phunky.buddha
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[size=+2]Top Speed Auto Rear Camber Arms (Review and Install)[/size]
Top Speed Auto Rear Camber Arms Unboxing Threads: Mazdas247 HondaSwap
Read the unboxing thread for more info about Top Speed and the construction of these camber arms.
Read my suspension install thread to get to the point where your rear lower control arm and trailing arm are disconnected, and the shock and spring are loose. It makes the install much easier. Mazdas247 thread, Hondaswap thread. If you don't want to slog through all that text, these diagrams will help you get things apart:
Most of these pictures are from the driver side of the car, because that side is a little more difficult and has a few extra steps.
When you get underneath the car and try to take out the inner bolt on the upper control arm, you'll find that there's an exhaust hanger in the way.
The few installs I've seen so far recommend that the entire rear suspension cradle be loosened to make enough clearance for the bolt, but I chose a different path. The rear exhaust section seems to have a hanger about every foot, so I figured losing one wouldn't be that big of a deal...
Forty bucks well spent. I needed a cutoff tool anyway. Fire the sucker up and chop that hanger off. Try not to do this outside after 10pm. Your neighbors might not like it. Wow, look at that clearance! Grind off all your sharp points.
Get your 17mm and back the bolts out. You already know where the inboard bolt is; the outer is at the top of the trailing arm just behind the wheel.
Once you have one of the OEM upper control arms out, lay the new adjustable on top and run the bolts through both arms. Adjust the length until the arms match. With the Top Speed camber arms, you use the large nuts to adjust the length of the arm, then use the lock nut to clamp the adjustment into place.
To lock down the adjustment you'll need a 5.5mm hex wrench and a 13mm socket. Before doing so though, extend the length out a few turns. I took a guess and made the control arm longer by 4 complete turns of the outer mount point. This got me out to -1.5 degrees of camber with a 1.75 inch drop, and -1.7 degrees of camber when the rear suspension settled another half inch or so. Use these measurements as a guideline to set your camber arms up before you hit the alignment bay- the adjuster is near impossible to get to once the control arm is bolted into place, so if you can nail an acceptable camber spec during the installation, you'll never have to touch it again. If you're running the H&R Sport springs (1.4 inch lower in the back) my same settings will probably get you to about -1.2 degrees of camber. Maybe. Cross your fingers. Making the control arm longer will reduce your negative camber.
Bolt the arms back in. Torque to 79 lbft (spec 66.53-90.35). 17mm socket/wrench.
Reassemble your suspension per my suspension install guide linked earlier.
---------
Ride impressions:
There's really nothing to tell. The suspension works, there are no funny noises, and the alignment has held its camber settings over the last 5k miles without any issues. I don't notice their presence, and for something that's meant to control the location of your suspension, not being noticed is a very good thing. Would I buy again? Absolutely.
Top Speed Auto Rear Camber Arms Unboxing Threads: Mazdas247 HondaSwap
Read the unboxing thread for more info about Top Speed and the construction of these camber arms.
Read my suspension install thread to get to the point where your rear lower control arm and trailing arm are disconnected, and the shock and spring are loose. It makes the install much easier. Mazdas247 thread, Hondaswap thread. If you don't want to slog through all that text, these diagrams will help you get things apart:
Most of these pictures are from the driver side of the car, because that side is a little more difficult and has a few extra steps.
When you get underneath the car and try to take out the inner bolt on the upper control arm, you'll find that there's an exhaust hanger in the way.
The few installs I've seen so far recommend that the entire rear suspension cradle be loosened to make enough clearance for the bolt, but I chose a different path. The rear exhaust section seems to have a hanger about every foot, so I figured losing one wouldn't be that big of a deal...
Forty bucks well spent. I needed a cutoff tool anyway. Fire the sucker up and chop that hanger off. Try not to do this outside after 10pm. Your neighbors might not like it. Wow, look at that clearance! Grind off all your sharp points.
Get your 17mm and back the bolts out. You already know where the inboard bolt is; the outer is at the top of the trailing arm just behind the wheel.
Once you have one of the OEM upper control arms out, lay the new adjustable on top and run the bolts through both arms. Adjust the length until the arms match. With the Top Speed camber arms, you use the large nuts to adjust the length of the arm, then use the lock nut to clamp the adjustment into place.
To lock down the adjustment you'll need a 5.5mm hex wrench and a 13mm socket. Before doing so though, extend the length out a few turns. I took a guess and made the control arm longer by 4 complete turns of the outer mount point. This got me out to -1.5 degrees of camber with a 1.75 inch drop, and -1.7 degrees of camber when the rear suspension settled another half inch or so. Use these measurements as a guideline to set your camber arms up before you hit the alignment bay- the adjuster is near impossible to get to once the control arm is bolted into place, so if you can nail an acceptable camber spec during the installation, you'll never have to touch it again. If you're running the H&R Sport springs (1.4 inch lower in the back) my same settings will probably get you to about -1.2 degrees of camber. Maybe. Cross your fingers. Making the control arm longer will reduce your negative camber.
Bolt the arms back in. Torque to 79 lbft (spec 66.53-90.35). 17mm socket/wrench.
Reassemble your suspension per my suspension install guide linked earlier.
---------
Ride impressions:
There's really nothing to tell. The suspension works, there are no funny noises, and the alignment has held its camber settings over the last 5k miles without any issues. I don't notice their presence, and for something that's meant to control the location of your suspension, not being noticed is a very good thing. Would I buy again? Absolutely.
