FAQ
K-MAC Strut top adjusters – Camber, Caster
Experience – Manufacturing Front and Rear Camber, Caster, Toe adjuster kits longer than any other company with world’s largest range (over 300 strut top adjuster kit part No’s alone – Audi to Volvo). Also importantly not outsourcing, importing, or relabelling – but in-house manufacture allowing total control over quality and rapid/constant design improvements.
ITS NO WONDER WE ARE THE ACTUAL INVENTORS (WITH OVER 20 PATENTS AND PATENTS PENDING) COVERING THE MAJORITY OF MAJOR DESIGN BREAKTHROUGHS. . . .
THE ALL POSITIONAL ADJUSTER for strut suspensions providing the biggest adjustment range. STRUT ADJUSTERS WHERE NO MOUNT STUDS EXIST. ADJUSTERS FOR THE 2 BOLT FLANGE STRUTS, so no weakened downsize crank bolts required. THE SLIDING BALL JOINT adjuster for wishbone suspension. SINGLE WRENCH, SO NO DISASSEMBLY adjusters for control arm bushes. STRUT ADJUSTERS FOR ALL 2005 UP MUSTANGS where no disassembly is required to change settings. STRUT ADJUSTERS FOR 2010 UP CAMARO – KMAC resolving the need to have to drill holes to mount or remove struts to change settings. Now 2016 up models again providing the biggest and quickest adjustment. Adjusters for the electric Tesla models. The list goes on!
Recently completed is the entire range of both front and rear Camber, Caster, Toe adjusters for the very latest BMW “F” Series so these owners can also benefit by having precise adjustment facilities.
CHECKLIST BELOW RE 6 BASIC SUSPENSION DESIGNS, ALL WITH ISSUES RE ALIGNMENT AND EASE OF ADJUSTMENT.
KMAC has resolved all 6 !
- STRUT (top mount) – All positional (Quickest, Biggest adjustment)
- STRUT (top mount) – Adjustment (where restricted Coil spring movement)
- STRUT (top mount) – No mount bolts (adjustment without modification)
- STRUT (2 bolt flange) – Adjustment (without under size crank bolts)
- WISHBONE (ball joint) – Adjustment slot system (upper arms)
- CONTROL ARM (bushings) – Adjustment (without need for bush removal)
Biggest adjustment range. Quickest/easiest to adjust. Simply loosening the 2 or 3 top strut mount nuts allows instant change to adjustments (both Camber and Caster) and unlike slot adjusters not requiring the access to separate hold down bolts means more travel for pole setting lap times.
Yes all kits are designed to be used with or without coil-over’s. With Stage 2 (Street/Race) and Stage 3 (Full Race) being provided with both OEM diam. top coil seats and seats to suit all brands of coil-over springs – 60-70mm I.D.
The KMAC Stage 2 and 3 adjuster kits also feature separate self-align spherical ball main bearing to align the strut – then H/Duty radial thrust bearings exclusively to take steering loads and prevent spring drag/binding.
Yes, with most modern cars, the only adjustment available is Toe ‘in’ or ‘out’ (directional) adjustment. It is a sad indictment of the motor trade that a simple adjustment of that toe setting can be classed as a ‘wheel alignment’ (or a “full” wheel alignment).
Modern wheel aligning machines can easily measure Camber and Caster, KMAC unique patented designs allow this “essential” adjustment to CHANGE TIRE CONTACT ANGLES. “Camber” to resolve costly, premature edge tire wear and improve traction “Caster” to correctly fix steering pull, improve steering response and directional control with reduced dive/lift on brake and acceleration – Whether they be strut adjusters or bushings. Means these alignment machines can be used to their greatest advantage – Not just where currently a report print out highlighting how much the Camber and Caster are out of spec!
Many owners frustrated when handed this report showing “in spec” – yet still with premature edge tire wear. A result of the increasing OEM trend to expand the “in spec” tolerance margins to compensate for the lack of adjustability other than Toe/directional adjustment.
Owners then going onto other alignment shops or seeking out other brands of tires in the belief that somehow/some way this will correct the uneven wear – all because of this lack of “Camber and Caster” adjustment enabling to change tire contact angles! Brought about by cost cutting and the ever increasing speed of vehicle assembly lines.
Yes! A good wheel aligner operator can log for you various repeatable settings for you to make immediate changes at trackside and test different settings for optimum turn-in and cornering speeds. Rear tires for maximum traction. Graduations in the strut-top enable you to readily find these settings and make changes very quickly. Also record separate trackside toe settings.
The centre plate is clamped in place using the existing two, three or four bolt strut design your vehicle has. The clamping hold on the centre plate is tremendous, even with normal tightening of the bolts. In the case of a 3-bolt fitment, just 23 ft/lbs (correct tension for a 8mm diam. bolt) only, on each of the retaining nuts would require 1200 lbs of side force to be exerted against the centre plate to make it move. Such force would crumple the strut tower before any movement.
