Installing Fulcrum Superpro Rear Camber Kit?

[V28VX37]

Hi all,

I've got an R34 GTT sedan that's lowered and has too much negative camber in the rear, so I got some Fulcrum Superpro bushes to address this: 2 x SPF1869K "control arm upper-inner or outer eccentric bushing" kits:

These kits didn't come with any instructions but as far as I understand they're pretty much identical to the Whiteline KCA347. I looked at the Whiteline instructions but I'm still not 100% clear on how to install these...

Here's a diagram I sketched up, I hope I got the terminology right, let me know if not:

Finally here's a pic of R34 GT-R rear suspension (from here):

The questions:

1. I assume the 1st kit (0.75deg) would replace bushes marked above in YELLOW, and 2nd kit (1.5deg) the bushes marked above in RED - is this correct?
2. If I want to run about 30mm lowered is just 1 kit sufficient? Or would it make more sense to install both kits at the same time, for future adjustability? It sounds like the outer bushes are a massive pain to install...
3. Do you need to pull both upper arms out completely to install the new bushes?
4. How do you get the old bushes out and the new ones in? I've read about oxy torches and 10 ton presses, do you really need those kind of tools?
5. I assume these cannot be adjusted by just any tyre joint, especially if the outer bushes are installed too? Can anyone recommend a good shop in inner Melbourne to adjust and/or install these?

Thanks guys!

Lastly some useful related threads:

• Install Issues With 2X Rear Camber Kits - super confused
• Fitting Rear Camber Kit For R33 KCA347
• Whiteline Rear Camber Kit R33 - where does it goes?
• Stagea Suspension

[GTSBoy]

The intention with those kits is that you install them on the upper arms.  1 pair will do 1 end of each upper arm.  2 pairs will do both ends of each upper arm.  The upper arm is the arm that sets the camber angle.

Now, if you just put them on the upper arm, and try to adjust to increase the effective length of the upper arm (to dial out unwanted camber), then there may be a bit of tension put onto the radius arms.  This may have the effect of limiting how much adjustment is available (and gets in the way of achieving the desired alignment too).  So it may be necessary to bang a set of bushes into the inner end of the radius arms as well.  But you may want to wait until you see how the addition of first one set (in the inner ends of the upper arms) goes, and then 2 sets (both ends of upper arms) if you get desperate enough.

Taking the upper arms out completely is child's play.  You need to do so to get the bushes in the inner ends changed.  You usually need a press.  Heat is a desperate measure.  Changing the bushes in the outer ends is not as easy or fun because you need to get the bushes out of the upright, which means taking the upright out and taking it over to the press.  This is why I suggest just doing the upper inners to start with and see what result you get.

cheers

Edited January 7, 2012 by GTSBoy

[V28VX37]

Now, if you just put them on the upper arm, and try to adjust to increase the effective length of the upper arm (to dial out unwanted camber), then there may be a bit of tension put onto the radius arms. This may have the effect of limiting how much adjustment is available (and gets in the way of achieving the desired alignment too). So it may be necessary to bang a set of bushes into the inner end of the radius arms as well. But you may want to wait until you see how the addition of first one set (in the inner ends of the upper arms) goes, and then 2 sets (both ends of upper arms) if you get desperate enough.

Taking the upper arms out completely is child's play. You need to do so to get the bushes in the inner ends changed. You usually need a press. Heat is a desperate measure. Changing the bushes in the outer ends is not as easy or fun because you need to get the bushes out of the upright, which means taking the upright out and taking it over to the press. This is why I suggest just doing the upper inners to start with and see what result you get.

Thanks GTSBoy, sounds like I was on the right track. I'll probably do the inner bushes of the upper control arm and the radius arm on each side first (= 1 kit, yellow dots in the diagram above) and see how it goes & leave the outer bushes for later. I'll need to find a press somewhere though.

Here's what the Whiteline instructions (pdf) say:

Each kit contains 4 bushes designed to replace the inner and outer upper control and radius arm as pictured. Use 1 kit only to replace inner 4 bushes on both sides of the car to achieve a reduction of 0.75 degrees in base camber. Use 2 kits to replace all 8 inner and outer bushes to achieve a 1.5 degree reduction.

