Fitting VBandP Smart Struts - Advice needed
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 140
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From: Bovingdon Hertfordshire
Fitting VBandP Smart Struts - Advice needed
Hi,
In the process of fitting VBandP Smart Struts to my '74.
If you've done this yourself you will know what I'm talking about - otherwise you may not.
The Cam bolts on the standard struts are in horizontal slots to move the rods in and out thus adjusting the camber.
The new ones have vertical slots and the camber is adjusted by lengthening the rods (like the toe-in on the front).
The assembly leaflet says start with the cam bolts in the middle position and adjust the length of the rods to adjust the camber. All OK so far.
So what the hell are the cam bolts for other than changing the angle between the rod and half shaft. Assuming that is what it is - what is it supposed to be ??
Cheers for listening.
Jeremy.
In the process of fitting VBandP Smart Struts to my '74.
If you've done this yourself you will know what I'm talking about - otherwise you may not.
The Cam bolts on the standard struts are in horizontal slots to move the rods in and out thus adjusting the camber.
The new ones have vertical slots and the camber is adjusted by lengthening the rods (like the toe-in on the front).
The assembly leaflet says start with the cam bolts in the middle position and adjust the length of the rods to adjust the camber. All OK so far.
So what the hell are the cam bolts for other than changing the angle between the rod and half shaft. Assuming that is what it is - what is it supposed to be ??
Cheers for listening.
Jeremy.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Hi,
In the process of fitting VBandP Smart Struts to my '74.
If you've done this yourself you will know what I'm talking about - otherwise you may not.
The Cam bolts on the standard struts are in horizontal slots to move the rods in and out thus adjusting the camber.
The new ones have vertical slots and the camber is adjusted by lengthening the rods (like the toe-in on the front).
The assembly leaflet says start with the cam bolts in the middle position and adjust the length of the rods to adjust the camber. All OK so far.
So what the hell are the cam bolts for other than changing the angle between the rod and half shaft. Assuming that is what it is - what is it supposed to be ??
Cheers for listening.
Jeremy.
In the process of fitting VBandP Smart Struts to my '74.
If you've done this yourself you will know what I'm talking about - otherwise you may not.
The Cam bolts on the standard struts are in horizontal slots to move the rods in and out thus adjusting the camber.
The new ones have vertical slots and the camber is adjusted by lengthening the rods (like the toe-in on the front).
The assembly leaflet says start with the cam bolts in the middle position and adjust the length of the rods to adjust the camber. All OK so far.
So what the hell are the cam bolts for other than changing the angle between the rod and half shaft. Assuming that is what it is - what is it supposed to be ??
Cheers for listening.
Jeremy.
Try looking on the VB&P website. There might be more information on strut rod adjustment there.
Rick B.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
The struts I got had 4 plates with each rod. Only needed 2 on each rod at the differential bracket. That effectively locks the inboard end in the center of the bracket. they also came with new bolts. I didn't get the smart strut package, just replaced the struts with some HD units.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
The struts I got had 4 plates with each rod. Only needed 2 on each rod at the differential bracket. That effectively locks the inboard end in the center of the bracket. they also came with new bolts. I didn't get the smart strut package, just replaced the struts with some HD units.
Rick B.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Interesting. I thought the idea of the smart struts was to lower the mounting point of the inboard end of the rods and then make your camber adjustment with the rod. If you don't eliminate the cam bolts, it seems to me like you'd get a redundant adjustment point, or at the least an adjustment point with a lot of travel. You'd get all the adjustment available from the cam bolt, PLUS the adjustment afforded by the strut rod ends.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Bovingdon Hertfordshire
Thanks
Interesting. I thought the idea of the smart struts was to lower the mounting point of the inboard end of the rods and then make your camber adjustment with the rod. If you don't eliminate the cam bolts, it seems to me like you'd get a redundant adjustment point, or at the least an adjustment point with a lot of travel. You'd get all the adjustment available from the cam bolt, PLUS the adjustment afforded by the strut rod ends.
Thanks for the responses Guys,
The slot for the CAM is vertical in the VBandP mount such that the adjustment of the CAM doesn't effect the camber (it's all done with the rod ends as you say).
So I guess that the vertical adjustment does something weird when cornering I must say the geometry is quite unclear to me.
I guess I'll go with the mid point and forget about it !?!
Jeremy.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
TimAT
Thanks for the responses Guys,
The slot for the CAM is vertical in the VBandP mount such that the adjustment of the CAM doesn't effect the camber (it's all done with the rod ends as you say).
So I guess that the vertical adjustment does something weird when cornering I must say the geometry is quite unclear to me.
I guess I'll go with the mid point and forget about it !?!
Jeremy.
Thanks for the responses Guys,
The slot for the CAM is vertical in the VBandP mount such that the adjustment of the CAM doesn't effect the camber (it's all done with the rod ends as you say).
So I guess that the vertical adjustment does something weird when cornering I must say the geometry is quite unclear to me.
I guess I'll go with the mid point and forget about it !?!
