Best place to buy PDE camber plates?

docwyte · 11-07-2006, 08:29 PM

Any recommendations on where to get these?

***austinpike*** · 11-07-2006, 08:34 PM

Only available direct through PDE.
http://www.pde-usa.com/parts/frontcamber.htm

Note that when you add them to the cart, they are actually $299, not $259 as indicated on the linked page. They aren't the best at keeping things updated. Check the nasioc classifieds as well, there have been a few sets on there lately.

docwyte · 11-07-2006, 08:59 PM

ok, just checking to see if they had any dealers. Bummer about the price, I was pretty excited when I saw $259!

docwyte · 11-08-2006, 03:39 PM

Can someone confirm that the PDE plates fit an '06 STI?

***austinpike*** · 11-08-2006, 04:56 PM

I have an '05, not an '06, but there is absolutely no reason they should not fit. All the strut parts are completely interchangeable between '05 and '06.

boataholic · 11-08-2006, 05:25 PM

I have an 06 and yes they fit. I belive if you buy them direct from PDE they will run you $259 plus shipping and tax if you're in Cali. I think according to the website they have Version 1 plates availiable and if you want the V2 you may have to wait. I bought mine at Autobacs in Staton because I wanted them quicker but it costed me a bit more. THe Version 1s will raise your ride height approx .5 inches, the Version 2s will only raise the car by .25 inches. Also on the Version 2 plates there is a hole in the dust cap for ride height. If you're using stock struts it is acually best if you don't have this hole. Keep in mind if you buy coilovers later you can always drill or machine a hole in the dust cap. The instructions are pretty much crap and PDE has little or no support whatsoever but I still feel this is a far superior product because you will always dial in the exact camber in as little as .2 degree incr. The Plate can not slip and you are relying on the shear strength of the bolt rather than the slider types which rely on the bolt pressure to keep them from slipping. Plus when you get a performance alignment you can mark your holes for track and street. This is very repeatable and acurate and if you choose to add camber for any reason you can add it incrimentally. Now I also have some install tips if you're doing it yourself. I learned the hard way so I can save you some time. Are you going with lowering springs?

docwyte · 11-08-2006, 05:51 PM

I'm going to use JDM Pink springs and camber bolts in the back with PDE plates in the front...

Any install tips you could give me would be appreciated, I plan on doing the install myself...

So far I'm not too impressed with PDE's service, no response to a few emails I've sent and no contact phone # on the site.

Kinda makes me wonder what's going to happen when I order the plates...

boataholic · 11-08-2006, 06:28 PM

PDE service sucks but bottom line is the product IMO is the best on the market as far as camber plates. Camber plates in general are pretty simple.(keep in mind I'm a industrial mechanic/machinist) The only thing that I didn't like was the lift but what you're going to find is that the 06s seem to sit higher in the front anyhow.

Tips:
AIRTOOLS if you don't have them don't do the install.
The top nut will not torque correctly and you will create problems for yourself. However make sure to set your impact to a medium torque setting or you run the possiblility of damaging the strut. (then your only real option is replacement struts or coilovers)
2. Get a good marker and some degreaser. Keep in mind that there are 2 bolts that hold the strut on. The top bolt is eccentric and that is your camber bolt. Make sure to use degreaser to clean this bolt and remark with a marker. Prefferably a paint marker should be used so it is impossible to rub the mark off. The camber bolt is the one that has a washer the bottom one does not. The washer goes on the nut side in case you mix them up. I never personally bought into the torque specs because I work with bolts everyday I know what a bolt can handle based on grade and stretch. That being said TORQUE the camber bolt and strut bolt like there is no tomorrow being carefull not to break the bolt. Or if you're not a mechanic you can use a torque wrench it just seems super hard to get in that area.
3. If you choose to cut your bumpstops try your best to cut them evenly and sand the outside edges. Also and this is debatable: Cut the bottom of the bumpstops not the top. The top is the progressive portion. When you put the strut back together make SURE to tighten the bottom bolt with a 14mm. But the orientation is also crucial as the hole is oval and the strut only fits in correctly one way. This is a simple mistake and if it settles in to the right position you can screw yourself by damaging the threads of the strut.

4. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD take out the conical washers. I reassembled mine 2 times because my ride height was not right. I know some of you are asking WTF is a conical washer

This little bastard of a washer costed me an entire day of headscratching and emails.
5. The PDE plates themselves are marked LH and RH. I personally put Driver and Passenger on them to avoid confusion. The PDEs come in the Camber position but if you wish you can change the bolt pattern to do camber/caster. When you finish the strut reassembly it is hard to get the strut back into the pde plate correctly and also get the bolt so align. with the torque of the top nut on the spherical bearing it will be hard to rotate the plate correclty so start at the top and get the plate to line up then use a drift punch or screwdriver to line up the camber and bottom strut bolt.

I tried to hit everything I could remember but keep one thing in mind.
Take your time and have fun. Don't try to set a new speed record as I doubt Subaru WRC team is going to hire you as their suspension guru LOL Some people said 3 hours but it's hard to do in 3 hours so take your time. Take breaks and enjoy the process. If you have any more questions feel free to PM me.

AAH one last thing... You'll need this image to get your camber back to stock. They don't really explain their hole counting.

Keep in mind this install was Camber/Caster position. Also here is a good thread I wrote with some forum help of course

PDE Plate install Tips and Pics added

docwyte · 11-08-2006, 06:47 PM

I've got airtools, so I have that part covered. I guess what wonders me most is when I order these plates whether I'll see them anytime soon since PDE isn't answering any emails...

Sounds like the install is a little more complicated than most camber plates I've dealt with in the past...

So did they end up raising your car only 0.25 inches or more? Do you have the V1 or V2?

boataholic · 11-08-2006, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Sounds like the install is a little more complicated than most camber plates I've dealt with in the past...

Nah... acually it's not that bad. I just included all the small details so you won't make some of the mistakes I made or others made before me. Don't be intimidated by it. The best way to know how your car works is to do your own installs. Plus you get the sense of pride in knowing you did it yourself right! I've done all my own installs and the lessons I've learned will stay with me for a long time to come. As far as PDE I think if you order them they say 1-2 business days to process the order then ship. Since I bought mine at Autobacs and they were in stock I can't speak as far as their sales.

If you wait until this weekend I can update this thread as I will be instaling RCE non lowering plates Group N rear top hats and RCE springs (in SRT4 yellow

) on cho_yangs STI. I will be able to give you a more honest opinion of the combo then.

IGoFast1589 · 11-08-2006, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boataholic

Nah... acually it's not that bad. I just included all the small details so you won't make some of the mistakes I made or others made before me. Don't be intimidated by it. The best way to know how your car works is to do your own installs. Plus you get the sense of pride in knowing you did it yourself right! I've done all my own installs and the lessons I've learned will stay with me for a long time to come. As far as PDE I think if you order them they say 1-2 business days to process the order then ship. Since I bought mine at Autobacs and they were in stock I can't speak as far as their sales.

If you wait until this weekend I can update this thread as I will be instaling RCE non lowering plates Group N rear top hats and RCE springs (in SRT4 yellow

) on cho_yangs STI. I will be able to give you a more honest opinion of the combo then.

I'd be intrested in hearing how that turns out

rkevans · 11-08-2006, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docwyte

I guess what wonders me most is when I order these plates whether I'll see them anytime soon since PDE isn't answering any emails...

I ordered the Version 2 plates last month and they were on my doorstep in 10 calendar days.

Waiting for RCE springs to arrive before installing everything...

Rick

docwyte · 11-08-2006, 09:14 PM

Ok, thanks. I'll order a set tonite, they're the only thing I need still. I have the camber bolts for the rear and the JDM pink springs sitting on my workbench.

docwyte · 11-08-2006, 09:39 PM

Just ordered a set, looking forward to getting them!

