Camber Bolt FAQ and Tutorial

williaty · 09-04-2008, 12:45 AM

Well, first of all, this is more of a Tutorial than a FAQ, but it does answer the questions and isn't entirely a tutorial, so don't complain about the semantics

Second, all of the small pictures click through to large pictures.

Third, I used a rear strut. Get over it, I was too lazy to dig any deeper in the box. It's the same theory for front and rear.

What are camber bolts?
Camber bolts are cleverly designed eccentric bolts that causes the two things you're bolting together to offset from each other slightly. On our cars, this means that the camber bolts offset the strut and the knuckle slightly from each other thus changing the camber.

What are camber bolts used for?
In the industry, camber bolts are most often used for accommodating manufacturing variances or returning the alignment to the correct specifications after a suspension component has been bent in an accident (hence the slang "Crash Bolt"). Performance enthusiasts will also often use camber bolts to achieve alignment settings not obtainable with the stock hardware.

Why Would You Run Camber Bolts?
90% of the time, we're using camber bolts to add negative camber in the front or reduce negative camber in the rear.

Why Wouldn't You Run Camber Botls?
Camber bolts, by design, must be thinner than normal bolts. This reduces the strength of the joint. A small number of people have had camber bolts shear (break) under load. Camber bolts are often also criticized for "slipping" (changing alignment settings) under load at the worst possible time. 99% of all slippage is the result of improper installation. The installer REALLY needs to know how to properly install a camber bolt to avoid failure.

Where Can Camber Bolts Be Used?
On our cars, camber bolts can be used in 3 places:

1)The lower clevis hole in the front knuckles
2)The upper clevis hole in the rear knuckles
3)The lower clevis hole in the rear knuckles

Of these, the lower hole in front and the upper hole in the rear are the preferred, and most common, locations. AFTERMARKET CAMBER BOLTS SHOULD NEVER BE USED IN THE FRONT UPPER POSITION! Doing so will almost certainly result in slippage or outright failure of the camber bolt. This will almost certainly result in loss of control of the vehicle.

Can the Upper Front Bolt Be Replaced?
The upper front bolt is already a camber bolt. However, it is a special camber bolt specifically for Subaru. If you lose or break this bolt, you should ALWAYS replace it with an OEM part, not an aftermarket part. AFTERMARKET CAMBER BOLTS SHOULD NEVER BE USED IN THE FRONT UPPER POSITION!

What if I Destroy the Stock Upper Camber Bolt?
First of all, if you strip or cross-thread the bolt, or in any other way damage it, you should replace it to be safe. Here are the part numbers for all the clevis bolts:
Front camber bolt (-04): 20540AA090
Front camber bolt (05+): 901660036
Front camber bolt washer: 20560AA040
Front lower (non-camber) bolt: 20540PA010
Rear Upper and Lower (non-camber) bolts: 20540AA100
Nut (all): 20550AA010

Do Camber Bolts Add or Remove Camber?
Either. The camber change is entirely dependent on which way the bolt is installed. The instructions below will cover the two most common needs: Adding negative camber to the front and removing negative camber from the rear.

We need to establish some terminology first. The picture below is a typical aftermarket camber bolt. The words you're going to be reading a lot throughout this are Tab, Handle, and Lobe. They're labeled, because I'm a nice guy.

Another thing you're going to see me repeating frequently are directions for the handle. This picture shows the handle pointing outwards, towards the knuckle, or away from the engine. They all mean the same thing.

This picture shows the handle pointing inwards, away from the knuckle, or towards the engine. They all mean the same thing.

