[200q20v] V8 vs old S4 - tramming

[Bernie Benz]

Linus,

A strut brace will help solve the excessive negative camber characteristic
of our type 44 chassis cars.  Just the reason that I came up with the Benz
Brace.

Bernie

> From: Linus Toy <linust at mindspring.com>
> Date: Sat, 03 Mar 2001 00:40:09 -0800
> To: <gpowell at ennovatenetworks.com>, "'Phil Rose'" <pjrose at frontiernet.net>,
> "'Arthur'" <r-tav at concentric.net>, <200q20v at audifans.com>
> Subject:RE: [200q20v] V8 vs old S4 - tramming
> 
> At 12:20 PM 3/2/2001 -0500, Glen Powell wrote:
> 
>> The follow-the-grooves problem (also know as 'tramming' I think) is mostly a
>> function of tire and wheel width and tire profile. As width goes up and
>> aspect-ratio goes down tramming becomes more and more of a problem. Two
>> otherwise identical cars but with substantially different tire/wheel widths
>> and tire aspect ratios will behave very differently. This is a trade-off
>> manufactures have to make based on the target cusomer and his expectations.
> 
> I think the "problem" is more an issue of alignment.  On my '91 200q, I've
> had stock size 215/60-15, '92 S4 size 225/50-16, and my favorite,
> 235/45-17.  The most significant tramlining I've experienced was with the
> 15" wheels & tires, before I had the suspension realigned.  The alignment
> factor contributing most to this effect is camber--too much negative
> camber, to be exact.  While more negative camber helps the car "point"
> (turn-in) better or helps wider tires clear the fenders, the result is more
> tramlining effect.
> 
> Remember that on our cars with mac-strut fronts, lowering the car beyond a
> certain point often means you cannot reach alignment specs for camber.  One
> "trick" to minimize the tramlining effect of too much negative camber is to
> increase your toe-in.  This can't be too good for tire wear, though.
> 
> --Linus
> *--------------------------------------------------------------------*
> *  Linus Toy                      Insanity is doing the same thing   *
> *  Mercer Island, WA              you've always done and expecting   *
> *  linust at mindspring.com          different results                  *
> *                                      - Roger Milliken              *
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