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  May 24, 2010 10:48 p.m. Carson Dork

  Here's a question: Why do Pre-war racers have massive amounts of positive camber on the front wheels? It's something I've often noticed, well as about as often as you see a '30s Frazer Nash or the like, anyway.

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  May 26, 2010 8:01 p.m. Vince New Reader

  Negative camber improves grip when cornering. It also reduces the tendency for the inside of the tire to roll and lift thus keeping more rubber on the road so to speak, (for the outside tire on the turn).

  This might possibly have been more of an issue with the older cars when tires weren't as "grippy" and most affective when on a road track where a lot of cornering was the case.

  VangoughV

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  May 26, 2010 9:22 p.m. Carson Dork

  Thanks for the reply. I understand why cars utilize negative camber. I just don't understand why they'd use positive camber up front.

  Like this:

  The less grippy, more primitive tires would be rolling away from the center of the tread (instead of onto with negative camber) reducing the size of the contact patch and, therefore, grip on the outside tire.

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  May 27, 2010 5:04 a.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

  My understanding is it has to do with steering effort. The kingpin angle was vertical, and the wheel canted to place the center of the contact patch under the kingpin pivot axis.
  

  The kingpin was placed vertically to keep stress loads to a minimum on it. If it were canted out so the wheel was vertical the stress loads on the king pin would lead to breaking the pin, with obvious catastrophic results.

  Same thing with riding mowers btw.

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  May 27, 2010 10:39 a.m. Carson Dork

  Ah ha. That makes sense. Thanks.

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  June 21, 2010 6:34 p.m. ronbros Reader

  a guy in watertown massachusetts was the 1st to make wide slick race tires, and tell the racers to put more negative in the front.

  americans were going to slicks long before Europe and GP cars.

  the guy was Marvin Ritchfin,of M&H tire, a Russian born Jew, so now we know a little more useless trivia.

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  June 4, 2011 4:42 a.m. masterjohnson New Reader

  rsmith wrote:

  Vince wrote: Negative camber improves grip when cornering. It also reduces the tendency for the inside of the tire to roll and lift thus keeping more rubber on the road so to speak, (for the outside tire on the turn). This might possibly have been more of an issue including idler arm with the older cars when tires weren't as "grippy" and most affective when on a road track where a lot of cornering was the case.

  now i understand it too. are the new model cars still uses this kind of cambers? are their idler arm still the same with vintage cars?

  i am not sure my friend. every year they improve the grip, handling of cars today. but i think yes to keep more rubber on the road like what vince said. i cannot see any difference with idler arms today they are still the same concept and structure with older cars they are just improved.

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  June 4, 2011 1:56 p.m. Tom Heath Web Manager

  ronbros wrote: a guy in watertown massachusetts was the 1st to make wide slick race tires, and tell the racers to put more negative in the front. americans were going to slicks long before Europe and GP cars. the guy was Marvin Ritchfin,of M&H tire, a Russian born Jew, so now we know a little more useless trivia.

  That's pretty interesting. I always associated M&H with the "cheater" slicks that were popular before drag radials.

  

  I had no idea they did road racing stuff as well.

  I tried drag racing, but kept blowing the apex for turn 2...

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