It is hard to imagine needing more that 1.5* neg camber with the stiffer
sidewalls of todays real rally tires.

Others might suggest more, the old dogma was 3, but that is tarmac and
very very hard cornering.

Try and get 4 degrees of castor.


John Vanlandingham
Seattle, WA. 98168

...........................................................

Shooting for around 4 degrees of castor does a number of things but the
absolute most important and indespensible is gives stronger 'self
centering effect', and makes the car stable at higher speeds.  I keep
saying we drive relatively straight and fast roads in NorthAmerica
(generally), and shorter cars need a good dose of stability and castor
gives you that stability.

The 4 degree figure I have seen on Escort MkII rwd, Cossie 2wd rwd,
Cossie 4x4, Golf II fwd, KadetteE GSI fwd, Saab 96, 99 and 900 fwd with
double A arms, so it is clear it is a goal to aim for.

When YOU want to turn, turn the wheel!!! 

I should say that many people have commented when they have ridden with
me in the past that the car (Saab 96) seems very stable and easy to drive
and forgiving when I corner like the rwd guy that I actually am (pitching
the car fairly vigourously at the corners, early rotation, early on the
gas and often letting go of the wheel as it winds back to center, all the
while yakking about language and 'shrooms, and philosophy, and old
sweeties pies around the world and waving at friends). The Saabs 98.4"
wheelbase helps a lot, combined with its rather narrow track making it
effectively FEEL longer.

But a good part of the easy driving is it wants to go straight and gives
me good feedback from the 3 to 4 degrees castor.

And I tell ya, when I've rammed into some nasty sheet and have slightly
bent back a lower A arm on one side and reduced the castor to near zero,
it is sppppoooooookky!!!

The camber thing is to large degree there to help keep a flat footprint
when the cornering forces makes the tire squirm over.  Todays tires
sidewalls and being that weeze bee's on gravel on moderately powered cars
without priomo grip is why the ol' dogma of 3 degrees camber is no more
valid.


John Vanlandingham
Seattle, WA. 98168