Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

JEBINC's review of new N2itive "tartan" adjustable camber arms for Plaid and MS/MSLR (2021+)

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.

jebinc

Well-Known Member
Jun 19, 2019
13,747
20,856
Seattle area
Hello all!

As a follow on to my N2itive lowering links review,

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/jebinc’s-review-of-n2itive’s-rsx-2-plaid-refreshed-ms-lr-lowering-links.258169/#post-6454622

I've decided to order a set of these new "Tartan" rear camber arms (Premium black version with special feature)


Starting this thread now to let you all know there is a pre-order sale on now that ends on Friday! You can also follow this on Twitter, if you so choose! Can't wait to try these out and save my new tires from the known inner wear issue.


@EndlessPlaid @Hayseed_MS @WilliamG @uthatcher @Phlier @GrnSqrl
 
I ordered these. Unless I misunderstand it may be a better way to adjust the camber while providing additional benefits.

Interesting. I will need to do more research, but thought adjusting camber from the top was better. How do we learn the truth, @lbowroom?
 
I’m sure there is no downside to the conventional way. It is the most straightforward. Mountain Pass does extensive engineering and testing and from their site:

Using the knowledge gained from modeling the suspension, and looking at the suspension from a practical standpoint, it made the most sense to adjust the lower arms. The lower arms are the easiest to access from the bottom of the car for an alignment technician. In addition, the factory “upper camber arm” already uses a sealed spherical bearing at both ends, so there was no performance benefit to changing this arm – not to mention it is a complex shape and thus very expensive to make an adjustable replacement for.

To their credit, N2itive seems like a beautiful strong arm at an affordable price point compared to the UP arms.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: jebinc
I’m sure there is no downside to the conventional way. It is the most straightforward. Mountain Pass does extensive engineering and testing and from their site:

Using the knowledge gained from modeling the suspension, and looking at the suspension from a practical standpoint, it made the most sense to adjust the lower arms. The lower arms are the easiest to access from the bottom of the car for an alignment technician. In addition, the factory “upper camber arm” already uses a sealed spherical bearing at both ends, so there was no performance benefit to changing this arm – not to mention it is a complex shape and thus very expensive to make an adjustable replacement for.

To their credit, N2itive seems like a beautiful strong arm at an affordable price point compared to the UP arms.

@lbowroom Good write up/ explanation! Use of “shims” is not something I would want to deal with, so I’ll try the N2itive solution!

1CAB6550-8A37-499C-9D8D-3D6E91C23A02.png
 
Last edited:
Forging in general means you are striking the metal to shape it. Their aligns the grain structure for higher strength. A forged product will be stronger per unit of weight than a casting.
I'm not sure they are striking anything. Drop forged is like pouring hot metal into a mold, which is the same process for cast aluminum and pushing the halves together.

They only reason I ask is I see flow forged thrown around on TMC in the wheel forums like its a forged product and it isn't, its a marketing term. I'm not saying these aren't forged, but I would like clarity, since these cars are heavy... they are different types of drop forging, to closed and open forging, cold / warm / hot, which will provide different properties.

Differences Between Drop Forging and Press Forging

Drop forging is when half of the die is dropped from a height onto the other half of the die, which will contain the hot metal workpiece to be formed. Drop forging is more suitable for mass production. Press forming is instead of dropping half the die onto the other half the two halves are put together and pushed together under a large pressure (up to about 10000 tons) forming the object. The difference is that drop forming leaves the centre of the metal not so hard as the outside, but press forming gives more uniform hardness for larger components. Of course, drop forging and press forging are defined in term of two kinds of forging methods. We could also differ forgings from its temperature, such forgings are named into cold forging, warm forging and hot forging. (See cold forging vs warm forging vs hot forging).

I had adjustable camber links hand made back in 2013/14 for my S, and they used forged (pressed) aluminum billets, which they milled and if I remember right cost me about $1400 for a pair... I think @Lolchamp or @sorka or @artsci, cut the deal with the BBC Speed & Machine. This action fixed my 8000 mile rear tire replacements and now I can go beyond 20K.

 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: cleverscreenam
Hi, I just wanted to clarify that the drop forging process is not pouring molten metal into a mold. This is just die casting or sand casting. This type of manufacturing is not suitable for automotive suspension parts. In our drop forging process the metal is warm but is still solid. It is then smashed into the forge mold under several tons which creates the overall shape of the part. This drop process creates the nice grain structure throughout the unique shape of the piece which increases the ultimate tensile strength, shear strength, fatigue strength, etc.

From there it gets machined to exact tolerances, threads are cut. then surface finishing and so on. Our forging is done by TS16949 certified facilities that deal exclusively with automotive parts and follow the same procedures as OEM forged parts like Tesla and others. While it's costing us a lot to create a handful of new forge molds to create these arms and others on the horizon, we know it's the right way to do it. Creating the best parts possible is what we strive for. Your support helps to bring these to life and some other really cool stuff by the end of the year! Keep an eye out for it.
 
Hi, I just wanted to clarify that the drop forging process is not pouring molten metal into a mold. This is just die casting or sand casting. This type of manufacturing is not suitable for automotive suspension parts. In our drop forging process the metal is warm but is still solid. It is then smashed into the forge mold under several tons which creates the overall shape of the part. This drop process creates the nice grain structure throughout the unique shape of the piece which increases the ultimate tensile strength, shear strength, fatigue strength, etc.

From there it gets machined to exact tolerances, threads are cut. then surface finishing and so on. Our forging is done by TS16949 certified facilities that deal exclusively with automotive parts and follow the same procedures as OEM forged parts like Tesla and others. While it's costing us a lot to create a handful of new forge molds to create these arms and others on the horizon, we know it's the right way to do it. Creating the best parts possible is what we strive for. Your support helps to bring these to life and some other really cool stuff by the end of the year! Keep an eye out for it.
Wouldn’t this be warm press forging? Which is even better? Making the product even stronger. Kinda like this.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jebinc
@lbowroom Good write up/ explanation! Use of “shims” is not something I would want to deal with, so I’ll try the N2itive solution!
Looks like the shims only come into play if you want to increase camber (go more negative).

 
  • Like
Reactions: jebinc