There are also some common things you'll have to do regardless of which hole you're going to put it in. For one, use liberal amounts of lube. Anti-sieze, preferably, grease if you can't get anti-sieze. You will some day want to get these bolts back out and anti-sieze is a godsend. Also, the bolt and washer are only going to fit into the hole when the tab on the washer and the loeb on the bolt are aligned together as in this picture:

See how the tab on the washer is going into the hole "hiding" behind the thickest part of the lobe? That's critical. You absolutely MUST GET THE TAB OF THE WASHER SEATED IN THE HOLE WITHOUT DAMAGING THE TAB IN ANY WAY.
If you damage the tab in any way, such as smashing it flat against the washer, ripping it off, or tearing it, THROW THE BOLT OUT AND GET A NEW ONE. A damaged washer WILL cause the camber bolt to fail under load, almost certainly resulting in a loss of control of the vehicle. I also recommend that you install the bolt and washer in the orientation shown so that you can see exactly what's going on with that little tab. Spin it around to it's final position once you're sure it's gone in properly. Finally, make sure the washer sits flush against the clevis of the strut without having to force it to stay there. The tab should seat fully into the hole and allow the washer flat against the strut. If this doesn't happen, stop and figure out why.

OK, now that we've got the boilerplate out of the way, lets move on to specific instructions.

To Install an Aftermarket Camber Bolt in the Front Lower Position to Add Negative Camber
Note: The arrow on the head of the bolt USUALLY points at the lobe. Sometimes, they miss. Verify they're lined up before you start.

1) Loosen the upper camber bolt and the lower normal bolt.
2) Remove the lower normal bolt
3) Insert the aftermarket camber bolt into the lower hole with the washer on the bolt such that the tab faces the strut and the handle faces away from the strut.
4) Press the aftermarket camber bolt into the knuckle until the washer can just barely move between the head of the bolt and the strut.
5) Thread the nut onto the aftermarket camber bolt until it's against the strut, but DO NOT TIGHTEN the nut so much that you pinch the washer between the head of the bolt and the strut.
6) Rotate the washer of the aftermarket camber bolt so that the handle on the washer points straight at the knuckle (straight away from the engine).
7) Rotate the bolt so that the lobe of the bolt faces directly away from the handle on the washer.
8 ) Using a flathead screwdriver, gently move the washer so that the tab on the washer slips into the hole in the strut between the strut and the shaft of the bolt. This may take some cajoling, but you HAVE to get this right.

NOTE: If at any point the tab on the washer becomes damaged (torn off, smashed flat, etc), throw the bolt out and get a new one. If the tab on the washer isn't properly fitted into the hole, the bolt WILL fail on the street.

9) Verify that the handle on the washer is still pointed straight at the knuckle (away from the engine) and that the tab is still properly seated into the hole.
10) Tighten the nut just enough that you can still turn the bolt, but the washer can't move enough for the tab to pop out of the hole.
11) Rotate the upper OEM camber bolt so the tick marks on the head face directly towards the engine. There's a stray tick 90* off from the rest, this should line up with the tick mark on the strut.
12) Rotate the aftermarket bolt so that the lobe faces straight at the handle.
13) Have a friend slam the top of the brake rotor towards the engine as hard as they can
14) While the friend pins the brake rotor towards the engine, tighten the nut on the OEM camber bolt as tight as you can get it with a standard ratcheting socket handle while using a box wrench to make sure the bolt itself doesn't spin AT ALL.
15) Move the friend out of the way and tighten the OEM bolt to spec while making sure the bolt itself doesn't spin AT ALL.
16) Tighten the aftermarket bolt to spec while making sure the bolt and the washer don't spin AT ALL.

NOTE: If you end up with more than the desired camber, reduce camber by adjusting the OEM bolt only! You ALWAYS want the aftermarket bolt set to its maximum position to reduce the chance of slipping. To adjust the OEM bolt for slightly less camber, loosen both the OEM bolt and the aftermarket bolt slightly. Then, replace step #11 with "Rotate the OEM camber bolt to the necessary adjustment position" and follow the rest of the steps as given.

To Install an Aftermarket Camber Bolt in the Rear Upper Position to Reduce Negative Camber

Note: The arrow on the head of the bolt USUALLY points at the lobe. Sometimes, they miss. Verify they're lined up before you start.

