Hi, Mike.
Positive camber is primarily a means of loading the inner bearing and
axle stub more than the outer. The inner parts are sturdier, as they
are not hanging out so far from the supporting structure, and can be
larger in diameter (since nothing needs to fit past them), and
positive camber puts the load more on then.
Now this is [really] only true for the static case, where side loads
from cornering or what-not are not considered. The original design
dates back wagons (or maybe earlier) where cornering loads are
minimal. Further note that solid axle vehicles suffer from very
little camber change during cornering, so what you see is what you
get.
HTH,
Donald.
> Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2001 15:19:16 -0800
> From: "M D (Doc) Nugent" <nugentmd@gte.net>
>
>
> Watching Speedvision's coverage of Goodwood (historic cars) has
> generated two related curiosities:
> 1) Why on earth did pre-war cars have massive positive camber in the
> front? The trend is so universal it looks intentional, but handling
> would have been awful with that design.
[snip]
>
> Mike - Renton, WA
> CARCENTRIC - http://home1.gte.net/NugentMD/Spitfire3500.htm
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