Camber angle is the angle between the wheel and its vertical axis.
- If the top of the wheels are angled out further than the bottom \---/ it's called positive camber.
- If the top of the wheels are angled further in than the bottom /---\ it's called negative camber.
Note: Not all cars have adjustable camber.
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(We're only going to talk about negative camber here)
In short, due to the way suspension and load-transfer works, a little negative camber greatly helps a car's cornering grip. This is the result of a larger contact patch of the tyre making contact with the road as the outer wheels are loaded up during a turn. More lateral grip = faster speeds around corners = faster lap times.
These guys are just doing it for style and beyond reasonable limits too:
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These guys are doing it purely for performance!
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Available in 2, 3 & 4-degree options.The tapered profile of a CamberTire:
Not a very wide range of sizes available at the moment.
Because they're conical, they tend to roll inwards, which can be used to simulate toe-in, whilst the suspension can be set up for less toe-in -- giving the car a sharper turn-in characteristic.
Another advantage, from their website:"Our innovation didn't stop with just adding camber, we looked deeper into cornering and
discovered that tire "roll" also caused a loss of handling ability. To compensate for this, we
added in what we call a "rocker" on both the inner and outer corners of the tire tread pattern.
As a tire "rolls" side to side from cornering g-forces, the shelf offers extra contact on the
rolling edge resulting in skid pad results exceeding 1G on a street legal tire!"
I'd like to believe it - at least in theory.Something similar from another company : M&H Drag Radial
A few people have reviewed the tyres - but the problem is that no one has done any measured skidpad tests or timed laps!! :Shockked: Everything is on the bum-dyno.
Am still not 100% convinced, because, if you think about it:However, if you run a -4-degree cambertire, you're supposed to run an even more negative camber (eg. -6-degrees), so maybe this makes a difference, along with the taller outside sidewall?
- Stock tires w/ neutral camber : Contact patch lifts the inner edge on turns.
- Stock tires w/ negative camber : Contact patch becomes flat on turns.
- CamberTires w/ negative camber : Contact patch is flat at rest, and probably wants to lift the inner edge on turns once again?
The company themselves had released these test results - but from what i can tell, the cambertires perform pretty much on par with the Advans, except the last row, where the cambertire is using a stickier "R" compound.
Video review from TheSmokingTire:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5bT4hJ4B6M
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Originally Posted by sharc_biker
(Post 3090254)
But isn't that because it is a 4 wheeler and positive camber is on the front axle? If yes, why does a Piaggio Ape has it on the rear axle? Better load bearing? |
Originally Posted by Rehaan
(Post 3089913)
Am still not 100% convinced, because, if you think about it: Stock tires w/ neutral camber : Contact patch lifts the inner edge on turns. Stock tires w/ negative camber : Contact patch becomes flat on turns. CamberTires w/ negative camber : Contact patch is flat at rest, and probably wants to lift the inner edge on turns once again? |
Originally Posted by sharc_biker
(Post 3090254)
Why do Piaggio Apes have positive camber? |
Originally Posted by Sivasankar
(Post 3091555)
@Rehaan - Thanks for such an informative article. I think the Fiat Linea T-Jet runs on a few degrees of negative camber on the front wheels. Am I right? And BMWs also run on positive camber in their rear wheels, right? |
Drift camber tire setting; Where the Front-wheel is 3 to 4 degrees of negative camber, which helps put the tread flat on the ground when under side load. How it works: The tire’s carcass wants to flex and lift the inside of the tread off the ground; as the car rolls, it also wants to tip the tire to where the inside of the tread is being lifted off the ground. The car’s suspension geometry tries to make up for some of this, but it can’t totally compensate — running negative camber compensates for this. Where as Rear-wheel camber is close to zero as possible. This will usually give the car the best tire wear and best forward bite. If one wants a little more side grip, you can also run some negative camber, but usually no more than 1 degree negative. |
Originally Posted by Sivasankar
(Post 3091555)
And BMWs also run on positive camber in their rear wheels, right? |
Originally Posted by sharc_biker
(Post 3090254)
Why do Piaggio Apes have positive camber? I know it makes the steering light in tractors and offroaders. But isn't that because it is a 4 wheeler and positive camber is on the front axle? If yes, why does a Piaggio Ape has it on the rear axle? Better load bearing? Attachment 1071548 Image source |
Originally Posted by Sivasankar
(Post 3091555)
@Rehaan - Thanks for such an informative article. I think the Fiat Linea T-Jet runs on a few degrees of negative camber on the front wheels. Am I right? And BMWs also run on positive camber in their rear wheels, right? |
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