Why do some tuned/custom cars have wheels pointed so far in?

Question

I do unterstand how giving the wheels tilt can provide better grip/traction in racing. What i dont get are the cars i see on the road that look like they have been squashed down. The wheels look like they are almost 45° to the road. Is there a function for this extreme tilt? Is it just a style thing, like low riders that scrape the ground?

In: 5

Answer 1

Friction normally doesnt depend on area of contact. it is only a function of normal reaction and the coefficient of friction between the surfaces. But rubber doesnt grip the road with friction. It grips with adhesion. adhesion IS a function of area. (This is the reason why slicks are better gripping than treaded tyres on dry track).

Coming back to the question at hand, increasing the camber of wheels to the road definitely decreases the patch of area that is in contact with the road. Which means the forces you need to overcome to move reduce. But like I said, this also reduces grip. So there’s a trade off here.

All automobile wheels are cambered, however slightly. This is done for an entirely different reason. Giving a slight angle to wheels reduces the torque required to turn their direction immensely. This means theyre easier to turn. The car handles better.

Race cars are designed to be run at high speeds constantly, on track. They work best when theyre fast. Theyre also aerodynamically designed to have a lot of downforce on them at high speeds. (This force comes from air moving fast on top of the car.) This downforce helps them stick to the road better. wheels and suspension systems directly feel this downforce and this camber angle is reduced when the car is moving fast. To correct that, cars that are supposed to be moving fast more often are given more camber angle to begin with.

With all that being said, there’s some people who do it really just to show off and just because they can, without thinking too much. There’s a fine balance to all this with benefits and trade offs. Professionally race tuned cars are the go to standard here, not backyard enthusiast’s cars.