Camaro Tech
Third Generation Chevy Camaro 1982 - 1992 Performance and Race Modifications 		CamaroTech Table of Contents

Camaro Performance Suspension:

During the eighties the debate was waged between the handling improvements contributed by sway bars vs spring rates. Both are essential but Herb Adams was perhaps the strongest proponent of the LARGE sway bar to control roll rates and thus improve handling.

Performance polyurethane bushings are often used to replace the stock rubber bushings. The intent is to limit adverse geometry changes due to heavy load resulting from aggressive driving and hard cornering. Front suspension deflections will change the desired caster and camber settings to that less optimal for cornering, thus decreasing cornering performance. Bushings made from solid aluminum or steel or use of heim joints will eliminate unwanted movement of suspension components but will also transmit tremendous forces directly to the chassis. Polyurethane components will provide improved stability while affording some cushioning.

Herb Adams suspension

Moroso Part #:

  • MOR-86010 (front) 1.31" dia
  • MOR-86510 (rear) 1.0" dia
 Herb Adams front sway bar

This forged and heat treated chromemoly steel sway bar is substantially thicker than the stock Z28 sway bar.
Attachment mechanism to the lower control arm is also more elegant using 5/8" spherical ends.

Koni

Part #:

  • 87411030 (front)
  • 261246 (rear)
 Koni 87411030 front shock

Stock replacement, Koni three way gas shock.

Front upper strut mount
(also known as "Camber Plates")		 Camaro front upper strut mount
After market front upper strut mount is stiffer and may offer greater range of adjustment.
BMR Fabrication:
See: Hawks 3rd gen		 HAWK LS1 / LS2 / LS6 / LS7 Conversion rack and pinion/K-Member

Camaro/Firebird 82-92 LS1 / LS2 / LS6 / LS7 Conversion Appleton rack and pinion and K-Member
Also see:

Camaro Adjustable Suspension Installation:

An adjustable suspension allows one to adjust ride height, weight transfer control, stiffness and the corner weights to balance and tune the car's suspension. The front cross member replacement will help you lose allot of weight from the front-end.

Use the following components:

  • Front:
  • Rear:
    • Autofab - Third gen Camaro rear adjustable coil over kit with adjustable QA1 shock (Shock: DR5855B, spring: PN12-130) and Autofab bolt in brackets
      7443 Washington Blvd., Elkridge MD 21075 (410)796-8777
    • QA1 Precision products - Rear shock PN DR5855B and spring: PN12-130
      21730 Hanover Ave, Lakeville MN 55044 (800)721-7761

Front Alignment:


First Gen
1967 - 1969		Second Gen
1970 - 1981		Third Gen
1982 - 1992		Fourth Gen
1993 - 1995

FactoryPerformanceFactoryPerformanceFactoryPerformanceFactoryPerformance
Camber+1/4 degree+2 degrees

+1 deg (+/-0.5deg)


Caster+1/2 degree-1/2 to -3/4 degrees

+3 deg (+/-0.5deg)


Toe-In1/8 inch3/32 inch

+0.15 deg (+/-0.05deg)+0.2 deg (+/-0.05deg)

Torque Specs:

FasternerFt-LbsN-m
Strut to steering knuckle bolt195265
Strut upper mounting nut5070
Front upper strut mount to wheel housing tower2820
Front lower control pivit bolt nut6590
Bump stop to control arm2028
Control arm ball joint to steering knuckle90120
Steering knuckle to tie rod end nut4054
Tie rod clamp nut1419
Pitman arm to steering gear nut180250
Idler arm to frame nut5070
Power steering box to frame bolts80110

Corner Weights:

Auto racing scales
Auto racing scales with car measuring corner weights
Racing scale to measure weight at each wheel. 		Auto racing scales display
Display of corner and total weights.

Racing scales are used to measure the static weight at each wheel. This measures the fore-aft weight balance, the left-right weight balance and the diagonal "corner weights".

Fore-Aft: It would seem that a fore-aft (front-rear) weight balance of 50 percent for each would insure a vehicle balance which is equally advantageous for both acceleration and braking. You must also account for ride height, center of gravity and spring rates which affect how much the static loading will change when braking or accelerating. The engine location dictated by the vehicle design will have a profound impact on this percentatge.

Left-Right: If the left-right balance is not even, the car will have the ability to turn in one direction better than the other. Thus road racers prefer a 50 percent weight measured for each the left and right side of the vehicle.

Diagonal corner weights: The corner weights are an important factor in balanced turning. To increase the weight that one wheel applies to the road, shims can be placed under the coil spring to "load" that particular wheel. Racing cars with completely adjustable suspensions can "jack" the adjustment to pre-load the spring more or less thus decreasing or increasing the corner weight. Corner weights will affect the vehicle understeer and oversteer in a turn of a particular direction.

Terms:

Engineering terms:
  • DOM: Drawn Over Mandrel tubing results in uniform wall thickness and OD/ID concentricity. Cold drawn after forming results in higher yield and tensile strength than a tube with a welded seam.
Front-end Suspension terms:
  • Geometric center line: The connecting line between the theoretical midpoints of the front spindles and the theoretical midpoints of the rear axle.
  • Thrust line: Determined by bisecting the rear total toe angles where the toe angles are parallel to the tire/wheel assembly. A thrust line to the vehicle left is considered "Negative" and to the right is considered "Positive".
  • Thrust Angle: is the angle created between the geometric centerline and the thrust line.
  • Camber: The inward ("Negative") tilt or outward ("Positive") tilt at the top of the wheel assembly from the true vertical. Straight up and down is zero degrees camber.
  • Toe: Toe-in ("Positive") is a condition where the front of the wheels are closer together that in the rear. Toe-out is considered "Negative". The amount of toe can be expressed in degrees or fractions of inches.
  • Setback: If a vehicle has "rear setback" then one wheel assembly is further back from that on the opposite side of the vehicle.
  • Caster: Forward ("Negative") or rearward ("Positive") tilt of the steering axis from true vertical. Caster is viewed from the side of the vehicle looking inward to the center of the vehicle. Positive caster gives the vehicle directional stability.
  • SAI: (Steering Axis Inclination) The angle between the centerline of the steering axis and the vertical line from the center contact area of the tire (as viewed from the front). The effect of SAI is to urge the wheels to move to a straight ahead position after a turn. Inclining the steering axis inward causes the spindle to rise and fall as the wheel is turned one direction or the other. Increases the vehicle stability.
  • IA: Included Angle = SAI + Camber

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