Iffy Camber Adjustment on New Koni's?????

[Storm Monkey 0]

Managed to find time and fitted the Koni/H&R combo to my VR over the weekend. Not too difficult, apart from having to drill out one of the front shocks, cos the top nut was so damn tight! Anyway, got everything fitted, including new top mounts, bearings, spring plates etc, and took it in for a camber/tracking check yesterday, at Jeff Fowkes in Ibstock. I had a look at the print out, and I'm not convinced by the readings, and the fitter told me there was not enough adjustment to reach the stock min limit of -1.4, let alone the -0.8 I was after "because its on after market dampers, and has been lowered". I was sure when I fitted them that there was stacks of adjustment, and I'm pretty sure I could get positive camber, not that I want to try now it has been adjusted. Anybody had this problem before? Any easy fix, or is it more likely down to a dodgy adjustment. :?:

 

These are the final results:-

 

Camber F left -1 36'

F right -1 42'

R left -1 42'

R right -1 30'

 

Toe F left 0.3

F right -0.3

R left 1.2

R right 2.2 :shock:

 

Looks like the rear could use a shim or 2 also!

 

Don't get me wrong, it handles better than then I went in, but then again it was set by eye then. It's still not perfect though, follows rutts and camber a little too much still, but a lot better. :roll:

 

As for the Koni/H&R setup............fantastic :D . Ride is more harsh, but still comfortable, set to about half way on all dampers, and the body roll is almost eliminated. turn in and response is much more crisp, and the ride height is improved, though only by about 10mm so far, though on new mounts, I expect another few mm!

 

Cheers,

 

Phil

[andy 0]

Mine was adjusted to spot on with that same combination.

[davidwort 0]

Not the same components, but my 16v has got harder to get the slight negative camber I need the lower the car has got, it was OK on koni's and eibach springs but when I put lowering caps on the front springs I now get barely any negative camber on max adjustment, the wishbones are slightly upwards pointing too, I'm thinking of going back to the standard front spring caps as at least the wishbones were level at that ride height.

[joby 0]

Hi davidwort what was the Koni Eibach combination like as im running bilstein eibach at the mo and its just too crashy so was thinking of this combination.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Camber is slightly too negative. -1.2 was the stock setting and that's borderline too understeery on a lowered car. I run -0.9 and it's much more sure footed.

 

Toe is OK.

 

Rear geometry - Give Vince a call at Stealth as he has some special adjustable rings for adjusting rear camber and toe in one hit. Very cheap too.

 

Yeah wishbones ideally should be no higher than parallel, but to get them at the optimum angle (pointing downwards) requires the standard VR6 4x4 ride height.....which is probably why they raised it......to reduce bump steer aswell as ground clearance.

[davidwort 0]

Hi davidwort what was the Koni Eibach combination like as im running bilstein eibach at the mo and its just too crashy so was thinking of this combination.

 

Koni TA's and Eibach springs is actually pretty civilised, I have been running the Koni's on the softest setting though, it's a massive improvement over the Boge uprated dampers i was using before, the front's were bearable but the rears were also gas and far too hard.

As soon as i fitted the Koni's it pretty much transformed the ride, it's still pretty firm, the Eibachs always are, I still try to avoid any holes or bumps in the road but it's perfectly comfortable for a daily commuter.

 

David.

[joby 0]

Thanks davidwort looks like i`ll price some konis up then..

[davidwort 0]

Thanks davidwort looks like i`ll price some konis up then..

generally works out cheaper to buy a complete suspension kit, flog the springs that come with it on, and buy H&R's etc separately.

[joby 0]

One more question davidwort have you changed bushes at all was thinking of pollybushes all round and new wishbones arbs etc top mounts as the car feels vague at high speed!!