Justice Petes' Build Lounge

[thespymaster]

I'm on my way home from Rodgers Chevrolet, I expect some "Q" when I pass through Texas

[armysig]

Originally Posted by thespymaster

I'm on my way home from Rodgers Chevrolet, I expect some "Q" when I pass through Texas

Of course Kelly, you're welcomed at my house anytime. If you're coming through San Antonio just let me know.



Pete,

Oh I smoked a turkey breast last night, I am so tempted to just carve into it. But I'll wait to share it.

[armysig]

Pete, Thanks for the fun today. I had a blast learning from the suspension master.

I'll let Pete fill you guys in with better pictures and the explination of what was done.

Yes that's right. I'm lifting the ZL-1, Monster tires go on next week. Is that right Pete?

[JusticePete]

Will,

I had a great time today. Thank you so much for making your ZL1 available. I'll take the marbles out of the sub-frame when you bring back some ribs

[armysig]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Will,

I had a great time today. Thank you so much for making your ZL1 available. I'll take the marbles out of the sub-frame when you bring back some ribs

Huh, and I thought those were rolling around in my head.

You sir have a deal. Let me know when you want them. I owe you big time.

Just to let you know, the car handled great on the highway! I felt no body roll what so ever when I hit it hard and made corners. This thing was better than being on rails.

If you want to test it Pete just let me know.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by armysig

Huh, and I thought those were rolling around in my head.

You sir have a deal. Let me know when you want them. I owe you big time.

Just to let you know, the car handled great on the highway! I felt no body roll what so ever when I hit it hard and made corners. This thing was better than being on rails.

If you want to test it Pete just let me know.

Awesome! I am looking forward to s drive in your ZL1 after SEMA. Did you see what we did to Tag's SS today?

Probably not. I'll get some pictures up shortly.

[JusticePete]

Doug Got Camber

[GTAHVIT]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

You have no idea what you are missing living all the way over there.

Oh I have a pretty good Idea.... I just don't like thinking about about all the fun I'm missing out on.

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Doug Got Camber

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by GTAHVIT

Oh I have a pretty good Idea.... I just don't like thinking about about all the fun I'm missing out on.

Are you recovering from the terrible accident that broke all eight of your fingers and both thumbs?

[Mr Twisty]

Daug got a LOT of camber!

I noticed multiple threaded holes in the bottom plate, is it a 3 or 4 position deal? Or infinitely adjustable from min to max?

VERY cool stuff

[JusticePete]

At Pedders, we are privileged to work with some of the best business partners in the industry. Late in 2011 we jumped in to a partnership with Lingenfelter Performance Engineering to build a winning OPTIMA Challenge Camaro. The L/28 has done exactly what we hoped it would on track. Raymond's Performance came into the picture at Camaro5FEST. With only week between a test session at Putnam Park and the FEST the L/28 passed through Bruce's shop. Bruce also had a 2010 Camaro in the OPTIMA Challenge Series. These premier Pedders Dealers worked together while competing against each other. Pedders provided developmental and track side support to both TEAMS.

The real winners are Pedders clients. With what we have learned from these two TEAMs, two different cars and numerous test drivers flows directly into the entire range of 2010 5th Gen Camaro suspension products. Pedders is proud to release Dual Bearing Camber Plates for the 5th Gen Camaro. With Forgeline 19x10.5 wheels and 305/30/19 Bridgestone tires up front we are able to get -2.5 degrees of camber with the stock clevis adjustment. As we continued to develop the Camaros around the new Z style sway bars, we found the car was more capable and required more. We used EP7265Z steel jacketed bushes in the knuckle for improved stability in the trailing arms. We developed a race only aluminum lower inner rear control arm ferule that use two 19mm banded thrust bearings for increased stability. We used an Acetyl bush for the rear mount in the differential. We altered the alignment more times than we could count. We made the Camaros better and found we needed more front grip in the turns. We needed more camber.



I was sitting in Bruce Raymond’s shop watching him Pedderise one Camaro after the next with the L/28 and his Camaro in my mind. We need more camber if we are going to compete at the Invitational. We had a couple Pedders Saleen Mustang Camber plates sent up next day air to see if they could be modified before we ran at Camaro5FEST. Bruce had a great connection to an Indy machine shop. We turned down the Mustang plates. We bored new mounting holes and thought we had a good set of test plates. They were just a bit to narrow in diameter. We had a second set turned. The fit was perfect, but we had reservations about the strength of the stud holes after the machining. The more we looked at it the more we knew they just weren’t right.

