Lifting and camber.

stilson

stilson

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Joined
Dec 27, 2011
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Sunny Balga WA
Hi guys, I'm looking at installing around 2" of lift and was considering 1" subtle strut top blocks and kings or dobinsons.

After seeing the positive camber on a 2" lifted SF and the uneven tyre wear I think I might need to give the subtle blocks a miss and get some with camber correction.

Question time:

What are my options for camber correction?

How do I know if I have SLS in the back?

Can I get custom heavy duty springs with 2" of lift and not use blocks at all?
(still have to overcome camber issues obviously) - the answer is no unless you want to lift a wheel off the ground as spring will all but exceed strut travel.

Cheers,

Seanan.
 
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Why not just put 2 camber bolts in each strut, to help cure mine I put the later GD WRX swing arms in which helped by being 1cm longer.

I think SLS struts have a small canister attached on the bottom for transfer of oil/gas.
 
Swing arms? Oh, that would be scary- do you mean the lateral arms? If so, remember that the sedan and wagon/hatch run different length lateral arms as the sedan has a wider track front and rear. There are adjustable strut tops available- not sure how the block would work with them. The adjustable strut tops allow for quite a lot of extra camber.
 
d_generate said:
Why not just put 2 camber bolts in each strut, to help cure mine I put the later GD WRX swing arms in which helped by being 1cm longer.

I think SLS struts have a small canister attached on the bottom for transfer of oil/gas.
Click to expand...

Thanks d_gen, are these camber bolts something I can buy aftermarket?

I had a look and couldn't find any canisters on my struts but I'll have a better look after work tonight.

Cheers.
 
Having done raised springs, I would now recommend NOT doing em.

I would do 2" lift blocks which will have camber adjustment, so you wont need camber bolts, which I would only use at the rear...they're a little too scary to have in the front! (The factory camber bolts are huge, aftermarket are fairly thin & have a reputation for slipping/breaking if fitted poorly or using cheap ones. Dont use H&R bolts...they're dangerous!)

If you do want to put in camber bolts in the rear, I'd recommend Whiteline:
Whiteline Camber Bolts, KCA414, US$65+P

I'd keep the standard springs front for extra wheel travel esp drop, & maybe HD springs rear to prevent sagging & boost load carrying capacity.

Whichever you do, its important to get a wheel alignment done immediately as wear on your tyres can be extreme!

Bodge from this forum will do you a set of lift blocks, send him a PM
 
Stilson you can get adjustable chamber bolts as D-Gen said.
If you get Whiteline ones or some decnt branded ones then they won't break.

You cna get the front and rear and the could do raised springs and 1" blocks. Or go with just raised springs and 2" blocks with chamber correction if you want to go silly like myself :lol:

Only the Base model Foresters didn't have SLS. Yours being XS would.


Bodge hasn't been around for a while, ive been tying to contact him as I want to upgrade my lift ASAP. Anyone else able to get ahold of him?
 
2" blocks with camber correction sounds like the best solution and will save me heaps of money, plus I keep the SLS (if I have it?).

If I can't get hold of Bodge is there an alternative fabricator?

Thanks guys

Ps keep the opinions coming im happy to change my mind if presented with new information.
 
Ok, this is where a lot of people get conned (Taz) from what I've just read the only model to get self leveling struts is the TURBO Forrester, here is a pic of the one that obviously needs to be replaced because different, if it looks the same as your front strut then you DO NOT need to replace it like I've been trying to tell people (Taz lol) for ages but now just proved it.

I have a a set of ordinary complete rears sitting here just in case you need them for $60 the pair.

RALLY, these things that I made all shiny on my Liberty that came off the V3 STI, on the GD 01> sedans they are 1cm longer, they do need minor modding & I can never remember what they are called.

mostlycarconversion070.jpg


Image006.jpg



Probably a con put out by the likes of Whiteline & King etc so they can con suckers (no names though I did warn you hahaha) into buying new struts.

selflevelingsuspensionXSForester.jpg
 
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Opps should of done my research into the SLS for what models.

If you put in 2" strut lift blocks (with camber correction) you don't need to change your struts. You can keep your springs and struts all round then if the rear ever becomes saggy or the struts collapse(or you want more lift) then look into that at a later point in time.
This is the cheapest and easiest option.

