This is true to a point....BUT there are certain things that you can't overlook. The quality of the spherical bearing is hugely important. Big beefy pillowballs will last longer, be quieter, and maybe even be a little smoother. Thicker plates won't warp or bend, but they do raise the car more, so there's a trade-off there. I come from the Subaru world and there are a LOT of mass produced plates with thin, weak plates that warp a bit too quickly and crappy pillowballs that develop play in the bearing and wear out way too fast and make noise. We made our own and we used the biggest bearing we could find at the time and they last much longer and perform better in the real world. It increased the cost, but ours are also handbuilt in the USA, so that had more to do with it. The Vorshlag plates do have some good features that I like for Subarus...low stack height and integerated spring perch for more bump travel, second bearing to prevent the main spring from binding, big beefy bearing. They're sort of expensive but damn good in my own experience on Subarus and EVOs. Our main competitors actually, but we've worked with them too. I do really like the idea of the IE Fixed plates for most people who aren't really tracking the car, and even those who track casually. - Andrew
youve got a point. ill go talk to stratmosphere about this. and the 0 camber thing is just a reference to daily driving, and i dont wanna increase camber wear any longer than i need to. and that being said, i wanna run somewhere between -1.5 - -2 camber in the front and 1.5 in the back. and how are the IE fixed giving uneven tire wear? aernt they suppose to be -1.25 on both plates?
That's -1.25 in addition (note they say an increase of 1.25) to what the neg camber that already exist. From mine you can expect a total from -1.9 to -2.3 which is what I have with them... Least ways that's what my experience with them has been. PS: I'll let ya know when I replace them andyroo..
Personally i am waiting on the TSWs to get into production, so Dr.Mike. Like i told Jeff, i wouldnt mind paying the machine job a visit to speed things up .
I have a set of early K-Mac's in the garage. I bought them used. Plates are thin and warped, aluminum backing plates warped some and threads pulled/galled out in a couple of holes. These things could be repaired but I decided to go with the IR fixed. The over sized urethane insert and bearings should be bullet proof in a MINI.
My own car as well-and-I have installed a dozen sets and the specs all fell within that range on 04-06 MINIs. I rotate my tires at 3000 miles and have seen better, not worse, overall wear than stock. I also run and recomend adjustable rear camber links on the bottom to get some real adjustment there, My rears are at -1.2 left - 1.3 right, nicely complementing the front change with the fixed plates and adjustable links.