Stupid question

[pop.pop1955]

I had bugs in the 70's and was recently able to purchase another as a retirement hobby. What is the idea behind the negative camber on the rear wheels I see on some?
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let your conscious be your guide

[Matt Wilson]

It's what the kids are calling "stanced" - it's a matter of taste to make the car have that specific extreme lowered/extreme negative camber look. I can't say it's my taste...
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1972 Standard Beetle
1969 Baja Beetle

[Multi69s]

If we are talking about a car with a swingaxle transmission, When you start to lower the rear, by its design, the wheels are forced into this negative camber. This is because there is only one pivot point on the axle (at the transmission). If it is 69 or newer with the IRS rear end, unless the rear is slammed to the ground, the negative camber is usually caused by bent trailing arms, or collapsed rubber bushings.
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69 road Bug 2110
73 Squareback - 2L, T4, Automatic W/ AC
Gone, but many fond memories 69 Baja Bug 2010 - 5 Rib Bus Transaxle
Gone but not forgotten 72 Baja Bug 2010
My builds
T4 into Squareback http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=458944&highlight=
Auto Trans Rebuild http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=516066&highlight=
AC in Squareback https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=

[passionre]

If you dig deeper, it's actually a coping mechanism for appendage size envy.

[KTPhil]

There is an existing thread for this type of subject (no disrespect intended):

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=591285&start=2080

[Igpoe]

It's not a stupid question. It's a question about the stupidity of others. Their priorities are "look" and style over safety and economy.
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'73 super.

[KTPhil]

[cbeck]

Thought he was looking for a answer, not an opinion.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[ashman40]

This page does a good job explaining negative camber when you lower the rear of a S/A car.
https://www.jbugs.com/VW-Tech-Article-Swing-Axle-vs-IRS.html
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AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[Zundfolge1432]

[Dusty1]

If you eyeball some stock late BMWs you'll see camber on the rear like a lowered swingaxle.

Short track racers tend to run crazy amounts of camber. Done right, it keeps the contact patch where it needs to be in the corners.

I'm talking about two situations that are engineered and semi- engineered. We also have a setup first seen on dirt late models called "hillbillied". The idea is to use very light springs so the car lays over in the corners. There is a system of links and bars that keep the rear end flat to the track while the body rolls. The modern dirt late model is a strange beast with the body trimmed to maintain downforce while the car is cranked over and sideways.

You're effectively using very light springs when you take a couple splines of preload out of the rear torsions to lower the car.


Lowered cars especially lowered VWs trade function for appearance. The aircooled VW chassis was designed to be exceptionally functional on marginal roads. Lowering it trades off performance for appearance. The increased camber isn't there by design, it's an inevitable bi- product of setting the suspension to what would normally be the bottom of its travel.

What "they" usually don't tell you is swingaxles do a funky tuck and jack thing on hard cornering such as freeway off- ramps. Outer wheel tucks, inner wheel jacks, an undesirable situation. Overcook a corner, you''ll end up upside- down in the ditch.

[Buggeee]