09-05-2012, 11:39 AM
Camber
Camber
• The use of negative camber on both sides of the car generates camber thrust at each tire. On the straights, these forces balance each other out. However, in corners, the inside tires become more lightly loaded, while the outside tires become more heavily loaded. The outside tires' additional camber thrust produces a slight increase in useful lateral force, yielding an increase in cornering speed.
Caster
• The aligning torque is responsible for some of the self-centering effect of the steering wheel at speed. (Caster is responsible for most of the remaining self-centering effect.)
• The result is that as the front tires reaches their maximum grip, the steering wheel will begin to "go light". As the rear tires reach their maximum grip, the tail will begin too feel slippery, or "loose". The skilled driver senses these inputs from the tires and uses them to help operate the car near the optimum slip angle.
Tire Pressure
• If the tire pressure is too low, the middle part of the tire will be more lightly loaded and the edges will be more heavily loaded, resulting in less than optimal grip.
• If the tire pressure is too high, the middle part will bulge out and unload the edges of the tires, which will also result in reduced grip.