1) Loosen the upper and lower normal bolts.
2) Remove the upper normal bolt
3) Insert the aftermarket camber bolt into the upper hole with the washer on the bolt such that the tab faces the strut and the handle faces away from the strut.
4) Press the aftermarket camber bolt into the knuckle until the washer can just barely move between the head of the bolt and the strut.
5) Thread the nut onto the aftermarket camber bolt until it's against the strut, but DO NOT TIGHTEN the nut so much that you pinch the washer between the head of the bolt and the strut.
6) Rotate the washer of the aftermarket camber bolt so that the handle on the washer points straight at the knuckle (straight away from the engine).
7) Rotate the bolt so that the lobe of the bolt faces directly away from the handle on the washer.
8 ) Using a flathead screwdriver, gently move the washer so that the tab on the washer slips into the hole in the strut between the strut and the shaft of the bolt. This may take some cajoling, but you HAVE to get this right.

NOTE: If at any point the tab on the washer becomes damaged (torn off, smashed flat, etc), throw the bolt out and get a new one. If the tab on the washer isn't properly fitted into the hole, the bolt WILL fail on the street.

9) Verify that the handle on the washer is still pointed straight at the knuckle (away from the engine) and that the tab is still properly seated into the hole.
10) Tighten the nut just enough that you can still turn the bolt, but the washer can't move enough for the tab to pop out of the hole.
11) Rotate the aftermarket bolt so that the lobe faces straight at the handle.
12) Have a friend slam the top of the brake rotor towards the center of the car as hard as they can
14) While the friend pins the brake rotor towards the center of the car, tighten the nut on the aftermarket camber bolt as tight as you can get it with a standard ratchet while using a box wrench to make sure the bolt itself doesn't spin.
15) Move the friend out of the way and tighten the OEM bolt to spec.
16) Tighten the aftermarket bolt to spec while making sure the bolt and the washer don't spin AT ALL.

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williaty · 09-04-2008, 12:45 AM

Reserved for future updates.

williaty · 09-04-2008, 12:45 AM

Reserved for future updates number 2

ButtDyno · 09-04-2008, 12:57 AM

Adding to the suspension supersticky. Thanks!

williaty · 09-04-2008, 01:05 AM

I was just about to poke you to put it there. Beat me to it.

ButtDyno · 09-04-2008, 01:32 AM

Quick, like a bunny.

williaty · 09-04-2008, 02:20 AM

I've heard that about you :ninja:

thorongil · 09-04-2008, 08:14 AM

Thanks for the FAQ. My only suggestion would be to add a list of part numbers and vendors-- people will ask!

I am familiar with the Ingalls camber bolts (IEC-I-81260), available at Summit Racing. But, there are a number of other options, which I recall being discussed in this thread: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1058586

TurbojonLS · 09-04-2008, 09:36 AM

I've also found it helpful to hold the handle with the closed end of a wrench while tightening the nut - when I've used them the washer has tended to move, even when seated correctly.

I'd also recommend stealing some of the diagrams that are in the other thread, as they do a good job explaining what the final position should be.

williaty · 09-04-2008, 12:32 PM

In the diagram the guy above me just posted, note that the text is wrong. The left side of the diagram shows the results of Step 10, not Step 8.

mla163 · 09-04-2008, 12:35 PM

...well I'm never going back to PTuning.

nice write up.

chimchimm5 · 09-04-2008, 12:41 PM

If I'm willing to pay for the best quality, strongest, etc, then which brand/model camber bolt is recommended?

This will be used in the lower cleavis of a front sedan strut on a wagon with stock arms. (I've decided to go this route as step 1)

I'm willing to pay $50+ for bolts that I can rely on to NOT BREAK, and not slip (if installed correctly) even through track days and rallyx.

williaty · 09-04-2008, 12:44 PM

They're all created equal. Heck, I've handled a lot of them now, and AFAICT, there's only two factories out there actually making bolts, regardless of how many "brands" are on sale.

akdmx · 09-04-2008, 12:47 PM

is the lobe on the stock front (upper) bolts supposed to be pointing outwards, away from the car (creating positive camber) or inwards, toward the engine (creating negative camber)

williaty · 09-04-2008, 12:54 PM

I honestly don't remember which way the lobe is on that bolt. However, the head of the bolt has 180* worth of tick marks on it. Those tick marks should face directly at the engine to create maximum negative camber. After the first measurement of alignment, then adjust that bolt to achieve the required alignment.

Abnormal · 09-04-2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mla163

...well I'm never going back to PTuning.

They told you they don't use the washer too, eh?