***austinpike*** · 11-11-2006, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docwyte

Sounds like the install is a little more complicated than most camber plates I've dealt with in the past...

Look into the various spring install guides around here. None of them seem to be 100% complete but you should get enough info to make it through. The camber plates don't really add any difficulty to the install, they just replace the top mount.

11-07-2006, 08:29 PM	#1
docwyte Senior STI Driver Location: denver, CO Posts: 333 IWSTI Addict since: May 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	Best place to buy PDE camber plates? Any recommendations on where to get these? This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

11-08-2006, 05:51 PM	#7
docwyte Senior STI Driver Location: denver, CO Posts: 333 IWSTI Addict since: May 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	I'm going to use JDM Pink springs and camber bolts in the back with PDE plates in the front... Any install tips you could give me would be appreciated, I plan on doing the install myself... So far I'm not too impressed with PDE's service, no response to a few emails I've sent and no contact phone # on the site. Kinda makes me wonder what's going to happen when I order the plates... Last edited by docwyte; 11-08-2006 at 05:55 PM.

11-08-2006, 06:28 PM	#8
boataholic Professional STI Driver Car: 06 WRX STI Fav Mod: Invidia G200 Location: The OC Posts: 412 IWSTI Addict since: Jul 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	PDE service sucks but bottom line is the product IMO is the best on the market as far as camber plates. Camber plates in general are pretty simple.(keep in mind I'm a industrial mechanic/machinist) The only thing that I didn't like was the lift but what you're going to find is that the 06s seem to sit higher in the front anyhow. Tips: AIRTOOLS if you don't have them don't do the install. The top nut will not torque correctly and you will create problems for yourself. However make sure to set your impact to a medium torque setting or you run the possiblility of damaging the strut. (then your only real option is replacement struts or coilovers) 2. Get a good marker and some degreaser. Keep in mind that there are 2 bolts that hold the strut on. The top bolt is eccentric and that is your camber bolt. Make sure to use degreaser to clean this bolt and remark with a marker. Prefferably a paint marker should be used so it is impossible to rub the mark off. The camber bolt is the one that has a washer the bottom one does not. The washer goes on the nut side in case you mix them up. I never personally bought into the torque specs because I work with bolts everyday I know what a bolt can handle based on grade and stretch. That being said TORQUE the camber bolt and strut bolt like there is no tomorrow being carefull not to break the bolt. Or if you're not a mechanic you can use a torque wrench it just seems super hard to get in that area. 3. If you choose to cut your bumpstops try your best to cut them evenly and sand the outside edges. Also and this is debatable: Cut the bottom of the bumpstops not the top. The top is the progressive portion. When you put the strut back together make SURE to tighten the bottom bolt with a 14mm. But the orientation is also crucial as the hole is oval and the strut only fits in correctly one way. This is a simple mistake and if it settles in to the right position you can screw yourself by damaging the threads of the strut. 4. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD take out the conical washers. I reassembled mine 2 times because my ride height was not right. I know some of you are asking WTF is a conical washer This little bastard of a washer costed me an entire day of headscratching and emails. 5. The PDE plates themselves are marked LH and RH. I personally put Driver and Passenger on them to avoid confusion. The PDEs come in the Camber position but if you wish you can change the bolt pattern to do camber/caster. When you finish the strut reassembly it is hard to get the strut back into the pde plate correctly and also get the bolt so align. with the torque of the top nut on the spherical bearing it will be hard to rotate the plate correclty so start at the top and get the plate to line up then use a drift punch or screwdriver to line up the camber and bottom strut bolt. I tried to hit everything I could remember but keep one thing in mind. Take your time and have fun. Don't try to set a new speed record as I doubt Subaru WRC team is going to hire you as their suspension guru LOL Some people said 3 hours but it's hard to do in 3 hours so take your time. Take breaks and enjoy the process. If you have any more questions feel free to PM me. AAH one last thing... You'll need this image to get your camber back to stock. They don't really explain their hole counting. Keep in mind this install was Camber/Caster position. Also here is a good thread I wrote with some forum help of course PDE Plate install Tips and Pics added Last edited by boataholic; 11-08-2006 at 08:36 PM.

