Wheel alignment Specs Question

Ashton Crusher wrote: " So my guess
is letting the steering system ACTIVELY work
at keeping the car stable creates less drag then
making the car inherently stable. "


Interesting.

Alright, let's take this thread in a slightly
different direction based upon that premise:


That combining minimal directional
parameters(Caster, camber, SAI) with a
computer stabilizing the car increases
fuel economy vs high doses of those
traditional parameters.


Let's start by asking the question, do higher
amounts of caster & camber reduce the
fuel economy of X vehicle, all other factors
being equal?

"Let's start by asking the question, do higher
amounts of caster & camber reduce the
fuel economy of X vehicle, all other factors
being equal"

Hmmm.. Nobody?



Must be a lot of cats in this NG.

On Wed, 18 Feb 2015 04:42:45 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

>Ashton Crusher wrote: " So my guess
>is letting the steering system ACTIVELY work
>at keeping the car stable creates less drag then
>making the car inherently stable. "
>
>
>Interesting.
>
>Alright, let's take this thread in a slightly
>different direction based upon that premise:
>
>
>That combining minimal directional
>parameters(Caster, camber, SAI) with a
>computer stabilizing the car increases
>fuel economy vs high doses of those
>traditional parameters.
>
>
>Let's start by asking the question, do higher
>amounts of caster & camber reduce the
>fuel economy of X vehicle, all other factors
>being equal?

I would have to think they would. Here's a physical explanation...
When you put caster/camber in one of the reasons it makes the car
stable is because as the wheel deviates from straight ahead the
turning movement of those parts actually raises the front of the car a
small additional amount. This upward movement is what creates the
centering downforce that tries to make the car wheels stay straight.
It takes energy to raise the car, and raising the car makes the shocks
work to dampen the movement which results. Some of that energy winds
up being dissipated as heat in the shock absorbers. There is also the
friction in the ball joints, etc. There is no free lunch.

Ashton Crusher wrote: "small additional amount.
This upward movement is what creates the
centering downforce that tries to make the car
wheels stay straight. It takes energy to raise the car, and
raising the car makes the shocks "


Still, I trust gravity and built-in stability over electronic
means any day. I recently drove a friend's 2012
Mazda CX-7, expecting some of the feel from a 6
or Miata. Nope! While I didn't have to correct
all the time, the steering on that CX-7 felt just TOO
SOFT. That's what you get when you let servos &
microchips do a job more suited for traditional
alignment parameters.


Guess I'd just better stick with older cars where I can
add as much caster or SAI as I like - or replace
the power steering with a lower-pressure system.

On Sat, 21 Feb 2015 15:27:28 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

>Ashton Crusher wrote: "small additional amount.
>This upward movement is what creates the
>centering downforce that tries to make the car
>wheels stay straight. It takes energy to raise the car, and
>raising the car makes the shocks "
>
>
>Still, I trust gravity and built-in stability over electronic
>means any day. I recently drove a friend's 2012
>Mazda CX-7, expecting some of the feel from a 6
>or Miata. Nope! While I didn't have to correct
>all the time, the steering on that CX-7 felt just TOO
>SOFT. That's what you get when you let servos &
>microchips do a job more suited for traditional
>alignment parameters.
>
>
>Guess I'd just better stick with older cars where I can
>add as much caster or SAI as I like - or replace
>the power steering with a lower-pressure system.

The ideal system would be where you could hook up a laptop and dial in
your own settings for the electric steering, transmission shift
points, shock settings, spring rates, etc.

Ashton Crusher wrote: "On Sat, 21 Feb 2015 15:27:28 -0800 (PST),
wrote:
- show quoted text -
The ideal system would be where you could hook up a laptop and dial in
your own settings for the electric steering, transmission shift
points, shock settings, spring rates, etc. "


No thanks! I'd rather drive a CAR, not a computer. This is all
just reinventing the wheel for the sake of reinventing the
wheel.