[Duncan]

seriously...unlesss you are feeling very committed....give it to a workshop. Changing bushes is one of those jobs that sucks without the right tools (not just the right press, but the right size drifts, airtools to get the arms off etc etc)

[V28VX37]

seriously...unlesss you are feeling very committed....give it to a workshop. Changing bushes is one of those jobs that sucks without the right tools (not just the right press, but the right size drifts, airtools to get the arms off etc etc)

Cheers Duncan, anyone in Melbourne you would recommend?

[Duncan]

sorry....not from that part of the world!

[R31Nismoid]

East - Traction Tyres in Rowville, know Skylines very well. Generally look after SAU Members well.

Inner West - TruTrack in Nth Melb, you'll need to book reasonably well advance here I've found, they are quite busy.

[V28VX37]

I looked into this last weekend, how tight are the control arm & radius arm bolts and nuts?! Any ideas on how to crack them?

Also, I couldn't see an adjusting bolt on the radius arm like there is on the upper control arm - see pic below. What happens if you install an eccentric bush (crush tube) without an adjusting bolt?

...

East - Traction Tyres in Rowville, know Skylines very well. Generally look after SAU Members well.

Inner West - TruTrack in Nth Melb, you'll need to book reasonably well advance here I've found, they are quite busy.

Thanks R31Nismoid, I'll get in touch with TruTrack for the alignment.

[V28VX37]

seriously...unlesss you are feeling very committed....give it to a workshop. Changing bushes is one of those jobs that sucks without the right tools (not just the right press, but the right size drifts, airtools to get the arms off etc etc)

I ended up doing this myself and there's no better advice than the above, don't do it! It's a bloody mongrel of a job!

But if you absolutely must, here's some tips:

The correct location for 1 kit (4 pairs of bushes & 4 crush tubes) is as per my original post: inner bushes in the upper control arms & radius arms.

You will need to get all four arms out in order to replace the bushes. This is the first headache and took me a whole afternoon. You'll need good quality 19mm & 17mm sockets, couple of breaker bars, extensions (metal pipe works well), ring spanners, ratchet spanners, lots of WD40 etc. You can't get a socket around some of the bolts/nuts either so ring spanners are a must. There are 8 pairs of nuts+bolts and once they're cracked you're finally getting somewhere...

Don't even bother without a workshop press. I had access to a 15ton one and it did the job... I ended up using 17/19mm long sockets to push out the original crush tubes and break the rubber bushing. However, this is not the right way - you'll need to get the outer metal sleeves out, too! This is NOT clearly said in the Whiteline instructions Once I realised this I didn't have the press anymore and had to use a vice + anvil for the sleeves and it sucked ____s bigtime.

In hindsight, the best way would be to find 2 sizes of thick metal pipe: 1 the exact outer diameter of the metal sleeve, and the other the exact inner diameter of the arm end. Put the arm in the press and heat the arm end on the outside with a butane torch to expand it. When hot, use the press to push out the original bush together with the metal sleeve as one unit.

Once the original bushes along with the sleeves are out, the rest is easy - the only easy part of the whole process... Paint any exposed metal, lubricate the arm ends & new pushes and pop them in. I set all offset bushes to 6 o'clock (180 degrees) and got a full 4-wheel alignment done the following week.

...

Now even with the camber kit (+ factory camber setting maxed out) I still have -1.3 deg camber in the rear when it's ~30mm lowered. It's better what it was but far for the desired -0.5 deg... For the cost and effort, adjustable aftermarket camber + toe arms sound like a far better solution.

Photos follow:

1. Cracking the toe arm inner nut

2. Cracking the toe arm outer nut

3. Upper control arm in the press‚ with sockets to support the arm & push out the original bush (don't try this at home kids)

4. The metal sleeve of the original bush is finally out, ye bastard

5. The original bush exploded ... This should have been taken out in one unit

6. Various improvised tools for the job. The imperial socket in the middle has the exact same diameter as the metal sleeve.

7. New bushes finally installed

8. LH arms back in place

9. RH arms back on the car

So yeah hope this helps someone else ... but seriously, don't do try this at home!

[newbatplay]

Thanks for this write up. Great photos