Making camber plates useful?

[Dusterbd13]

So, the whoosh coilovers that came on my car have camber plates. That can't be adjusted without a bunch of screwing around.

Looks like i could open the tops of the strut towers somehow to make life easier.

Can I? Should I? If so, how? Got examples or a how to? Reasons I shouldn't?

Never ran into this problem before. So, im trying to look before I leap for a change.

 

[Just A Dad]

This is the same issue we face on the Focus ST/RS side. FOR US, the common option is to take a hole-saw to the strut towers to open up the center enough to allow the camber plate to slide and lock down. In my brief investigation for the Fiesta, the same issue and solution is used.

The alternative would be to set the camber, bolt in the struts, and then check alignment. Remove, adjust, repeat until desired settings reached. Just, be prepared for a lot of remove and replace...

 

[Dusterbd13]

This is the same issue we face on the Focus ST/RS side. FOR US, the common option is to take a hole-saw to the strut towers to open up the center enough to allow the camber plate to slide and lock down. In my brief investigation for the Fiesta, the same issue and solution is used.

The alternative would be to set the camber, bolt in the struts, and then check alignment. Remove, adjust, repeat until desired settings reached. Just, be prepared for a lot of remove and replace...

I couldn't seem to find anything. I know it's been done but I just couldn't find it. What Search terms did you use since I was apparently using the incorrect ones? That way I can figure out what other guys have done and replicate it. Hopefully they're sizing of hole saws posted somewhere so I know what to pick up if I don't already have it in the drawer

 

[Just A Dad]

My confirmation came from 3 conversations I had:

• Local chassis/alignment shop that specializes in track prep, confirmed that they usually see the top mounts opened up in order to access the camber plates/top hats
• Fortune Auto, tech there who I speak with about Focus platform confirmed that a hole saw can be used to give adjustment room topside
• Another FiST member, who had top-hat coils and confirmed he also cut out the inner area of the top mount to gain access

I don't have an exact diameter from these folks, but the member who did it said he just used the size of his top hat as a gauge for how much "wiggle room" was needed to allow for adjustment thru the camber range. I'd imagine you can eyeball it from looking at the size of your tophat.