Suspension Brakes 1st Gen Moving from fixed to adj camber plates

Discussion in 'Tuning and Performance' started by 00zero, Oct 22, 2010.

  1. Take2

    Take2 New Member

    Oct 24, 2010
    4
    0
    0
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    What are your options as far as fixed plates go if you have an 03?

    Nick
     
  2. quikmni

    quikmni Moderator

    Jun 6, 2009
    774
    174
    43
    Aerospace Engineer
    Orcutt, CA
    Ratings:
    +174 / 0 / -0
    Fixed plates will work well on an 03. All Minis can use more negative camber than stock so adding fixed or adjustable is good. The only issue with fixed plates is that there is no adjustability. Which can be important if you want to change camber, such as increase negative camber for an Auto-X, then decrease it for street driving. Adjustability can also be nice if the stack camber is way different from side to side. Most people never adjust the adjustable plates once aligned to their spec so fixed plates make more sense for most people.
     
  3. BThayer23

    BThayer23 Well-Known Member

    Jun 12, 2009
    1,315
    154
    63
    Civil Engineer
    Durham, NC
    Ratings:
    +155 / 0 / -0
    Ireland Engineering makes fixed plates.

    Fixed plates tend to be less expensive and less robust than adjustable plates.
     
  4. Take2

    Take2 New Member

    Oct 24, 2010
    4
    0
    0
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Well on the wmw website it says that the ie fixed plates do not fit anything before an 04. I am interesed in the fixed plates cause I know I will not adjust them if I had the adjustable ones.
    Nick
     
  5. quikmni

    quikmni Moderator

    Jun 6, 2009
    774
    174
    43
    Aerospace Engineer
    Orcutt, CA
    Ratings:
    +174 / 0 / -0
  6. TGS91

    TGS91 New Member

    May 8, 2009
    1,593
    18
    0
    Sales Dude
    St. Louis, MO
    Ratings:
    +18 / 0 / -0
    Might want to check the ID's of the umbrella girls, couple counties in TN have laws against saying 'vorshlag' to minors :ihih:
     
  7. BThayer23

    BThayer23 Well-Known Member

    Jun 12, 2009
    1,315
    154
    63
    Civil Engineer
    Durham, NC
    Ratings:
    +155 / 0 / -0
    Only if you transport said minors on the Dragon and across state lines. :D
     
  8. CHKMINI

    CHKMINI Club Coordinator
    Lifetime Supporter

    Sep 1, 2009
    9,244
    3,802
    113
    Ratings:
    +3,863 / 0 / -1
    Is there another untold story lurking here?...inquiring minds want to know :devil:
     
  9. mrntd

    mrntd Well-Known Member
    Supporting Member

    Sep 30, 2011
    5,083
    1,762
    113
    Male
    Sales and Marketing manager
    Hilliard, Ohio
    Ratings:
    +1,763 / 0 / -0
    Got my fixed plates on Saturday an got it aligned today. -1.2 L -1.7 R
    But after reading here I guess this is normal to have them unequal. I have thought about filing the holes a little to try and even it up a bit.
     
  10. quikmni

    quikmni Moderator

    Jun 6, 2009
    774
    174
    43
    Aerospace Engineer
    Orcutt, CA
    Ratings:
    +174 / 0 / -0
    The left camber will go more negative with you in the car, so might not be too much different.
     
  11. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

    Jun 4, 2009
    19,445
    10,057
    113
    Retired old fart
    Hooterville Ohio USA
    Ratings:
    +11,698 / 2 / -0
    I think what you are seeing is normal. But 1/2 a degree is pretty far off. Could there be a production variance between those plates you used.
     
  12. mrntd

    mrntd Well-Known Member
    Supporting Member

    Sep 30, 2011
    5,083
    1,762
    113
    Male
    Sales and Marketing manager
    Hilliard, Ohio
    Ratings:
    +1,763 / 0 / -0
    Nope I checked that before I put them on and on the other set I have here.

    What does anyone think about filing the mounting holes a little?
     
  13. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

    Jun 4, 2009
    19,445
    10,057
    113
    Retired old fart
    Hooterville Ohio USA
    Ratings:
    +11,698 / 2 / -0
    If it was me I'd either live with it or buy a set of adjustable plates. The idea of filing the holes just would bother me too much if it was my car.

    How does the car handle with the plates alignment & new rear swaybar?
     
  14. minimark

    minimark Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2009
    5,146
    1,302
    113
    Winston-Salem, NC
    Ratings:
    +1,302 / 0 / -0
    #34 minimark, Mar 12, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2013
    Tis what it is, don't go filing on your shock towers. Like was said above, .live with it or get off the bucks and get some adjustables...life is full of compromise.
     
  15. mrntd

    mrntd Well-Known Member
    Supporting Member

    Sep 30, 2011
    5,083
    1,762
    113
    Male
    Sales and Marketing manager
    Hilliard, Ohio
    Ratings:
    +1,763 / 0 / -0
    The car handles fine and goes straight. Haven't had a chance to push it yet. Too much work to get done.

    I'll do the white tire mark test on our drive Saturday.
     
  16. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

    Jun 4, 2009
    19,445
    10,057
    113
    Retired old fart
    Hooterville Ohio USA
    Ratings:
    +11,698 / 2 / -0
    Back in the olden days showroom stock racer's would put a car on a frame rack & bend them to get camber. Could be a way to equal things out.

    As far as chalking tires, that drive isn't twisty enough or high speed enough to get a good reading. But it's worth a try. :wink:
     
  17. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
    Lifetime Supporter

    May 4, 2009
    3,532
    2,896
    113
    Professional Facilitator and Alignment Consultant
    Holly Springs, NC
    Ratings:
    +2,896 / 0 / -0
    Unequal right/left front camber is a Mini thing... for practical purposes, unless you're a hardcore trackrat (and I mean hardcore enough to run slicks), it's not going to matter. Though being limited to only 1.2/1.7 will make a bigger difference long before the 0.5 delta between the sides will.

    I'm not a hardcore trackrat... but I ended up with adjustable plates and equal camber anyway. Because I wanted more than 1.2 on the weak side.
     
  18. JMC40

    JMC40 Well-Known Member

    Sep 1, 2010
    1,745
    368
    83
    O...H...!!
    Ratings:
    +373 / 0 / -0
    ^^^^ Yup when I got mine aligned recently the front was off a little...and I don't have any camber plates. Only proper way to get it perfect is adjustable camber plates...
     
  19. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

    Jun 4, 2009
    19,445
    10,057
    113
    Retired old fart
    Hooterville Ohio USA
    Ratings:
    +11,698 / 2 / -0
    I felt pretty lucky to end up with -1.9 & - 2.0 on my MINI with the IE fixed plates. For me the cost of Vorshlag plates was a bit much. That's why I went with fixed.
     
  20. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
    Supporting Member

    May 4, 2009
    8,767
    2,547
    113
    Bend, OR USA
    Ratings:
    +2,678 / 1 / -0
    Go with the IE adj plates......still love mine.
     

Share This Page