How Does Camber Affect Driving?

What is Camber?

Camber refers to the angle at which your vehicle’s wheels meet the ground when facing the front or rear of the car. It essentially refers to whether the wheels are completely straight up and down or tilted toward the center of the car at the top or bottom. Negative camber is when the top of the wheels tilt outward while positive camber is when the top of the wheels tilt inward.

The severity of these angles can change the way your vehicle handles as well as how the tires wear. Most stock vehicles come with a very slight negative camber, which enhances the stability of the vehicle and makes it easier to handle at highway speeds.

How Camber Affects Your Vehicle

Adjusting the camber plates of your vehicle will greatly affect the way it feels and how it responds to certain types of driving. Even making a small adjustment can have a big impact, so it is important to know how camber affects your car and how it can change the way it feels on the road. Having a good understanding of these changes will help you make the right decision for your vehicle and your specific needs behind the wheel.

Cornering

The thing that is perhaps most affected by the camber of your performance wheels is the way your vehicle handles in the corners. Negative camber increases the responsiveness in the corners since you will have a bigger contact patch on the ground when the vehicle is leaning into a turn. If you are looking to increase your cornering grip, a negative camber is a great way to do it. However, you don’t want too much of an angle as that will make your vehicle less stable when driving in a straight line.

Tire Wear

You have to be careful when adjusting the camber of your vehicle because it can have a drastic effect on how your custom tires wear. Too much positive camber, for example, can cause excess wear on the outer edge of your tires and you will need to replace them much sooner than you otherwise would. Too much negative camber will do the same thing to the inner edges, so it is important to find the right balance of cornering grip and consistent tire wear.

Stability

The stability of your car will be greatly affected by the camber of the wheels, especially in straight-line driving at higher speeds. A slight negative camber can give you excellent stability during highway driving but too much will cause a wobble in the steering wheel when moving in a straight line. Either a slightly negative or completely neutral camber will be best for commuters and people who use their vehicles as their daily drivers.

Signs You Need to Adjust Your Vehicle’s Camber

• Uneven Tire Wear - If you notice uneven tire wear on your vehicle, this could be a sign that you need to adjust the camber. Excess wear on the inner edge of the tire usually means you have too much negative camber and if it is on the outer edge it generally means you have too much positive camber. Adjusting accordingly and rotating the tires regularly should solve the issue.
• Pulling - If your vehicle is pulling to one side or wobbling when moving in a straight line, it usually means you have too much negative camber. This is because there is less of a contact patch on the road if you are not turning. Adjusting to a neutral camber will help give you some stability.
• Reduced Cornering Grip - If you feel like you don’t have enough traction when you are going into a corner, you probably have too much positive camber. A slight negative camber will help enlarge the contact patch in turns and increase your grip when turning.

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