchased told me they must be notched to use the camber plates. This is not the first set of coil overs I have installed, however. Most camber plates do not require a notching of the tower. The only other vehicle we've had to notch was an early 90's Taurus SHO.

Thank you again for taking the pictures.

Ha. I know Josh personally and while he is a terrific salesman and a hell of a lot of fun to go out drinking with he does absolutely no work on his own cars. I'd imagine his statement was more of a CYA thing or merely relaying the fact that camber is not adjustable "on the fly" without cutting the towers.

 

[Abilor]

so I don't have to cut?

 

[Wastegate13]

so I don't have to cut?

Just to reiterate, only if you wish to adjust camber without dropping the front suspension.

 

[bykeryder4life]

read the damn thread! people shouldnt have to reiterate and spoon feed you information. On another note I lol'd at how long it took to prove you got adjustable camber plates wastegate13.....

 

[RichB]

I completely understand the confusion. When I look at the features for these coilovers on the mazdaspeed 3 it says the front camber is not adjustable but the kit still has camber plates. In order to use the camber plates you have to drill a 3" hole in the tophats.

On another note, what do you seal the hole with to protect from rust?

 

[Wastegate13]

I completely understand the confusion. When I look at the features for these coilovers on the mazdaspeed 3 it says the front camber is not adjustable but the kit still has camber plates. In order to use the camber plates you have to drill a 3" hole in the tophats.

On another note, what do you seal the hole with to protect from rust?

The reason is says the camber is not adjustable is because they no longer come standard with the plates, they are now a 119 dollar option.

The one person I found that did cut the tophats used some rustoleum paint to protect from rust. He's on this board but I forget his SN.

 

[RichB]

The reason is says the camber is not adjustable is because they no longer come standard with the plates, they are now a 119 dollar option.

That sucks. The price never lowered.

 

[udontknowjack]

my fit just fine....

 

[Wastegate13]

That sucks. The price never lowered.

From what I can remember they were on an introductory price for a long time when they first came out. Then prices went up around the same time they dropped the camber plates as standard.

 

[RichB]

figures....

 

[SwampAss]

The four allen bolts do not allow the top of the hat to sit flush against the underside of strut tower which is why it's supposed to be notched.Notching the tower allows the four adjustments bolts to poke through so that the plate can rest against the underside of the tower.
I am not laughing AT you and I'm sorry if you took it that way. I am laughing because I have NEVER seen anything like what you took a picture of... I would venture to say that it is dangerous.

Thank you for taking the pictures for me. Can I convince you to have someone look at the way you have that set-up? You'll thank me later.. I'm 99.9% sure that it was incorrectly installed.

Not to beat a dead horse, but to reiterate wastegate's point, the towers do not need to be notched with this set up. They sit perfectly flush and can be installed the way he pictured with no issues. I had a shop do mine and he's seen other coil over set ups for cars that are the same way as BC's for the 3. You set the camber, then bolt down the strut. He said that older mazdas had to have their camber adjusted by losing the strut than turning the hat. It looks odd due to the small hole in the tower, but is installed correctly.

FWIW, my camber, caster, and toe came out all in the green with no issues after he made the adjustments. My car rides perfectly, has no weird quirks, no thunks and I'm quite pleased!


I did not get the camber plate option. I just bought the regular old BC coilovers. This is what I was sent.

 

[GhostMercury]

swamp what was your camber when you didn't get the camber plates?

 

[SwampAss]

within spec. I have mazdaspeed plates in the back though.

 

[GhostMercury]

even wear on your front tires and everything?

 

[CnoTataymo]

even wear on your front tires and everything?

If you don't get the camber plates, it'll change camber like -.1. Nothing really crazy. But it might change toe which is a little more important for tire wear.