A lot of alignment shops in my area told me they don't use them* so I decided not a huge deal and got the alignment at PTuning. What do you know... a month later an Andrewtech they tell me my car's way out of whack and that I need the washers!

*One shop in the area that does alignments for the high end dealerships said "Real track cars use camber plates" so they handed me BACK the washers I had just put in!

Didn't bother to call and ask or anything (Despite specific instructions to do to).

Needless to say, the next alignment I got was at Mach V (FastWRX.com) WITH the washers, and I'm still happy about it a month later

williaty · 09-04-2008, 02:49 PM

God, any shop that doesn't use the washers is a lawsuit waiting to happen. First time someone crashes, they're going to be slapped with Criminal Negligence.

bzbuzz · 09-04-2008, 02:57 PM

veru nice writeup!
I've been to few of pefromance alignmentship around my area, all of them doesn't even know how to properly use camber bolts...very sad...let me know if you guys know any good shop in IL...

TurbojonLS · 09-04-2008, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by williaty

In the diagram the guy above me just posted, note that the text is wrong. The left side of the diagram shows the results of Step 10, not Step 8.

To clarify, the text describing the position and orientation of the bolt and washer is correct.

However, since this was pilfered from another thread, the step numbers identified in the picture don't correlate to steps posted in post 1.

chimchimm5 · 09-04-2008, 04:49 PM

Wow.

"we don't use the washer" = "we don't know how camber bolts work"

Actually, I wonder why there is no tabbed washer for the OTHER side of the bolt. I understand that the tightening of the nut holds that end of the bolt in place, but you are relying on the nut to do more than one thing. If there was a tabbed washer on that end, then the nut is only doing one thing: holding the bolt in one axis.

Maybe you could order a 2nd set of washers for the nut end too.

ButtDyno · 09-04-2008, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a13n0rma1

They told you they don't use the washer too, eh?

A lot of alignment shops in my area told me they don't use them* so I decided not a huge deal and got the alignment at PTuning. What do you know... a month later an Andrewtech they tell me my car's way out of whack and that I need the washers!

*One shop in the area that does alignments for the high end dealerships said "Real track cars use camber plates" so they handed me BACK the washers I had just put in!

Didn't bother to call and ask or anything (Despite specific instructions to do to).

Who does alignments for the high end dealerships?

That is surprising about PTuning

TurbojonLS · 09-04-2008, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chimchimm5

Wow.

"we don't use the washer" = "we don't know how camber bolts work"

Actually, I wonder why there is no tabbed washer for the OTHER side of the bolt. I understand that the tightening of the nut holds that end of the bolt in place, but you are relying on the nut to do more than one thing. If there was a tabbed washer on that end, then the nut is only doing one thing: holding the bolt in one axis.

Maybe you could order a 2nd set of washers for the nut end too.

That would work if they were installed perfectly opposite, but if they're in any way off the bolt would be crooked and held that way.

Abnormal · 09-04-2008, 08:17 PM

I'm sure PTuning won't take the washer OUT like this shop did.

Some of the high end dealerships in Tysons use that place near Ranger's Surplus (Shhh), but PCA recommends that shop near OG racing (shhh).

I'd name names, but they're not vendors. This is only in cases where their normal techs don't want to do it (race modified or drastically lowered vehicles).

mla163 · 09-04-2008, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ButtDyno

That is surprising about PTuning

They didn't install the washers on my bolts (still not there) and they initially installed the aftermarket bolts in the front upper hole (at my ignorant request, but still they didn't know better). I talked to the mechanic about the washers. He said they didn't use the washers. That's what they use on their race cars. They kind of convinced me despite the good info here. I have autocrossed hard on camber bolts without washers for the last 6 months with no problems. I do want to put a camber gage on to see if anything slipped. I am going to get it straightened out for next season.

I just don't understand why they are so against using the washers. I don't think I'll go back there.

Sorry for the NoVA aside

williaty · 09-04-2008, 11:05 PM

If you think about it, there's absolutely no difference between using a camber bolt without the washer and using a regular bolt that's just really skinny. Either way, you're praying that the friction of the bolt-strut-nut interface is high enough to prevent movement.

