What is the function of camber in a car?

Camber is used to distribute load across the entire tread. Improper camber can make the tire wear on one edge and may cause the vehicle to pull to the side that has the most positive camber. Zero camber will result in the most uniform tire wear over time, but may reduce performance during cornering.

1. What should camber be on a car?
2. Does camber have any benefits?
3. Is camber good or bad?
4. Does camber affect handling?
5. Does camber affect steering?
6. Is negative camber bad?
7. Why do old cars have positive camber?
8. How much camber is too much?
9. Will camber wear out tires?
10. How do you tell if your camber is off?
11. Does camber affect alignment?
12. What controls front camber?
13. Should camber be 0 degrees?
14. What is negative caster on a car?

What should camber be on a car?

For a normal car you typically want to maintain a slight amount of negative camber (0.5 - 1°) to have a good balance of cornering grip, braking grip, and tire wear. On most vehicles it's common to have slightly more negative camber (0.8 - 1.3°) in the rear to reduce the chances of oversteer (loss of grip in rear).

Does camber have any benefits?

When your front wheels have a positive camber, they are inclining outward. This creates more stability because it will cause the vehicle to pull to each side. ... The benefit of positive camber on these vehicles is that you don't need to use much effort when steering them.

Is camber good or bad?

' Positive camber is for stability, while negative camber is common in high performance vehicles that require better cornering. Quick fact: While some positive or negative camber is good, too much of either is bad.

Does camber affect handling?

Camber angle alters the handling qualities of a particular suspension design; in particular, negative camber improves grip when cornering especially with a short long arm suspension. ... As a result, the handling of even low-priced automobiles has improved dramatically.

Does camber affect steering?

Camber is used to distribute load across the entire tread. Improper camber can make the tire wear on one edge and may cause the vehicle to pull to the side that has the most positive camber. ... In these types of vehicles, the positive camber angle helps to minimize the amount of steering effort.

Is negative camber bad?

A negative camber setup can potentially cause the car to have its traction significantly compromised in wet conditions. This can considerably increase the braking distance and impact its overall handling.

Why do old cars have positive camber?

In such vehicles, the positive camber angle helps to achieve a lower steering effort." ... From what I have heard the cars of the time had terrible oversteer tendencies, so they put positive camber on the front tires in an attempt to balance the handling.

How much camber is too much?

Usually somewhere between 1-2 degrees is a good place to start. When I owned an 8th generation Civic, 2 degrees in the front, with 2.5 degrees in the rear was common. The setting you choose will serve as a baseline.

Will camber wear out tires?

Camber can cause a pull, but it doesn't do it by being extremely negative or positive, but by being different from side to side. ... However, a difference in camber side to side will not result in tire wear, only extreme amounts of camber, negative or positive, will cause tire wear, but this wear will be relatively slow.

How do you tell if your camber is off?

To check camber, make sure the vehicle is parked on level ground. If not, factor the ground slope into the camber reading. Then place a straight edge across the wheel (use the inner lip if the outer is nicked or uneven) and use an angle finder to reveal camber.

Does camber affect alignment?

Too much inward or outward tilt, also known as negative and positive camber, respectively, indicates improper alignment and will need to be adjusted. Worn bearings, ball joints, and other wheel-suspension parts may contribute to camber misalignment.

What controls front camber?

There are several methods to adjust camber, depending on the vehicle and its suspension. Stock suspensions may feature cam bolts, eccentric washer bolts, turn-buckle joints, or shim adjustments. ... On McPherson strut suspensions, they may be used to adjust the lower control arm or the steering knuckle.

Should camber be 0 degrees?

0 degrees camber gives you the best contact patch and therefore the best performance with heavy braking. Static negative camber will usually cause the inside of the tire to wear more than the outside.

What is negative caster on a car?

Negative Caster - If the line slopes towards the front of the vehicle then the caster is negative. Negative caster will allow you to steer less around turns, but may cause you to drift if you are driving straight forward.