We design so that it doesn’t at all. A small number of cars might be raised by up to a mere 4mm. But as most fitments are made in conjunction with lowering springs, that can be allowed for in determining spring dimensions. Remember that gas pressured shocks raise height and also take into consideration sagged original OEM bushings.
No! Stage 1 and Stage 2 kits use bearings encased in elastomer to locate the top of the strut shaft. There is usually some reduction in compliance compared to original rubber compound. But this is offset with improved performance, steering-reaction. Stage 1 bearings are similar to OEM – ball race thrust bearings.
While Stage 2 and 3 feature a single extra H/Duty spherical bearing (PTFE lined) to self-align the strut so no side loads then the KMAC special feature of “separate” H/Duty radial thrust bearings for steering loads and to prevent spring drag/binding. Both Stage 2 and 3 have replacement centres for virtual lifetime usage. Stage 3 (Full Race) has no elastomer/flex for instantaneous steering response.
Elastomer spring seats are also included with Stage 2 and 3 kits further ensuring there is no metal to metal contact/noise. Stage 2 and 3 kits are also designed to fit with all brands of coil overs (60-70mm I.D.).
All KMAC kits are designed for ease of fitment. Bolt-on with no special tools required. Spring compressors and regular hand tools normally used in doing this work are a part of most workshops and enthusiast tool kits. Care must be taken when compressing springs, of course.
No! KMAC take pride in the fact to develop kits that work without the bodywork being altered. This is especially important in the case of classic cars, which might be seriously devalued if strut towers are hacked about. Also there is no need to remove the KMAC adjusters to change settings. Also can adjust without the need for Strut Brace removal!
Note: Another important KMAC patented design feature allows the use of a screwdriver ratchet adjust system to change settings accurately (under load) – no need to jack vehicle.
K-MAC Bushes – Camber, Caster, Toe
KMAC has a head start on other brands manufacturing bushes since 1964. This experience speaks for itself (all out heavy V8 ute competition racing – Ford versus G.M.) where race safety scrutineers rule that from inspection evaluation drivers for safety, performance and reliability it is mandatory to use K-MAC front end adjustable bushes – no other brands are allowed.
All KMAC kits are designed to be bolt-on, no modifications required. They come with instructions and bush extraction/insertion tools if required, so no other special tools needed.
Until this particular KMAC invention, bushes over the last 40 years were normally pressed in to give a set degree of adjustment. Then having to labour intensively remove and repress in to change to another setting. The KMAC unique break through invention means bushes are now not positional. The outer shell is not eccentric, only the inner section is, for this reason the unique KMAC design the bush can be installed in ANY position.
It is often said – “the simplest design is the best design” and this KMAC patented design (besides its strength and reliability) is a revolution in its simplicity!
The “D” shape bolt supplied interlocks with the hole in the center hardened steel eccentric bush (which is moulded to the elastomer bush – but not the outer sleeve). Simply rotating the head of the bolt allows precise adjustment (accurately underload – direct on alignment turn table). Then the nut is tightened to secure.
Another KMAC invention is the unique tab locking system used on all bushing products where it is impossible for the nut to inadvertantly become loose. This significant KMAC design breakthrough resolving the issue that has plagued industry worldwide with majority of locking systems reliant solely on friction/tension to secure.
It’s no wonder race safety scrutineers recommend KMAC – durability has been developed, enhanced now over the last 50 years and compared to most other aftermarket urethane bushings, KMAC unique design bushes have a greater load bearing area and importantly KMAC set new industry standards with today’s multi-link arms ensuring that 2 axis movement is designed into these bushings so there is no binding/locking up when arms travel through their required arcs. So the potential for wear is reduced. In addition, those with steel inner bushes are case hardened, nickel-chrome plated and have spiral grease grooves to enhance longevity.
As explained in #Q15 – There is a twisting action in the rubber (or neoprene) bushes which tends to tear the material after time. In many instances the need to provide movement in two planes forces designers to specify bushes with air voids in them, these are especially prone to allow wheel tramping with loss of traction under brake and acceleration which further leads to their premature pounding out and failure.
KMAC bushes are specially designed to adjust lower control arms inwards unlike majority of other brands that adjust upper “Camber” arms outwards to reduce negative Camber caused by lowering a car.
With KMAC all important clearances from the top of the tire to outer fender are therefore not compromised. Other advantage of the KMAC lower arm design (if wanting to increase negative Camber on Race days) is that the actual track width is also increased.
With KMAC – All part of a -“MATCHED & TUNED SYSTEM” Including Uprated Front & Rear – ANTI-SWAY BARS, SPRINGS (any height), SHOCKS