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09-04-2008, 12:45 AM	#1
williaty Scooby Guru Member#: 71092 Join Date: Sep 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Delaware County, Ohio Vehicle: 2005 2.5RS Wagon Regal Blue Pearl	Camber Bolt FAQ and Tutorial Well, first of all, this is more of a Tutorial than a FAQ, but it does answer the questions and isn't entirely a tutorial, so don't complain about the semantics Second, all of the small pictures click through to large pictures. Third, I used a rear strut. Get over it, I was too lazy to dig any deeper in the box. It's the same theory for front and rear. What are camber bolts? Camber bolts are cleverly designed eccentric bolts that causes the two things you're bolting together to offset from each other slightly. On our cars, this means that the camber bolts offset the strut and the knuckle slightly from each other thus changing the camber. What are camber bolts used for? In the industry, camber bolts are most often used for accommodating manufacturing variances or returning the alignment to the correct specifications after a suspension component has been bent in an accident (hence the slang "Crash Bolt"). Performance enthusiasts will also often use camber bolts to achieve alignment settings not obtainable with the stock hardware. Why Would You Run Camber Bolts? 90% of the time, we're using camber bolts to add negative camber in the front or reduce negative camber in the rear. Why Wouldn't You Run Camber Botls? Camber bolts, by design, must be thinner than normal bolts. This reduces the strength of the joint. A small number of people have had camber bolts shear (break) under load. Camber bolts are often also criticized for "slipping" (changing alignment settings) under load at the worst possible time. 99% of all slippage is the result of improper installation. The installer REALLY needs to know how to properly install a camber bolt to avoid failure. Where Can Camber Bolts Be Used? On our cars, camber bolts can be used in 3 places: 1)The lower clevis hole in the front knuckles 2)The upper clevis hole in the rear knuckles 3)The lower clevis hole in the rear knuckles Of these, the lower hole in front and the upper hole in the rear are the preferred, and most common, locations. AFTERMARKET CAMBER BOLTS SHOULD NEVER BE USED IN THE FRONT UPPER POSITION! Doing so will almost certainly result in slippage or outright failure of the camber bolt. This will almost certainly result in loss of control of the vehicle. Can the Upper Front Bolt Be Replaced? The upper front bolt is already a camber bolt. However, it is a special camber bolt specifically for Subaru. If you lose or break this bolt, you should ALWAYS replace it with an OEM part, not an aftermarket part. AFTERMARKET CAMBER BOLTS SHOULD NEVER BE USED IN THE FRONT UPPER POSITION! What if I Destroy the Stock Upper Camber Bolt? First of all, if you strip or cross-thread the bolt, or in any other way damage it, you should replace it to be safe. Here are the part numbers for all the clevis bolts: Front camber bolt (-04): 20540AA090 Front camber bolt (05+): 901660036 Front camber bolt washer: 20560AA040 Front lower (non-camber) bolt: 20540PA010 Rear Upper and Lower (non-camber) bolts: 20540AA100 Nut (all): 20550AA010 Do Camber Bolts Add or Remove Camber? Either. The camber change is entirely dependent on which way the bolt is installed. The instructions below will cover the two most common needs: Adding negative camber to the front and removing negative camber from the rear. We need to establish some terminology first. The picture below is a typical aftermarket camber bolt. The words you're going to be reading a lot throughout this are Tab, Handle, and Lobe. They're labeled, because I'm a nice guy. Another thing you're going to see me repeating frequently are directions for the handle. This picture shows the handle pointing outwards, towards the knuckle, or away from the engine. They all mean the same thing. This picture shows the handle pointing inwards, away from the knuckle, or towards the engine. They all mean the same thing. There are also some common things you'll have to do regardless of which hole you're going to put it in. For one, use liberal amounts of lube. Anti-sieze, preferably, grease if you can't get anti-sieze. You will some day want to get these bolts back out and anti-sieze is a godsend. Also, the bolt and washer are only going to fit into the hole when the tab on the washer and the loeb on the bolt are aligned together as in this picture: See how the tab on the washer is going into the hole "hiding" behind the thickest part of the lobe? That's critical. You absolutely MUST GET THE TAB OF THE WASHER SEATED IN THE HOLE WITHOUT DAMAGING THE TAB IN ANY WAY. If you damage the tab in any way, such as smashing it flat against the washer, ripping it off, or tearing it, THROW THE BOLT OUT AND GET A NEW ONE. A damaged washer WILL cause the camber bolt to fail under load, almost certainly resulting in a loss of control of the vehicle. I also recommend that you install the bolt and washer in the orientation shown so that you can see exactly what's going on with that little tab. Spin it around to it's final position once you're sure it's gone in properly. Finally, make sure the washer sits flush against the clevis of the strut without having to force it to stay there. The tab should seat fully into the hole and allow the washer flat against the strut. If this doesn't happen, stop and figure out why. OK, now that we've got the boilerplate out of the way, lets move on to specific instructions. To Install an Aftermarket Camber Bolt in the Front Lower Position to Add Negative Camber Note: The arrow on the head of the bolt USUALLY points at the lobe. Sometimes, they miss. Verify they're lined up before you start. 