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GT350 Front Camber Adjustment

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I had bought a set of MM camber plates that I was planning to install. However it turns out that there's an alternative. Ford sells service bolts that are smooth and a slightly smaller diameter than the splined OE bolts:

IMG_2120_zpscyrnj1hr.jpg

I used a micrometer to measure them today -- the service bolt is 0.4mm smaller.

Here are the part numbers. Bolt: W715295-S439 Nut: W520216-S441

@cloud9

The service nut is Nylock, unlike the OE nut

I plan to install once I've finished the 1,000 mile Break-in -- 185 miles to go!
 
Re: Front Camber Adjustment


The 0.64" diameter translates to 16.25mm. The Splined bolts measure 16.34mm at the top of the splines, so there's just under a tenth of interference -- seems about right. The Service bolts measure 15.95mm so there's 0.3mm of clearance. Assuming the knuckle is also 16.25mm, I calculated that we should be able to get an additional 0.85* of camber. We'll see....
 
Re: Front Camber Adjustment

Black Boss said:
The 0.64" diameter translates to 16.25mm. The Splined bolts measure 16.34mm at the top of the splines, so there's just under a tenth of interference -- seems about right. The Service bolts measure 15.95mm so there's 0.3mm of clearance. Assuming the knuckle is also 16.25mm, I calculated that we should be able to get an additional 0.85* of camber. We'll see....
To be clear, we're just tipping the top of the wheel toward the strut by using the "slop" gained from the smaller upper and lower bolts correct? Hopefully it doesn't impact the ability to squeeze a 315 on the front 11" wheel. Worst case an 1/8" spacer may be needed.
 
Re: Front Camber Adjustment

cloud9 said:
To be clear, we're just tipping the top of the wheel toward the strut by using the "slop" gained from the smaller upper and lower bolts correct? Hopefully it doesn't impact the ability to squeeze a 315 on the front 11" wheel. Worst case an 1/8" spacer may be needed.
Yes, exactly.
 
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Re: Front Camber Adjustment

Question here, can you get 3 degrees out of those front ends without hacking out the top of the strut hole and slotting the bolt holes? Because in the last generation we ground the daylights out of all those holes.
 
Re: Front Camber Adjustment

blacksheep-1 said:
Question here, can you get 3 degrees out of those front ends without hacking out the top of the strut hole and slotting the bolt holes? Because in the last generation we ground the daylights out of all those holes.
Doesn't look like it. Probably -2.4 or less with the bolts. I have some MM cc plates I could install to get at least another 1.0. Did you use caster/camber plates on the S197s in addition to hacking up those holes? That's what I did.
 
Re: Front Camber Adjustment

Just finished up with camber adjustment on the GT350.

I started by installing the Service Bolts, which the service manual recommends for front camber adjustment. The manual says to remove the speed sensor wiring harness-retaining clips, then the OEM strut to knuckle bolts before installing the service bolts …

First issue, is that you can’t get a deep head socket on the lower bolt, without it rubbing on the inside of the caliper:

IMG_2182.JPG

Sure you could get it out but I didn’t want to scratch up the caliper, and so I removed the caliper. The manual calls for a 180mm long 14mm bolt (http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/122/3099/=112a2d8) be inserted in the top location after removing the OE bolt:
IMG_2190.JPG


Then remove the lower bolt and slide the caliper rearwards:

IMG_2191_zps5uajqwkq.JPG

Removing the rotor has the benefit of significantly improving access to the strut nuts and bolts:

IMG_2192.JPG

Second issue: The bolts are extremely tight – they are splined and are an interference fit. I ended up using the rear wheel stud removal tool from the Boss to press out the bolts – a spacer was needed for the top bolt, and I had to remove the caliper from the long bolt to access the lower strut bolt:

IMG_2194.JPG

I then installed the service bolts, rocked the knuckle to max camber and tightened the bolts to about 100ft-lbs to check camber.

I also cleaned the Loctite off the caliper bolts and progressively ran them into the knuckle to clean up the threads before applying anti-sieze. I don’t want the aluminum knuckle threads stripping like the Brembo caliper threads did on the Boss – these will be coming out more frequently than the caliper bolts on the Boss as you have to remove them for both pad and rotor swaps.

Third issue: Camber was still only about -1.2*. Removing the service strut bolts again I realized that the bolt splines had roughed up the strut holes – I ran a 5/8” drill through (which at 15.9mm is slightly smaller than the nominal 16mm hole diameter). Re-checking alignment, camber could now be increased to 1.4*. Several attempts to increase camber by switching torque sequence and reversing bolts, yielded no more than 1.5* of camber. The spec for the R (1.75*) could be achieved with modest hogging of the strut holes – there’s more than enough metal to allow that. I decided not to go that route as I didn’t want to butcher the struts, and also want to maximize the chance of 315’s fitting up front – hogging the struts would reduce tire clearance to the top of the strut, versus camber plates maintaining the same stock clearance.

