Re-inventing the Wheel

August 17, 2010 - About a dozen years ago John Scott saw a Lexus sedan so overloaded that its tires cambered inward at the top. This gave him the idea for tires with built-in negative camber that would improve ride, lateral traction, fuel efficiency and tread life. In 1999 he received a patent 5,975,176 for “Tire having a constantly decreasing diameter."

Last spring auto writer Don Sherman tested a prototype of Scott's CamberTires. Sherman was impressed:

His prototype... demonstrated shorter stopping distances, higher cornering speeds and a markedly improved ride. The tires’ breakaway at the ragged edge of adhesion was more progressive and predictable than the Mitsubishi’s original-equipment Yokohama radials.

Scott now has a cooperative development agreement with M&H Racemaster, a racing tire distributor, to manufacture prototype tires and to conduct evaluation tests. This collaboration has passed Transportation Department durability tests and has met the requirements to earn a V speed rating (149 m.p.h.). Here's more from Don Sherman at Automobilemag.com.