*EDITED WITH PICS!* Baker BM Adjustable camber, fixed caster Top Mounts

[Ed Doe]

Right

I've bee discussing this with Stu for a while. Basically whilst I am happy to a degree with the Compbrake top mounts, what they lack is the ability to quickly and easily modify camber settings (for instance giving the ability to run stock camber for the road, with some nice rude camber for trackdays!)

Stu is currently working on a set of top mounts that will bolt directly in to the stock mounting points, but will give 2 degrees additional caster over stock, and adjustable camber up to 1 degree without modifying the chassis. By slightly modifying the chassis, up to 4 degrees camber should be possible.

Stu is in the process of making a set up for me to test, but is keen to assess the market for these, so has asked me to pop up a thread generating interest!

The bearing itself will be similar to the one used in compbrake topmounts, but I'm assured will be of better quality.

I don't have any idea on price yet, as Stu is still completing the technical drawings, but my test set should be run off and ready for fitting to the car by the end of the month. Prices should be fairly firm by mid next week, so I'll keep you all updated! Stu has also promised me pics and drawings to give you guys an idea of what they'll look like!

Very exciting stuff this guys, ill start a listen me know if you're interested!!


1. Ed
2.
3.
4.
5.

EDIT: Pics!!

   
   
   

[Pompey306mark]

Are they making these to fit standard length coilovers. Or turned down ones like you have.

[Ed Doe]

Both standard length coilies will need a sleeve nut, but as far as I'm aware this will be provided with the topmounts to suit your coilies. I'll confirm this with Stu when I next speak to him though

[Pompey306mark]

Cool. Might be interested.

[Just Sean]

if these will fit ta technics ill be in... depending on date for payment

[Ed Doe]

This is drumming up interest at this stage guys, but if I can get lots of names down to start with it'll mean they'll be a lot sooner! As said prices still tbc., but should be confirmed by the end of next week

They should fit ta technics; don't know why they wouldn't?

[Just Sean]

im hoping its later rather than sooner tbh!

[Grant]

If it wont cost a small country, and mean re-mortgaging my life, then I'm in. And I'm obviously more than happy to make the sacrifice of testing a set too

1. Ed
2. Grant
3.
4.
5.

[puglove]

Id be interested. Price dependent. Would he be able to supply conical top hats as well as i havnt even sorted this out yet lol.

[Ed Doe]

Right, so for the millionth time, If you're interested then PUT YOUR NAME DOWN ON THE LIST!!!!!!

Obviously It's going to be price dependant, as no one knows the price yet!!

1. Ed
2. Grant
3. PompeyMark
4. Just Sean
5. Puglove

And Grant, we possibly need to chat anyway...

[cwspellowe]

Jesus wept, i'm tempted to put my name down just so you'll stop moaning!

Might help if you get ballpark figures from BBM. Can be subject to change of course, I mean i'd be tempted if I knew they'd only be £20 but let's face it, shiny things cost serious money.

Surely he can provide an estimate? They've made top mounts before so surely they know what's involved?

Seems a bit half arsed tbh

[Ben]

1. Ed
2. Grant
3. PompeyMark
4. Just Sean
5. Puglove
6. Ben

[Ed Doe]

Jesus wept, i'm tempted to put my name down just so you'll stop moaning!

Might help if you get ballpark figures from BBM. Can be subject to change of course, I mean i'd be tempted if I knew they'd only be £20 but let's face it, shiny things cost serious money.

Surely he can provide an estimate? They've made top mounts before so surely they know what's involved?

Seems a bit half arsed tbh

Thanks Pellowe.

It's not half-arsed, I first spoke to him about the design last week, he's ordered the ally for the plate part of the top-mounts already, and will be doing drawings today. off the back of this, the steel will be ordered, and he can work out ball-park costs from there. I'm sorry if that's too long for you, but it'll most likely be end of the week. Numbers do dictate prices to a certain extent; a batch of 5 will most likely be significantly more expensive than a batch of 20. Hence if there is a good response at this stage, we can get a better price!

MY personal assumption is that these will retail in the region of the £140 mark, but DO NOT TAKE THAT AS FACT, I've had no indication from Stu on costing yet.

Bloody Scots, so grumpy all the time!

[cwspellowe]

Er, you were the one getting pissy at having no names

All i was saying is that they've made top mounts before so should have some kind of upper limit they expect costs to fall within per set. Setting up a group buy like that is like saying "i've had an idea for an epic free bacon for life machine" and then after getting the name of every red blooded man ever saying "owait it's £2bazillion each, anyone still interested?"

