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434—STEERING
CHRYSLER SERVICE MANUAL
straightening the frame as required, or by
replacing the damaged parts.
34. CAMBER
Camber is the amount the wheel inclines away
from the vertical at the top, as viewed from the
front of the car (Fig. 71).
With positive camber, the wheels are farther
apart at the top than at the bottom. Negative
or reverse camber is the opposite—the wheels
are closer together at the top than at the bottom.
Unequal camber in the front wheels may
cause the car to lead to the right or left.
35. CASTER
Caster is the amount the top of the king pin is
inclined toward the front or rear of the car, as
viewed from the side of the car (Fig. 72).
Positive caster is the tilt of the top of the
king pin toward the rear of the car. Negative or
reverse caster is the tilt of the top of the king
pin toward the front of the car.
Positive caster imparts a trailing action to
the front wheels, while negative or reverse
caster causes a leading action. The correct
amount of caster helps to keep the front wheels
in the straight-ahead position. When turning a
curve caster and king pin inclination act as a
lever, assisting the driver to return the front
wheels to the straight-ahead position.
36. TOE-IN AND TOE-OUT
Toe-in is the amount the front wheels are closer
- N E G A T I V E CASTER
FRONT
-(-POSITIVE CASTER
-TIRE CENTER LINE
—CAMBER ANGLE
VERTICAL LINE
KING PIN ANGLE-
KING PIN CENTER LINE
KING PIN
49x704
Fig. 72—Caster Angle
Fig. 71—Camber Angle and King Pin Inclination
together at the front than they are at the rear,
when viewed from the top of the car.
Excessive or insufficient toe-in causes lateral
slipping or scuffing between the tire and the
road, resulting in abnormal tire wear.
When the wheels are turned to the right or
left, they actually toe out (are farther apart at
the front than at the rear).
The design of the steering knuckle arm regu-
lates the amount of toe-out, depending on the
wheelbase of the car and the distance between
the steering knuckles. To be in correct relative
alignment when negotiating a turn, both front
and rear wheels must travel in circles having a
common center. The inside front wheel travels
in a circle having a smaller arc than the circle
traveling by the outside front wheel. Therefore,
the wheels will be farther apart at the front
than at the back when turned off the straight-
ahead position. The amount the front wheels
toe-out on turns depends on how far the front
wheels are turned.
A bent steering knuckle arm will cause exces-
sive tire wear, even though the amount of toe-in
is correct for the straight ahead position of the
front wheels, because when the front wheels
are turned to the right or left, the error in toe-
out, due to the bent steering knuckle arm, would
cause excessive scuffing between the tire and
the road.
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