I owe a stranger from Camaro5FEST a thank you. It was after midnight. Rob Anderson was completing a Pedders spec alignment on Joe Bella’s ZL1. I called Joe’s guest over, handed him $20 and told him to come back with modeling clay. He thought it was a joke. It wasn’t. We modeled the new Camaro Camber Plates that night with the machined Mustang plate as a template. Hopefully one of the guest’s took a photo of the billet aluminum plate and clay. The plate was delivered to the machine shop in hopes we could have it turned around before the Fest. The shop did not have the aluminum stock required for the plates. The first test plate was available the next week.




Bruce at Raymond’s Performance was left with a box of experimental billet aluminum plates that didn’t fit, bored out bearings and assorted hardware: waiting for the new plates. The plates were installed the day they arrived at Raymond’s performance. That was a great phone call. “Pete you should see this.” Bruce drove around town and on track until we all got together for the next OPTIMA Qualifying event. The plates were covered under two carbon fiber disks for camouflage. Even with the hood open, very few people asked what was under them. With the change in front camber we had to change other alignment angles. Then we changed spring rates. Then we changed… The end result is we now have the Camaro setup as good as it can get.


We were testing a revised part we expected to work perfectly the first time out since we have been using a similar design in the Mustang for years with great success. It worked as planned. Then we had to turn our 'USA Skunk Works' project over to Australia for engineering approval and validation. The result is a great new product for the Camaro. Pressed into the upper aluminum spring perch is a banded sealed thrust bearing. The thrust bearing replaces the OE bearing in the OE strut mount providing silky smooth operation. A large monoball allows the strut to articulate. This precision assembly delivers an additional 1.8 degrees of negative camber. Combine the adjustment of Pedders Dual Bearing Camaro Camber Plates with the OE knuckle / clevis camber adjustment to achieve more than -4 of camber on demand. As a side benefit, the Steering Angle Inclination (SAI) improves as more camber was added from the plates.

Doug Iden, Tag-ur-It on Camaro5, has been great about allowing Pedders to final fit some components to his THR 2010 Camaro. We installed the first set of Pedders Dual bearing Camber Plates in his car on October 15, 2012. Doug is a quick study. He did the passenger side installation by himself.




1. The installation is straight forward and a string is the most important installation tool. The holes for the OE strut mount on top of the inner fenders wells is 67mm.Stretch a string across both fenders that intersects the holes down the middle.




2. With the center line established align the camber plate to the string. Pay particular attention to the spacing between the crown of the inner fender, The spacing should be equal all around with the plate aligned to the string.



3. Secure the mounts with tape. The tape holds the mount in position while you use a center punch to mark the holes.



4. We used a 11/64ths drill bit for the pilot holes and a 5/16ths for the final hole.



5. The studs for the mounting plate are splined. If you have access to a hydraulic press you can press them into the plate. If you do not have access to a press, the splines will be drawn into the aluminum plate when you tighten them. Do NOT over tighten the nuts. It is not necessary the heads of the studs be flush to the plate.



6. Check the stud nuts and all the suspension and driveline nuts and bolts to be sure they are tight before and after you track sessions.


7. The 0.00 or neutral camber position is clearly marked. Access to the adjusting screws is limited by the 67mm hole in the fender. Future adjustments can be made by loosening the three nuts and allows the strut assembly to droop down.



I cannot thank Bruce Raymond and Mike Copeland enough for thier sooperation and support with the OPTIMA Camaros. Like the Chevy Camaro, this runs deep. Our driver partners Dave Mikels, Todd Rumpke, Mark Haupfner, Danny Popp and John Buttermore are invaluable to us. The there is the support of my Pedders AU TEAM. They make me look like good no matter what.

And now you know the rest of the Pedders USA Dual Bearing Camaro Camber Plate and 5th Gen Suspension story.

2010 and on Chevrolet Camaro 5th Gen Dual Bearing Camber Plates

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Mr Twisty

Daug got a LOT of camber!

I noticed multiple threaded holes in the bottom plate, is it a 3 or 4 position deal? Or infinitely adjustable from min to max?

VERY cool stuff

Infinitely adjustable from min to max -- at extreme negative or positive you have to use different holes.

[GTAHVIT]

I'm gonna need to get that 3rd job...

great stuff Pete.

[Mr Twisty]

Are they for XA's only?