But as you're permanently premenstrual i'll let this one slide, the things I do for you when you're on the blob...

[Ben]

I thought the ones they do already were a few hundred? So £140 would be very good if these are improved versions!

[Ed Doe]

updated guys! Prices should follow shortly, the first set are being run off in the next couple of days!

[Dangti6]

I like the look of those.

[ozonehostile]

im interested in a set if they turn out as good as they look

[Slam Wagon]

1. Ed
2. Grant
3. PompeyMark
4. Just Sean
5. Puglove
6. Ben
7.ian

Interested but unsure. Anyone who is running a similar product have any feedback with what difference it makes.

[Ed Doe]

I'm running mildly increased camber and caster with compbrake top-mounts. Basically the car feels to me like it has more front-end grip. Increasing caster angle basically increases the camber abgle the more you turn the steering wheel. Have you looked at a BMW or Merc on full lock? Notice the wheels 'lean over'? That's caster.

Increasing camber improves grip in the corners, as the car 'rolls onto the main footprint of the tyre' the harder you corner, rather than rolling off the main footprint and more onto the outer shoulder. Too much camber however will reduce braking grip as simply it reduces the tyre contact patch on the road in a straight line. If you're running heavy camber it will also scrub the arse off the inside shoulder of your tyres.

Summary; Camber & caster are good things if properly tuned to your particular required end-use. If you're running -4deg camber on a daily, you're gonna go through a set of tyres in a couple of thousand miles. But the ability to relatively easily adjust the camber settings means it's easier to run some rude camber for a trackday, but also not kill the tyres when you drive home!

[Slam Wagon]

Awesome cheers ed. will there be more info on the mods required to reach more camber, just how much/little modification is it? This is yet another item on the wanted list.

[Ed Doe]

You can get up to 1 degree additional camber without any modification to the chassis; as far as I am aware, Baker will be supplying them with a jig to bolt to the top of the chassis to guide you properly on the modification of the chassis, so it'll be properly easy to mod it and then you're good for up to 4degrees more over stock

[Niall]

You can get up to 1 degree additional camber without any modification to the chassis; as far as I am aware, Baker will be supplying them with a jig to bolt to the top of the chassis to guide you properly on the modification of the chassis, so it'll be properly easy to mod it and then you're good for up to 4degrees more over stock

And then because youve got supposedly epic camber which isnt really needed on road use unless you drive like a helmet, you drive into the back of someone.

Yes i went there....

[cwspellowe]

Yeah loads of camber on the road is ridiculous, i had about 5degrees and lost all front end grip in anything other than the dry, even with no ARB

[Niall]

TBH on a road car, i genuinely dont see the need for it unless you plan on driving very fast and hard (Read, complete dick head) But anyway, thats a debate for the next time someone crashes!

[cwspellowe]

TBH on a road car, i genuinely dont see the need for it unless you plan on driving very fast and hard (Read, complete dick head) But anyway, thats a debate for the next time Ed crashes!

He got away with it relatively lightly last time considering he was doing 120mph lift off oversteer in a 20mph school zone at 8.45am with traffic building up and children playing football in the street whilst the bin men were out and the milk man doing his rounds, with buses at bus stops at either side of the road and taxis turning in front of them.

[Ed Doe]

Thanks niall, the point of these is to be able to ADJUST camber for when you get to a track. You can hate on my driving as much as you want, the camber I'm currently running is so mild in reality it would have made squat difference in my incident.

Anyway, back on topic....

[Niall]

In my defence, i didnt mention your crash! Blame the northerner

[Ed Doe]

Righto Guys, bit of an update on this!

Stu emailed me earlier in the week with the following information:

Hi Ed,

I have the final pricing for these top mounts.

They are going to retail at £175 +vat Inc. Bearings

The bearings are a motorsport application Bronze Weave PTFE lined type. These alone cost £40 +vat for the pair. There are cheaper alternatives on the market but we would not be happy supplying these in our product.

For people who have already to expressed an interest in these on your forum we can offer the Top Mounts inc. Bearings for £140 +vat (After testing)

So Get your names down if you want to get these at the reduced price above!!

Picture shamelessly stolen from the Baker Facebook feed:



My set are all made up, just waiting on a trip to the anodisers Tuesday next week, then hopefully Stu will send them out!!! Super keen to get these bad boys on the car and give you all some feedback. I suspect significant quantities of awesomeness

[Lew_Derv_T]

1. Ed
2. Grant
3. PompeyMark
4. Just Sean
5. Puglove
6. Ben
7.ian
8.Lew_Derv