Cambered Tires Can Improve Fuel Economy

thecarchik writes with an excerpt from Green Car Reports: "We already know that it's possible to curb your fuel consumption just by having your tires properly inflated, or better yet, installing a set of low rolling-resistance tires, however, soon there may be an additional avenue to look at when picking the most fuel efficient rubber for your ride. The answer is the camber of your tires, more specifically, the negative camber. This is when the tops of your car's tires are angled inwards towards the chassis. Of course, there are negative effects too — namely increased tire wear and impaired ride quality — which is why production cars almost always have zero camber." The linked article, as well as the New York Times article from which it draws, describe a new tire which is designed to minimize those negative effects.

A little help

[gmhowell]

I don't really understand TFA. Could someone post a car analogy for me?

When it is a car thing..

[Junta]

It has to be a computer analogy. This is kinda like when you are uploading files, but need them to go faster. You do that by leaning the computer back so the bits flow out of the back of it faster. Same deal here.

Re:How?

[Ihmhi]

The fact is, if you care, just run narrower and harder tires.. Thus giving lower friction and
more economy, duh!

Ah, so that's why my mountain bike uses so little gas. Makes sense!

Re:I bet they work even better...

[ushere]

better yet, helium....

Re:I bet they work even better...

[tsalmark]

Sir, I do believe you've been sold.

Re:I bet they work even better...

[aiht]

Hydrogen for me! Driving in my car's a blast.

Re:BMWs, Minis

[aXis100]

The salesman must have loved you. Would you like some special monster cable for your headlights too?

I can do posted speeds on my $110 tyres, pretty sure it's not that lofty a goal.

Re:"Negative Effects"

[FlyMysticalDJ]

I'm just imagining a boy with a dog running out in front of you along the railroad tracks. Or even more absurd, a train flying out in front of you in the middle of the suburbs with no tracks in sight.

Why do I suddenly feel like watching back to the future?...

Re:How?

[xelah]

Or have an extra set of wheels that drop down when necessary. Or go all the way and fit rockets (plus some on the sides for cornering). What could possibly go wrong?

Re:I bet they work even better...

[zippthorne]

True that. I fill all my tires with a low-grade nitrogen mix (only about 20% impurities.)