DIY Replacing Megan Racing Camber plates with stock top hats

Link to the question forum: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/replacing-megan-racing-camber-plates-stock-top-hats-p3427126.html#post3427126

 

Replacing Megan Racing Camber Plates with stock top hats for a smoother ride:

Disclaimer, your car, you do this at your own risk. I have not had any problems yet...knock on wood

Parts Needed for front:

2- Brass Bushings(steel/stainless steel may work) Size M12(ID) 15MM(OD) and 16mm Long(PN from Do it best was: 58606-A or 58607-B, whichever is 16mm long)

 

Before beginning any mod, read all instructions first before doing it!

New parts needed for rear:

1. upper spring seat for front coilover(from MR)

2. Plastic seat for the upper spring seat

Factory parts needed:

1. Factory top hat(regular GT)

1.Remove strut nut and camber plate from MR Coil over.

2.Move lock rings to furthest down position, and move spring and dust boot down as well, should look like this:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-06-11201732.jpg

You can see the lock rings are closest to the lower mount. An alternative to this would be completely remove lower bracket and all lock rings and springs. Not necessary, but will give you more room to work.

3. Take the last piece above the upper spring seat and turn it upside down:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-06-11201912.jpg

4.Place the bushing into the hole on the factory top hat:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-06-11201922.jpg

5. Slide the factory top hat and bushing onto the strut rod:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-06-11201952.jpg

**NOTE** Make sure the mounting studs on the top hat are faced up!

6. If you can, using hand pressure or ratchet, turn the strut rod nut onto the strut rod shaft. You will be pressing the brass bushing into the factory top hat.

For me, I used my left hand to hold the strut from spinning and my right to ratchet it on. I would try to stay away from using an impact while pressing it on, in case it binds. Make sure its flush when you put it on!. When you can no longer turn it by hand and it appears to be seated, then use the impact to spin it the last little bit. I used a rag to hold the strut rod. I wrapped it a few times so it was easier to hold on to.

DO NOT USE A PLIERS!!!! You will scratch the rod which would damage the seal if it is compressed that far! Also, don't sit and spin, short little bursts while making sure the rod isn't moving should be good. If you are still worried you can tighten it again once on the car.

When its tight it should look like this: http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-06-11201743.jpg

8. After its tight, you can install the dampener control:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-06-11201829.jpg

Yea I know bad pic...

8. Put the spring back up to the top, and set your preload and install in your car, and your good to go(with an alignment of course)!

 

I haven't installed my rears yet, only built them, they will go into my car saturday...hopefully

 

Before beginning any mod, read all instructions first before doing it!

New parts needed for this mod:

1. upper spring seat for front coilover(from MR)

2. Plastic seat for the upper spring seat

Factory parts needed:

1. Factory top hat(regular GT)

 

This is probably how you got them, or are installed in your car

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14180145.jpg

1. Remove top hat of both MR coilovers and Stock suspension(google it, you need a spring compressor for the stock suspension:

Here is a side by side of the two:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14180219.jpg

2. place plastic ring on the upper spring seat

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14180840.jpg

3. place over upper spring seat onto strut. If the spring seat doesn't go all the way to the base of the threads, loosen the lower perch and lock ring, and lower the spring until the upper perch can seat.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14180404.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14180431.jpg

4. Slide the old bushing that was on top of the MR camber plate onto the strut rod

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14180931.jpg

5. put the factory top hat onto the strut rod *note make sure the studs are up!

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14180945.jpg

6. put the strut rod nut onto the strut rod:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14181018.jpg

7. Tighten it.... a lot, look at the torque specs in the vacation pics if you want a number(i think its about 100 lbft or so.... but I can't remember)

8. Reset your pre load:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14181129.jpg

Close up of the new top:

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14181139.jpg

Sided by side comparison

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m589/dwolson2/2011-07-14181159.jpg

 

SPECIAL NOTE!! as you can see in the picture, the new set up is longer that the old, so do one side, adjust the height to match the other(may want to give 1/4 inch for more play in rubber) Then do the other side, otherwise you may be playing with ride height for a few days

Great write-up. Did you do anything in the rear?

 

For the bushing, you wrote "Size M12(ID) 15MM(OD) and 16mm Long". Is M12 a typo or is the ID something other than 12mm?

 

Thanks,

Evan

Evan go here:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/replacing-megan-racing-camber-plates-stock-top-hats-p3427126.html#post3427126

 

but M12 is 12mm, but that is how its written on the box

What about the rear? Same procedure or did you leave them alone?

 

My car came with the coilovers installed, so I haven't had a good look at them while off the car or even done any work on the Legacy suspension myself.

haven't figured out the rears yet, but since I have an extra set of coilovers, i will figure it out...

edited with rear instructions, putting them in this weekend...