So I moved on to install the MM Camber plates.

The MM installation instructions are very good, so I’ll just note the things I noted, in addition: There are several harness clips that need to be removed from the bottom of the strut, including one on the rear side for the Mag shock cable. The same wire needs to be disconnected from the strut.

I used a couple of scissor jacks to support the knuckle, as I didn’t remove the shock height sensor:

IMG_2199.JPG

As with the Boss, the spindle nut in the top of the OEM strut mounting plate is deeply recessed – for the Boss I used an offset 7/8” O2 socket, which is very close in size to the 22mm nut and allows access through the center for a 10mm socket onto the damper spindle. Unfortunately the 350 nut is smaller – 21mm. I could not find an offset 21mm socket anywhere and none of my 21mm offset wrenches were deep enough, so I ended up shimming the 7/8” O2 socket:

IMG_2202_zpss8tfdizl.JPG

Installation of the new MM top plate is more straight-forward as the MM plate is not recessed.

I decided to use new splined bolts on re-assembly -- no wonder the old ones were tight, you don't need a wrench on the bolt head despite the torque spec -- 184 ft-lbs!!

Also, the MM instructions have the Base S550 caliper bolt torque values. Torque spec for the radial mount bolts (which are Torx) is 136 ft-lbs -- I torqued to 115 as I used anti-seize.

With the MM Camber plates there is well more than 2* of camber adjustment available:

IMG_2200_zpss5bju5mg.JPG
 
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Re: Front Camber Adjustment

Great writeup. Did you have to special order the 180mm long 14mm bolts. I couldn't find any that long at the hardware store last week. To be clear then, you ended up not reusing the service camber bolts at the bottom of the strut and reinstalled new OEM bolts with dry threadlocker on them correct?

Thanks for sharing this.
 
Re: Front Camber Adjustment

cloud9 said:
Great writeup. Did you have to special order the 180mm long 14mm bolts. I couldn't find any that long at the hardware store last week. To be clear then, you ended up not reusing the service camber bolts at the bottom of the strut and reinstalled new OEM bolts with dry threadlocker on them correct?

Thanks for sharing this.

I special ordered the bolts, and have edited the post above to include a link, and caliper bolt torque specs.

Neither the original, or replacement splined bolts had threadlocker, I inserted them dry -- With a combination of the splines and the torque they're not coming loose, although I did paint mark them.
 
Re: Front Camber Adjustment

I wasn't clear on whether you ended up with any mods other that the MM plates, in the end, to get the -2*

sounds as if some camber plates are a must at this point.
 
Re: Front Camber Adjustment

fuhrius said:
I wasn't clear on whether you ended up with any mods other that the MM plates, in the end, to get the -2*

sounds as if some camber plates are a must at this point.

The camber plates alone are good for more than 2*

You could get enough camber with the service bolts with some hogging of the strut holes
 
Just checking in to see what people are using. Another member had his setup as follows:

Front L R
Camber -2.0* -2.2*
Caster 7.1* 7.1*
Toe -.05* -.06*
Total Toe -.05*

Rear
Camber -1.2* -1.3*
Toe .12* .15*
Total Toe .27*

Factory Recommended track front camber settings are:

GT350 -1.5 degrees

GT350R -1.75 degrees

I'm going to run -1.9 degrees as I think that's what @Moto is using. I want a compromise for street and track use although I might start changing it back and fourth when I install/remove my track wheels.
 

steveespo

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Rick
I am convinced that -2.0 in the front is not a compromise on the S550 chassis. The new front geometry has a better camber curve than the old setup and keeps the tire flatter during compression. My tire temps and wear are pretty even across the tread at -2.0. I think Moto has found the same and I don't believe Nick runs more than 2.2. Let us know what you see.
Steve
 

Bill Pemberton

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Have to agree Chop, since my GT 350 is not here, I am hoping a lot of these remedies will be solidly in place prior to acquiring and I can use all the efforts and knowledge to get mine right ( for me ) the first time!!
 
Anyone else tried the camber bolt OPMustangTim uses (or Eibach or other) and checked the camber? How much did you get? Are the components similar enough on the GT350 that the same bolt should work?
Thanks.
- Jim
 
Anyone else tried the camber bolt OPMustangTim uses (or Eibach or other) and checked the camber? How much did you get? Are the components similar enough on the GT350 that the same bolt should work?
Thanks.
- Jim
Not enough on stock suspension (ride height)... camber plates will get you there. They are fine for open tracks, tight tracks I still chew the edge of the tire due to suspension compliance. I'm going to throw in a set of J&M's so I can extend the tire life.
 

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