You can contact Jeff at Crossbred for a quote too. I will be odering mine soon so if you want to talk and we can see if we can get anything cheaper by buying two sets :biggrin:
 
Struts really don't have anything to do with the height of the car, they just provide dampening/rebound, it's the springs that hold the car up unless the strut is physically longer than the original, if you push a strut down with your hand it'll stay like that until you take the weight off it.
 
d_generate said:
Struts really don't have anything to do with the height of the car, they just provide dampening/rebound, it's the springs that hold the car up unless the strut is physically longer than the original, if you push a strut down with your hand it'll stay like that until you take the weight off it.
Click to expand...

The SLS struts though try to go back to stock height if you put a raised spring in. Plus I don't think they are designed for the ft pound force rating of HD springs and more raised springs are HD.
 
Fair enough, lots of terms in car world.

Back years ago car makers put swing axles in their cars because they hated their customers so much they wanted them to die. Best way was to put swing axles on the car so it was impossible to control. Just ask Ralph Nader or someone with a 1960-63 Chev Corvair which was probably the worst car with this design. VW Beetles had them for most of their life- the old RWD ones. One of the reasons why this car was known as Hitler's Revenge.

The rear suspension on the (Gen 1 & 2)Forrie is a true IRS that uses twin lateral arms and a single trailing arm to locate the rear wheels. Rear toe adjustment is by moving an eccentric on the rear lateral arms. Other options for suspension are single or dual adjustable lateral arms, camber bolts and adjustable strut tops.



d_generate said:
Ok, this is where a lot of people get conned (Taz) from what I've just read the only model to get self leveling struts is the TURBO Forrester, here is a pic of the one that obviously needs to be replaced because different, if it looks the same as your front strut then you DO NOT need to replace it like I've been trying to tell people (Taz lol) for ages but now just proved it.

I have a a set of ordinary complete rears sitting here just in case you need them for $60 the pair.

RALLY, these things that I made all shiny on my Liberty that came off the V3 STI, on the GD 01> sedans they are 1cm longer, they do need minor modding & I can never remember what they are called.

mostlycarconversion070.jpg


Image006.jpg



Probably a con put out by the likes of Whiteline & King etc so they can con suckers (no names though I did warn you hahaha) into buying new struts.

selflevelingsuspensionXSForester.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I don't appear to have sls. I'm not really sure if I should be happy or not about it.

Thanks for the info guys I feel I learned a little more tonight.
 
query for all those - who have been there and done it - I splashed out and purchased a set of subtle 25mm/i inch strut top blocks as a Christmas gift for the forrie - as yet not fitted. (intending on keeping standard struts/springs and SLS)

- Will I need to have camber bolts for front and rear?
- Will I need sway bar end link extenders?
- Will it be worth putting a block under the front end of the rear trailing arm to help keep the rear wheel in center of wheel arch? (in preference to changing to different trailing arms)
- OR can the geometry be brought into with specs without the above?

I am expecting an alignment - so expect to coincide the install with the alignment and new set of tyres

Would appreciate comments/information based on experience
 
I think 25mm will be ok, on the boarder, but ok. The car I was looking at was 60mm lift and the wheels were only just positive.

Someone will be able to give you a definitive answer I'm sure.
 
Douglas Ferrier said:
query for all those - who have been there and done it - I splashed out and purchased a set of subtle 25mm/i inch strut top blocks as a Christmas gift for the forrie - as yet not fitted. (intending on keeping standard struts/springs and SLS)

- Will I need to have camber bolts for front and rear?
- Will I need sway bar end link extenders?
- Will it be worth putting a block under the front end of the rear trailing arm to help keep the rear wheel in center of wheel arch? (in preference to changing to different trailing arms)
- OR can the geometry be brought into with specs without the above?

I am expecting an alignment - so expect to coincide the install with the alignment and new set of tyres

Would appreciate comments/information based on experience
Click to expand...

Hi mate, the answer to all those questions is no.
Yes you will need a wheel alignment but thats it, it will be fine with just the 25mm blocks. Its only when you start getting serious (2-2.5") or stupid (3+" like myself) when those things become an issue.
Your SLS struts and springs will be fine but if you change your springs then you will need to look inot that.

Hope that makes sense.
Taza
 
Yeah like Taza said 25mm is pretty safe but you could buy a couple of camber bolts and throw them in the top holes at the rear for that neg camber look.
 
taza said:
Hi mate, the answer to all those questions is no.
Yes you will need a wheel alignment but thats it, it will be fine with just the 25mm blocks.
Click to expand...

d_generate said:
Yeah like Taza said 25mm is pretty safe
Click to expand...

As taza & d_generate, you'll need to do a wheel alignment, but apart from that, you won't need to do anything, if you're just adding the 25mm strut tops.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
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