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GT3 control arms and shims

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Old 10-16-2007 | 03:54 PM
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Default GT3 control arms and shims

Folks, I've got an annoying squeeking from the front suspension which I believe I've isolated to the control arm bushing. The GT3 control arms are running about the same cost as the fixed parts so I'm considering replacing my stock units with the GT3 arms. My understanding is that by varying the number/thickness of shims in the control arm I can adjust the camber. My goal is to achieve the stock alignment value for camber. I'm not doing this swap to get tons of negative camber (at least right now). Does someone know approximately what thickness of shims I need to get to the stock value?

Thanks,

Shawn
Old 10-16-2007 | 04:33 PM
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None.

The more shims the more negative camber...so you would want no shims in there to retain stock-ish values.
Old 10-16-2007 | 05:25 PM
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Really? I sort of assumed they'd make it so you could adjust the camber the other direction as well...Have you done this swap?

Thanks,

S.
Old 10-16-2007 | 06:15 PM
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I think you may need some, maybe none. I don't know what the length is compared to the stock arms. I doubt they wanted anyone to have positive camber, though. It also depends on other factors such as ride height and manufacturing tolerances. Remember, even with the shims, you still have the adjustment at the top.
Old 10-17-2007 | 10:50 AM
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Any definitive answers on this? I'd like to place the order today and don't want to end up needing more parts once I get things taken apart. TIA.
Old 10-17-2007 | 11:50 AM
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My friend has them on his car...but he added them for the benfit of adding shims to get more negative camber. The arms don't come with any shims you have to order them separately....just as the GT3's come from the dealer with no shims in stock configuration

What I can't tell you is if they're exactly the same length as the stock 996 arm. You won't get adjustability in both directions, just more negative camber and not less. But our cars barely have any negative camber at all to begin with so even if it adds a touch it's only going to make the car handle better anyhow.

Andy
Old 10-17-2007 | 08:51 PM
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I once had a set and I think they came with a single shim. If I had to guess, I would say it was either 1 or 2 mm.
Old 10-17-2007 | 11:53 PM
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Andy,
What car does your friend have the GT3 control arms on? I have a C4S and wonder if the GT3 control arms wll work. Thinking about to change the shock mount to Monoball to increase negative camber. Would like find out if GT3 control arm is a better option? thx

Mike
Old 10-17-2007 | 11:58 PM
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I do know that the MODE monoballs for C2's and Turbo/C4S's are not the same. How that relates to GT3 control arms, I have no idea.
Old 10-18-2007 | 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by MTB
Andy,
What car does your friend have the GT3 control arms on? I have a C4S and wonder if the GT3 control arms wll work. Thinking about to change the shock mount to Monoball to increase negative camber. Would like find out if GT3 control arm is a better option? thx

Mike
He has them on a C2 just like mine.
Old 12-12-2007 | 05:51 AM
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Hi guys!

I`ve just bought a 996 Carrera 2 (MY00) with row m030. I need more negative camber for track use. I guess my goal is to achieve from about -2,0 to -2,5 degrees in front. I`ve allready bought GT3 control arms but I don`t have any shims yet. Most likely I`m upgrading m030 to Manthey Racing`s KW Variant 3 and lowering maybe 20mm more from row030. I was wondering how many and how thick shims I need?

Thanks!
Old 12-12-2007 | 09:26 AM
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If you put the GT3 control arms on and measure camber you'll have a good starting point and know roughly how many shims to buy. They are pretty expensive for what you get. One MM of shim should add about 4 minutes 30 seconds of camber. Shims come in a bunch of sizes from 1 mm up to 10 mm if I remember correctly. You'll still have the eccentrics (sp?) and the slots at the top of the strut (front only) to adjust so you might not need any.
Old 12-12-2007 | 11:49 AM
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1 mm shims are standard for GT3. All other shims (or combinations of shims) give much more negative camber.
Old 12-12-2007 | 07:23 PM
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I was under the impression that the stock control arms on a C2 allowed some degree of camber adjustment, just not very much. If that's true, then "stock camber" would be no shims at all.

Note, if you have a C4 or C4S, the above is NOT true, because the AWD linkages prevent freedom of movement in the stock control arms altogether. The only way to get camber adjustments in these cars is to add the GT3 control arms.

I have the GT3 control arms on my C4 for this reason (love them). I'm running an aggressive street/track setup right now with 2 degrees, six minutes of negative camber. I think it took 3 shims (one 3mm, one 2mm, one 1mm), but that doesn't sync with JimB's formula. The only think I can think of is that the formula changes based on ride height? Also, adjustments were needed to the castor since moving the bottom of the wheel out made it longitudinally further away from the diagonal AWD linkages coming from the other side of the frame.
Old 12-12-2007 | 07:26 PM
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I would love to be able to adjust between say, 2 degrees camber for R DOT compound tires on track days and say .8 degrees camber in the front for driving with street tires in between track days....being able to get optimal wear out of each setup.

Would this be as simple as adding the shim to get 2 degrees when I get to the track before putting track tires on and removing the shim again when I put my street tires back on, or are there other things that need to be changed? If so, what else is varying that can be adjusted?

Thanks!



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