Rear tires seem to sag outward...

[gniwok]

Can anyone tell me why the rear tires on my 09 passion, and just about every other smart I've seen on the road, seems to have the rear tires sag or kick out slightly? It looks to me like the axle's bent, but I know that's not the case since I looked at it closely with a level!

Thanks!
~Jas...

[forestacademy]

You are correct
smart rear wheel camber

[gniwok]

Thank you, my friend!

I've been searching, but should have used Wheel instead of Tire as a keyword. Anyway, this makes me feel much better!

~Jas...

[jwight]

Originally Posted by gniwok

Thank you, my friend!

I've been searching, but should have used Wheel instead of Tire as a keyword. Anyway, this makes me feel much better!

~Jas...

Or camber...

[fortow]

This negative camber, the narrower front wheels, and the electronic stability control, are a result of overly cautious attempt to be certain that this small light, high, short wheelbased car will not under almost any circumstances ever over-steer or tend to roll over. Of course, you can never account for all eventualities so it is bound to happen at some point. The one thing an owner can change is the asymmetrical front and rear tire widths.

[Padawan]

The rear camber specs (roughly -2 degrees) aren't all that extreme. The appearance is exaggerated a bit by the fact that the rear fenders actually taper inward rather than being perfectly vertical.

[gniwok]

Fortow - I think that's cool, even though I'm sure most of us aren't up for racing our smarts around corners. I used to be able to corner like I was on a roller coaster in my Geo Metro, and I've been cautiously testing the corner capability on my Pocket Rocket since I got it last week. Now that I know what this camber is for, I'll be more brave in driving my smart to the best ability it has!

Padawan - That's what I was thinking it was at first! The fender angles. I tried lining up the back wheels with the front and really looking at it with a level, and that's when I figured it wasn't quiiiite vertical. But as everyone here has said, it's slight (-2) and actually looks cool in a "sport car" sort of way.

Thanks again everyone!
~Jas...