1) Loosen the upper camber bolt and the lower normal bolt. 2) Remove the lower normal bolt 3) Insert the aftermarket camber bolt into the lower hole with the washer on the bolt such that the tab faces the strut and the handle faces away from the strut. 4) Press the aftermarket camber bolt into the knuckle until the washer can just barely move between the head of the bolt and the strut. 5) Thread the nut onto the aftermarket camber bolt until it's against the strut, but DO NOT TIGHTEN the nut so much that you pinch the washer between the head of the bolt and the strut. 6) Rotate the washer of the aftermarket camber bolt so that the handle on the washer points straight at the knuckle (straight away from the engine). 7) Rotate the bolt so that the lobe of the bolt faces directly away from the handle on the washer. 8 ) Using a flathead screwdriver, gently move the washer so that the tab on the washer slips into the hole in the strut between the strut and the shaft of the bolt. This may take some cajoling, but you *HAVE* to get this right. NOTE: If at any point the tab on the washer becomes damaged (torn off, smashed flat, etc), throw the bolt out and get a new one. If the tab on the washer isn't properly fitted into the hole, the bolt WILL fail on the street. 9) Verify that the handle on the washer is still pointed straight at the knuckle (away from the engine) and that the tab is still properly seated into the hole. 10) Tighten the nut just enough that you can still turn the bolt, but the washer can't move enough for the tab to pop out of the hole. 11) Rotate the upper OEM camber bolt so the tick marks on the head face directly towards the engine. There's a stray tick 90* off from the rest, this should line up with the tick mark on the strut. 12) Rotate the aftermarket bolt so that the lobe faces straight at the handle. 13) Have a friend slam the top of the brake rotor towards the engine as hard as they can 14) While the friend pins the brake rotor towards the engine, tighten the nut on the OEM camber bolt as tight as you can get it with a standard ratcheting socket handle while using a box wrench to make sure the bolt itself doesn't spin AT ALL. 15) Move the friend out of the way and tighten the OEM bolt to spec while making sure the bolt itself doesn't spin AT ALL. 16) Tighten the aftermarket bolt to spec while making sure the bolt and the washer don't spin AT ALL. NOTE: If you end up with more than the desired camber, reduce camber by adjusting the OEM bolt only! You ALWAYS want the aftermarket bolt set to its maximum position to reduce the chance of slipping. To adjust the OEM bolt for slightly less camber, loosen both the OEM bolt and the aftermarket bolt slightly. Then, replace step #11 with "Rotate the OEM camber bolt to the necessary adjustment position" and follow the rest of the steps as given. To Install an Aftermarket Camber Bolt in the Rear Upper Position to Reduce Negative Camber Note: The arrow on the head of the bolt USUALLY points at the lobe. Sometimes, they miss. Verify they're lined up before you start. 1) Loosen the upper and lower normal bolts. 2) Remove the upper normal bolt 3) Insert the aftermarket camber bolt into the upper hole with the washer on the bolt such that the tab faces the strut and the handle faces away from the strut. 4) Press the aftermarket camber bolt into the knuckle until the washer can just barely move between the head of the bolt and the strut. 5) Thread the nut onto the aftermarket camber bolt until it's against the strut, but DO NOT TIGHTEN the nut so much that you pinch the washer between the head of the bolt and the strut. 6) Rotate the washer of the aftermarket camber bolt so that the handle on the washer points straight at the knuckle (straight away from the engine). 7) Rotate the bolt so that the lobe of the bolt faces directly away from the handle on the washer. 8 ) Using a flathead screwdriver, gently move the washer so that the tab on the washer slips into the hole in the strut between the strut and the shaft of the bolt. This may take some cajoling, but you *HAVE* to get this right. NOTE: If at any point the tab on the washer becomes damaged (torn off, smashed flat, etc), throw the bolt out and get a new one. If the tab on the washer isn't properly fitted into the hole, the bolt WILL fail on the street. 9) Verify that the handle on the washer is still pointed straight at the knuckle (away from the engine) and that the tab is still properly seated into the hole. 10) Tighten the nut just enough that you can still turn the bolt, but the washer can't move enough for the tab to pop out of the hole. 11) Rotate the aftermarket bolt so that the lobe faces straight at the handle. 12) Have a friend slam the top of the brake rotor towards the center of the car as hard as they can 14) While the friend pins the brake rotor towards the center of the car, tighten the nut on the aftermarket camber bolt as tight as you can get it with a standard ratchet while using a box wrench to make sure the bolt itself doesn't spin. 15) Move the friend out of the way and tighten the OEM bolt to spec. 16) Tighten the aftermarket bolt to spec while making sure the bolt and the washer don't spin AT ALL. * Registered users of the site do not see these ads. Last edited by williaty; 01-09-2011 at 11:58 PM.

