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When looking at wheel alignment there are two major aspects that can be changed to aid race performance.
These are toe and camber and relate to the angle of the tyre in relation to the chassis.
Toe.
Toe measures whether the front of the tyre is closer to the chassis than the rear. This measurement is taken in degrees and is calculated with 0° being straight ahead. If a tyre is toeing in it will have positive degrees, whereas if the tyre is toeing out it will have negative degrees. Tyre wear, straight line stability and corner entry characteristics are all affected by the angle of tow and will be different depending on that angle. For example, toeing out will produce quicker cornering responses but toeing in will increase straight line stability. The ideal degree for toe is 0° as it minimises tyre wear and power loss but is rarely used in racing. Most race cars are set up to toe out slightly as drivers are prepared to comprise straight line stability for quicker cornering responses. See diagram for slightly exaggerated toe in and toe out.
Camber.
Camber measures the tilt of the tyre from parallel, whether the top of the tyre is closer to the chassis than the bottom. As with toe, it is measured in degrees with 0° being parallel. The cornering force that a tyre can produce is affected by camber. Too much negative camber with result in high tyre wear on the inside whereas too much positive camber will result in high tyre wear on the outside. Race cars will tend to run with a slight negative camber setting, around -½°, as this produces the best cornering force. To find the right camber setting, run a few hot laps and measure the temperature across the tyre, on the tread, at the points of inside, middle and outside. The temperature will spike significantly on the inside or outside if the camber setting is not correct. The optimum spread of temperature should be slightly higher on the inside. Camber is also useful in creating heat in tyres. A slightly more negative camber than usual can help to develop heat. See diagram for slightly exaggerated negative and positive camber.
With toe and camber, test the car after any changes you make. A slightly different wishbone or a knock on track may disturb the camber setting you have. Always keep a note of what setting you use as if you write off the front end of the car, you’ll be able to rebuild it with the prefect settings from your notes. By Samantha McVey
Worth Checking - Motorsport News - F1 News
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