Thread: Camber changes during cornering.

I was reading around on the forums and I read that the camber and contact patch of the tires changes during cornering. Would someone be able to explain this with some detailed photos ( would be a plus if possible ) showing the changes in the contact patch when cornering with 0 camber,with negetive camber, positive camber(don't know why but it would be fun) and how much the camber adjusts it self. Not sure if this question is clear enough but someone always comes through for me. If it can not be answered please point me in the right direction.

There probably are a couple good articles on net, and maybe even on motoiq.com regarding camber change during cornering. Or someone else might have an article bookmarked.

Camber change depends on the type of suspension: Macpherson strut, double wishbone, beam, etc. Each suspension has it's own characteristics for camber change. The B13/B14 front suspension (Macpherson strut) is not one of the better designs to allow camber change - it is (in general) cheaper and more compact and the B13/B14 chassis is an economy car design.

Ideally, you want the most contact area all of the time between your tire and the pavement. So this ideal situation would allow you to run 0* camber when tracking straight and then as you turn your camber would change (becoming negative) but your tire contact area would still stay the same (the largest).

For the B13/B14, you have to set the suspension with negative camber (so slightly less than ideal contact patch when tracking straight) so you have a better contact area when you start to turn.

That is a quick basic example for early in the morning. There are a bunch of suspension design books available if you want to take it farther.

Josh

Is it too much to ask to see this in the suspension section?
I'll reply once it's moved.

The B chassis cars have the one on the left. P chassis cars have the one on the right in front.

Thanks all for the replys so far I look foward to it Ben.

Not to crowd Ben's presentation. Here are some visual aide with different types of suspensions.


I took these for goracingtv.com at PBIR during the Jan. Nationals. Chip and Drago during warmups. Notice the LF wheel.

Danny in a normal line.

E. Tucker in a harder wider turn. Notice the loaded wheels.

Good quality suspension, LF still leaning neg. Notice the tires front and rear.

High speed turn. Notice front wing level and tire deflection.

Penske suspension.

Tube frame car. Almost flat.

High speed.

One of the first time running this car. Notice the front wheel leaning positive. Rear has severe deflection. this is what 90% of our cars look like in a hard turn. 85 MPH turn.

Better with lower cont. stress bar

Much better, good tire deflection, rim is almost vertical.

caster sweep. wikipedia

more positive caster means you can run less static camber........this means when going straite you have less camber I.E. more contact patch. but when the wheel turns postitive caster introduces negative camber.