09-04-2008, 12:57 AM	#4
ButtDyno Street's closed, pizza boy Member#: 17301 Join Date: Apr 2002 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Why do they always say the Evo Vehicle: is the "dark side" 06 Evo #7 STU, 05 Saabaru	Adding to the suspension supersticky. Thanks!

09-04-2008, 01:05 AM	#5
williaty Scooby Guru Member#: 71092 Join Date: Sep 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Delaware County, Ohio Vehicle: 2005 2.5RS Wagon Regal Blue Pearl	I was just about to poke you to put it there. Beat me to it.

09-04-2008, 01:32 AM	#6
ButtDyno Street's closed, pizza boy Member#: 17301 Join Date: Apr 2002 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Why do they always say the Evo Vehicle: is the "dark side" 06 Evo #7 STU, 05 Saabaru	Quick, like a bunny.

09-04-2008, 02:20 AM	#7
williaty Scooby Guru Member#: 71092 Join Date: Sep 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Delaware County, Ohio Vehicle: 2005 2.5RS Wagon Regal Blue Pearl	I've heard that about you :ninja:

09-04-2008, 08:14 AM	#8
thorongil Scooby Specialist Member#: 58797 Join Date: Apr 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Cleveland, Ohio Vehicle: 2011 Legacy 2.5i Steel Silver	Thanks for the FAQ. My only suggestion would be to add a list of part numbers and vendors-- people will ask! I am familiar with the Ingalls camber bolts (IEC-I-81260), available at Summit Racing. But, there are a number of other options, which I recall being discussed in this thread: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1058586

09-04-2008, 09:36 AM	#9
TurbojonLS Scooby Guru Member#: 38772 Join Date: Jun 2003 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: NOVA Vehicle: 2 Cars, No Bling	I've also found it helpful to hold the handle with the closed end of a wrench while tightening the nut - when I've used them the washer has tended to move, even when seated correctly. I'd also recommend stealing some of the diagrams that are in the other thread, as they do a good job explaining what the final position should be.

09-04-2008, 12:32 PM	#10
williaty Scooby Guru Member#: 71092 Join Date: Sep 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Delaware County, Ohio Vehicle: 2005 2.5RS Wagon Regal Blue Pearl	In the diagram the guy above me just posted, note that the text is wrong. The left side of the diagram shows the results of Step 10, not Step 8.