11-08-2006, 06:47 PM	#9
docwyte Senior STI Driver Location: denver, CO Posts: 333 IWSTI Addict since: May 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	I've got airtools, so I have that part covered. I guess what wonders me most is when I order these plates whether I'll see them anytime soon since PDE isn't answering any emails... Sounds like the install is a little more complicated than most camber plates I've dealt with in the past... So did they end up raising your car only 0.25 inches or more? Do you have the V1 or V2? Last edited by docwyte; 11-08-2006 at 06:57 PM.

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11-07-2006, 08:34 PM	#2
*austinpike* Platinum Member Car: 2oo8 aw STi Location: MN Posts: 1,940 IWSTI Addict since: Jul 2004 Trader Rating: (7)	Only available direct through PDE. http://www.pde-usa.com/parts/frontcamber.htm Note that when you add them to the cart, they are actually $299, not $259 as indicated on the linked page. They aren't the best at keeping things updated. Check the nasioc classifieds as well, there have been a few sets on there lately.

11-07-2006, 08:59 PM	#3
docwyte Senior STI Driver Location: denver, CO Posts: 333 IWSTI Addict since: May 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	ok, just checking to see if they had any dealers. Bummer about the price, I was pretty excited when I saw $259!

11-08-2006, 03:39 PM	#4
docwyte Senior STI Driver Location: denver, CO Posts: 333 IWSTI Addict since: May 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	Can someone confirm that the PDE plates fit an '06 STI?

11-08-2006, 04:56 PM	#5
*austinpike* Platinum Member Car: 2oo8 aw STi Location: MN Posts: 1,940 IWSTI Addict since: Jul 2004 Trader Rating: (7)	I have an '05, not an '06, but there is absolutely no reason they should not fit. All the strut parts are completely interchangeable between '05 and '06.

11-08-2006, 05:25 PM	#6
boataholic Professional STI Driver Car: 06 WRX STI Fav Mod: Invidia G200 Location: The OC Posts: 412 IWSTI Addict since: Jul 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	I have an 06 and yes they fit. I belive if you buy them direct from PDE they will run you $259 plus shipping and tax if you're in Cali. I think according to the website they have Version 1 plates availiable and if you want the V2 you may have to wait. I bought mine at Autobacs in Staton because I wanted them quicker but it costed me a bit more. THe Version 1s will raise your ride height approx .5 inches, the Version 2s will only raise the car by .25 inches. Also on the Version 2 plates there is a hole in the dust cap for ride height. If you're using stock struts it is acually best if you don't have this hole. Keep in mind if you buy coilovers later you can always drill or machine a hole in the dust cap. The instructions are pretty much crap and PDE has little or no support whatsoever but I still feel this is a far superior product because you will always dial in the exact camber in as little as .2 degree incr. The Plate can not slip and you are relying on the shear strength of the bolt rather than the slider types which rely on the bolt pressure to keep them from slipping. Plus when you get a performance alignment you can mark your holes for track and street. This is very repeatable and acurate and if you choose to add camber for any reason you can add it incrimentally. Now I also have some install tips if you're doing it yourself. I learned the hard way so I can save you some time. Are you going with lowering springs?

11-08-2006, 09:14 PM	#13
docwyte Senior STI Driver Location: denver, CO Posts: 333 IWSTI Addict since: May 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	Ok, thanks. I'll order a set tonite, they're the only thing I need still. I have the camber bolts for the rear and the JDM pink springs sitting on my workbench.

11-08-2006, 09:39 PM	#14
docwyte Senior STI Driver Location: denver, CO Posts: 333 IWSTI Addict since: May 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	Just ordered a set, looking forward to getting them!