Part of my reason for moving to 20" rims.
I also wanted a little bit more sidewall for contact patch compliance.
I also wanted a little bit more sidewall for contact patch compliance.
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Negative Camber in the Rear and Expensive Tires
- Thread starter lolachampcar
- Start date
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- Tags
- Driving Dynamics Model S
I do not think the camber bolt slop was sufficient to remove 1.4 degrees of camber (actually, really sure as my links were 0.210" longer and that took out a degree).
For those not familiar, Tesla had a few cars that were outside even their specs. They addressed this by making bolts where the bolt shaft was necked down to the inner thread dimension as opposed to the original bolts were the shaft was the outer thread dimension. When installed, these bolts were smaller than the holes they were installed in which allowed for movement between the chassis pick up point and the rubber bushing inner race it was clamping down on. The tech would then bias this "slop" to pull the top of the upright outward thus reducing negative camber. Tesla was now relying on the clamping force of the pick up point on the rubber bushing inner race and not the shear strength of the bolt itself.
For those not familiar, Tesla had a few cars that were outside even their specs. They addressed this by making bolts where the bolt shaft was necked down to the inner thread dimension as opposed to the original bolts were the shaft was the outer thread dimension. When installed, these bolts were smaller than the holes they were installed in which allowed for movement between the chassis pick up point and the rubber bushing inner race it was clamping down on. The tech would then bias this "slop" to pull the top of the upright outward thus reducing negative camber. Tesla was now relying on the clamping force of the pick up point on the rubber bushing inner race and not the shear strength of the bolt itself.
I don't mean slop, I mean a bolt which has eccentricity/cam built into it. 0.21" should not be a problem with either 1 or 2 of these bolts. The problem is getting them in high enough strength, if the Tesla bolts are the highest grade already.
I've not seen those before but it appears as though the eccentric bit is a larger diameter than the threaded area. Given the chassis pick up point is double shear, you would have to enlarge at least one ear of the pick up point to install them, wouldn't you?
Those aren't the best example. Yes you'd have to enlarge one side.
I was actually thinking of this:
If you know the strength of the stock bolt, and higher grade bolts are available there are more options.
Well, the bolt is loaded in tension only as you are using it to clamp the chassis pick up against the control arm rubber bushing ID. The bolt you are showing seems to allow for shear loading under the head. Either way, any quality bolt would be more than sufficient for the application judging from fastener sizes used on much higher loaded race car suspension.
Just my opinion and worth every penny you paid for it :0
I ended up machining up new upper links as I did not want to alter the chassis pick up points. Now that the cars are much more widely available and have a lot more miles on the fleet, I would likely consider those bolts today when I did not several years ago.
Just my opinion and worth every penny you paid for it :0
I ended up machining up new upper links as I did not want to alter the chassis pick up points. Now that the cars are much more widely available and have a lot more miles on the fleet, I would likely consider those bolts today when I did not several years ago.
Well, if there's enough clamping force it's easier just to enlarge both the chassis and the knuckle sides by 0.1" radius and just use the sum total 0.2" slop to get your ~ -1. There's really not a safety issue because you're removing metal from the most unnecessary points. That is of course, as long as clamping force is enough. And only a very very skilled mechanic may notice and get the calipers out to check, if we're worried about it being detected.
arijaycomet
Member
Looks like OpenEV doesn't have the longer rear arms anymore. Do we have a new source for the longer rear upper control arm links? I thought I saw a set of adjustable ones existing too, recently. Anyone have a link for those?
Local friend of mine has a P85 with air that he wants to lower. He wants to be able to get alignment back into. I have a set of OpenEV links on my car, and really happy with them. He wants details but I can't find them for sale anymore. Thanks in advance for some help on this matter...
Local friend of mine has a P85 with air that he wants to lower. He wants to be able to get alignment back into. I have a set of OpenEV links on my car, and really happy with them. He wants details but I can't find them for sale anymore. Thanks in advance for some help on this matter...
here ya go arijay:
Adjustable rear camber links and tire rotation result in perfectly even tire wear
pic courtesy of SUPRKAR
Adjustable rear camber links and tire rotation result in perfectly even tire wear
pic courtesy of SUPRKAR
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Just make sure to follow up with getting the right/desired bushings..... MS started with smaller OD softer rubber bushings then went to larger OD rubber bushings before going to an in between diameter solid ball on the outer joint. The ball is the latest and wold be the one I would go for.
DIL
Member
BBC Speed Machine
I have no affiliation with this shop/fabricator nor am I endorsing their products. I am simply answering your question. The use of any non-approved Tesla OEM product could result in property damage, personal injury and death.
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I've found that living life can result in property damage, personal injury and always results in death.
Welding the upper links?
Hi, I have read the entire thread. Thank you for all the great data and settings. I have chronic tire wear also. I'm at 116,000 Kms. My question is... I have a friend that is a certified welder. Do you think it would work to take the uppers off, wrap the ends or press out the bushings while there being welded, add in aluminium on both sides of the center and reweld? There is a section on both sides where the aluminium is solid? My car is a p85. May 13' (9904) so early uppers. Or do you know how I could get a set? Sending my links to get the bushings pressed out and installed at BBC NJ It will put my car out of commission for too long. Thanks for the help. Greg
Hi, I have read the entire thread. Thank you for all the great data and settings. I have chronic tire wear also. I'm at 116,000 Kms. My question is... I have a friend that is a certified welder. Do you think it would work to take the uppers off, wrap the ends or press out the bushings while there being welded, add in aluminium on both sides of the center and reweld? There is a section on both sides where the aluminium is solid? My car is a p85. May 13' (9904) so early uppers. Or do you know how I could get a set? Sending my links to get the bushings pressed out and installed at BBC NJ It will put my car out of commission for too long. Thanks for the help. Greg
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