09-04-2008, 12:35 PM	#11
mla163 Scooby Specialist Member#: 104922 Join Date: Jan 2006 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: NoVA Vehicle: 2013 BRZ. 94 Miata	...well I'm never going back to PTuning. nice write up.

09-04-2008, 12:41 PM	#12
chimchimm5 Scooby Guru Member#: 88501 Join Date: Jun 2005 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: NorCal Vehicle: 2006 WRX Wagon CGM	If I'm willing to pay for the best quality, strongest, etc, then which brand/model camber bolt is recommended? This will be used in the lower cleavis of a front sedan strut on a wagon with stock arms. (I've decided to go this route as step 1) I'm willing to pay $50+ for bolts that I can rely on to NOT BREAK, and not slip (if installed correctly) even through track days and rallyx.

09-04-2008, 12:44 PM	#13
williaty Scooby Guru Member#: 71092 Join Date: Sep 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Delaware County, Ohio Vehicle: 2005 2.5RS Wagon Regal Blue Pearl	They're all created equal. Heck, I've handled a lot of them now, and AFAICT, there's only two factories out there actually making bolts, regardless of how many "brands" are on sale.

09-04-2008, 12:47 PM	#14
akdmx Scooby Newbie Member#: 173715 Join Date: Mar 2008 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: Bay Area/SB Vehicle: 2002 WRX	is the lobe on the stock front (upper) bolts supposed to be pointing outwards, away from the car (creating positive camber) or inwards, toward the engine (creating negative camber)

09-04-2008, 12:54 PM	#15
williaty Scooby Guru Member#: 71092 Join Date: Sep 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Delaware County, Ohio Vehicle: 2005 2.5RS Wagon Regal Blue Pearl	I honestly don't remember which way the lobe is on that bolt. However, the head of the bolt has 180* worth of tick marks on it. Those tick marks should face directly at the engine to create maximum negative camber. After the first measurement of alignment, then adjust that bolt to achieve the required alignment.

09-04-2008, 02:49 PM	#17
williaty Scooby Guru Member#: 71092 Join Date: Sep 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Delaware County, Ohio Vehicle: 2005 2.5RS Wagon Regal Blue Pearl	God, any shop that doesn't use the washers is a lawsuit waiting to happen. First time someone crashes, they're going to be slapped with Criminal Negligence.

09-04-2008, 02:57 PM	#18
bzbuzz Scooby Specialist Member#: 116052 Join Date: May 2006 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: IL 수바루! Vehicle: 2011 STI WRB	veru nice writeup! I've been to few of pefromance alignmentship around my area, all of them doesn't even know how to properly use camber bolts...very sad...let me know if you guys know any good shop in IL...

09-04-2008, 04:49 PM	#20
chimchimm5 Scooby Guru Member#: 88501 Join Date: Jun 2005 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: NorCal Vehicle: 2006 WRX Wagon CGM	Wow. "we don't use the washer" = "we don't know how camber bolts work" Actually, I wonder why there is no tabbed washer for the OTHER side of the bolt. I understand that the tightening of the nut holds that end of the bolt in place, but you are relying on the nut to do more than one thing. If there was a tabbed washer on that end, then the nut is only doing one thing: holding the bolt in one axis. Maybe you could order a 2nd set of washers for the nut end too.

09-04-2008, 08:17 PM	#23
Abnormal Douchebag Moderator Moderator Member#: 149626 Join Date: May 2007 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: zip22182 Vehicle: 2005 CGM FXT Rocket Box! :D	I'm sure PTuning won't take the washer OUT like this shop did. Some of the high end dealerships in Tysons use that place near Ranger's Surplus (Shhh), but PCA recommends that shop near OG racing (shhh). I'd name names, but they're not vendors. This is only in cases where their normal techs don't want to do it (race modified or drastically lowered vehicles).

09-04-2008, 11:05 PM	#25
williaty Scooby Guru Member#: 71092 Join Date: Sep 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Delaware County, Ohio Vehicle: 2005 2.5RS Wagon Regal Blue Pearl	If you think about it, there's absolutely no difference between using a camber bolt without the washer and using a regular bolt that's just really skinny. Either way, you're praying that the friction of the bolt-strut-nut interface is high enough to prevent movement.