DIY: Front Camber Kit Install

Skunk2 Front Camber Kit

Megan Racing Front Camber Kit

Image 1 - MEGAN FRONT UPPER CONTROL CAMBER ARMS FOR 92-95 HONDA CIVIC 2/3/4DR EG EJ EH

Cheap eBay Front Camber Kit

Image 1 - Adjustable Front Upper Camber Control Arm Pair Rd For 93-97 Del Sol/ 92-95 Civic

This is the first DIY guide I am doing so bear with me on it. If I miss anything, let me know, I am trying to make the install as easy and clear as possible. This thread pretty much details everything you need to do for a successful Blox or Skunk2 Camber Kit install. The install itself really isn't hard at all, but if you were thinking of paying someone to put it on instead, hopefully this will save you a few bucks.

My install is on a 1994 Integra GSR (2 door). I installed my Tein SS Coilovers 2 days ago and didn't even think about putting the camber kits in when the assemblies were all out and not in the way. So the guide details how to do the camber kit install while working around the struts and not removing them. I'm sure there are many other ways of doing this too, this is just the one that I found easiest and quickest. It may be easier not to damage your spring/strut assembly if they are completely removed from the car. If it is removed just ignore steps 6-9 as hopefully the rest of the guide can still help you.

Step 1: You'll want to start by jacking up the front end and use some sort of jack stands to make sure it stays in the air. Start by removing the wheel and locate the 2 17mm nuts in the engine compartment that will be removed and the 17mm castle nut that will be removed down below. I have circled both in the pictures.

Step 2: Next go ahead and remove the top nuts in the engine bay and then take a pair of dykes (wire cutters and I'm not sure if that was the correct way to spell it or not) and bend the cotter pin back into shape that goes through the castle nut. Once the ends of the pin are straightened, use the head of the dykes and tap it out to where you can grab the looped end with the dykes and pull it straight out.

Step 3: Use a closed-ended 17mm wrench on the castle nut and loosen it up, but don't take it all the way off.

Step 4: The reason you want to keep a few threads attached is because you are going to need to tap the bottom up it out with a hammer. This will save the threads on the joint in case you ever want to take your new camber kits out. It takes a couple of good hits to break it loose. (There is a tool made to remove ball joints that looks sort of like a crowbar with a split end. I never use them though because I almost always tear the boots with them. The hammer just seems to work easier.) Also, when you take the castle nut off, as Patrick stated below, it's a good idea to tie the knuckle assembly back with either zip ties or a bungie cord so it doesn't put any stress on your axle.

Step 5: The next 2 steps are probably the most tricky. It's kind of tough to manuver the upper control arm around the coilover set up. However, if you can tweak it just right, (hopefully without scratching your brand new suspension) you can get a 14mm closed-ended wrench and a 3/8″ drive 14mm ratchet and socket on the bolts that hold the mounting plates/bushings to the control arm. Once you have the first side done, go ahead and do the second. Also, when you are moving the control arm assembly around in there, be careful not to bend any lines going to or from the brake calipers. Once both 14mm bolts/nuts are undone, go ahead and drop down the main part of the assembly.

Step 6: This part is probably the hardest to be careful with. I used my dremel with a small cut off wheel to cut the bracket the ties the two mounting plates together. I tried for a long time to try and move them around in wierd positions hoping to be able to pull them out from behind the suspension and avoid cutting anything but they wouldn't fit. I would assume it is the same thing on similar model cars, but not sure. Also, one of my friends recommended that I just take a flat head screw driver and a hammer to the tie bracket since they just slide over the mounting plate. I also tried this for a while with no success since they have small splines that they slide into. Regardless, I ended up using my dremel to cut one end off and the two pieces come right out. Try not to destroy the little tie brace when you are cutting it. You will be using it when remounting the new camber kit, but in smaller pieces as a shim or washer. You'll see what I mean. Also, the wheel that is on the dremel is not the one I ended up using, I didn't realize I had such a soft one on it until I started cutting. I would get the really thin ones. They seem to work well for metal.

Step 7: The next thing I did, which by any means isn't necessary, is soak the old bolts and mounts w/bushings down in WD40 to clean all the road tar and grease off them. They will have a few min to soak in it since there are a couple of other things to do before the new camber kit is ready to go in. Here is also a side by side comparison of the old and the new. You can see the Blox unit is much more of a heavy duty piece.

Step 8: Alright, so we have the mounting assemblies out now and put in a vice with the tie strap deal still attached. Put one of the 17mm nuts back on the bolt side of the bushing and take a few whacks at it with a hammer to pop it out of the strap. You will notice the splines I was talking about earlier. That's why they are so hard to knock loose while the things still in the car. Once again, don't destroy the tie straps pieces if possible as they are used in the next step.

Step 9: So you should now have both pieces of the tie strap sitting out. We need to cut both of those down to a similar size to what I have shown here. Use the dremel or a bench grinder, or whatever else you can think of.

Step 10: All of the parts are ready to be wiped down now and put back together. Go ahead and position the upper mounts in the new camber kit and put the 14mm bolts through from the outside and the nuts on the inside. Go ahead and tighten them down as well but when they start getting snug you'll obviously want to position the mounts facing up as they are hard to move when the bolts are tight.

Step 11: Its kind of hard to see in this picture but put the shims that we cut down from the tie brace back on the mounts. Then put the camber kit assembly back into position and thread on the 17mm nuts in the engine bay and tighten them down. Put the knuckle assembly back on the camber kit as well.

Step 12: You can thread the new castle nut onto the camber kit bolt that comes down from the adjustable joint. Get is tight the closed-ended 17mm wrench and make sure one of the openings lines up with the hole so you can place a new cotter pin through it. Go ahead and put the cotter pin back through it and bend one side of it up and one down to make sure the nut doesn't go anywhere. (I didn't put a picture of that because it was way too blurry to even see. Sorry the pics haven't been the best, my hands were all greasy and I was fumbling the camera most of the time.)

Step 13: I didn't take a picture of the adjustment process on the new camber kit but it's really easy. In fact, it can be done with the wheel still on the car as long is it jacked up. It required a size #5 metric allen wrench in the four spots I have show in the picture. Make sure you tighten them up good when you have the adjustment you need.