Jeremy.
Rick B.
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Rick B.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
That is correct- I elected to NOT go with the smart struts for my car. But I DID do a whole lot of research before I made my decision. Based on the movement of the struts setting them lower will give them extra travel. Using the factory bracket, with the slots running horizontally, the cam bolts are where the adjustment is- Setting the struts lower, but maintaining the same center point there's really no need for the cam other than to either put the rods in the stock location OR set them lower. The center is where it is- and camber is adjusted by the rods.
The basic idea is to get the tires to stay FLAT on the ground during heavy cornering. And having the added up/down adjustment of the struts is a way to do that.
The basic idea is to get the tires to stay FLAT on the ground during heavy cornering. And having the added up/down adjustment of the struts is a way to do that.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Just went thru the same confusion installing smart struts on my #73. They told me to turn the cams to the lowest position. That made sense as it creates close to a parrallelagram with the driveshafts. i believe that it will result in minimal change to camber as the suspension travels thru it's stroke. I also thought it makes no sense to keep the cams, as they are a redundent adjustment. I cut some 1/8" square plates with a hole in each at the lowest cam position to replace the cams, then used grade 8 bolts and nylock nuts to secure the rod ends.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,669
Likes: 3
From: Kingston Ontario
Here, go to the source:
http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/52000.pdf
Tells you to initially adjust cam at center. Then do an alignment. The whole purpose of this upgrade is to maintain the wheel/tire camber through all ranges.
http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/52000.pdf
Tells you to initially adjust cam at center. Then do an alignment. The whole purpose of this upgrade is to maintain the wheel/tire camber through all ranges.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 753
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I have installed the complete smart struts with heym joints in these days.
I used the square washers so the rod is placed in the middle of the vertical slot.
I have a pretty high ride height due to ground clearance and the smart struts works fine in this setting to reduce the excessive camber gain.
if the ride height is low, the best solution seems to be instead to use just the rods and not the VB&P differential bracket.
the car handles great now but I can't address the good results just to the smart struts because at the same time I have replaced also the trailing arms bushings ( were shot) and went for Bilstein sport in place of HD
I used the square washers so the rod is placed in the middle of the vertical slot.
I have a pretty high ride height due to ground clearance and the smart struts works fine in this setting to reduce the excessive camber gain.
if the ride height is low, the best solution seems to be instead to use just the rods and not the VB&P differential bracket.
the car handles great now but I can't address the good results just to the smart struts because at the same time I have replaced also the trailing arms bushings ( were shot) and went for Bilstein sport in place of HD
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Bovingdon Hertfordshire
Thanks again guys. It's neat that everyone is doing different things 
I've read the instructions that say fit the cam in the centre poisition and then do the alignment. If yu do that it ends up in the middle since the camber is done with the rods - Hence the question.
ktmdon : lowest position - was that advice from VBandP ?
If so - why the hell don't the instructions say that
Cheers Again,
Jeremy.
I've read the instructions that say fit the cam in the centre poisition and then do the alignment. If yu do that it ends up in the middle since the camber is done with the rods - Hence the question.
ktmdon : lowest position - was that advice from VBandP ?
If so - why the hell don't the instructions say that
Cheers Again,
Jeremy.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Yes, this was the advice over the phone. I then mocked up top, middle and lowest cam position (with their bracket) and the lowest position was the closest to placing the struts parrallel to the drive shaft, so it made sense to me. I also asked why they continue to use the cams and did not recieve a clear answer.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
I had the exact same question when I received my SmartStrut kit. My kit only had the square washers and I noticed from looking at a LOT of CF rearends, that many used the square washers and the rest used the camber bolts. When I asked Dan at VanSteel, he suggested using the camber bolt. You set it to make the struts run parallel with the half-shafts. So set the camber bolt first to get parallel, then adjust the camber with your adjustable struts. Once I got it in there and played with a little, it made sense. Mine are set so the little hole in the camber bolt/eccentric washer is on top, which places the strut in the lowest position.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
The vertical slots afford adjustment to the camber curve rather than to static camber. This is the rate at which [negative] camber is gained as the rear suspension travels into bump or squat. The higher is your priority to straight line acceleration (i.e.: drag racing) vs. that during corner exit, the closer to parallel you want to place your camber struts with the half-shafts. Tho to a lesser extent, the same is somewhat true for putting down the power exiting corners the more power you have, or the wider are your rear tires.
If drag racing isn't a larger priority than handling, I strongly suggest that you move the inner adjustment to the top of the slots. Unless you intend on performing scientific, instrumented back-to-back testing to find a better setting, this position should suffice for most non-strip applications. My $.02
TSW
If drag racing isn't a larger priority than handling, I strongly suggest that you move the inner adjustment to the top of the slots. Unless you intend on performing scientific, instrumented back-to-back testing to find a better setting, this position should suffice for most non-strip applications. My $.02
TSW
Last edited by TheSkunkWorks; Apr 28, 2009 at 04:20 PM.
