Assoc. Prof. PhD.

Nguyễn Văn Nhận

ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

FOR AUTOMOTIVE STUDENTS

Lesson ESP 10
STEERING GEOMETRY ANGLES

Đà Nẵng – 2023
 2

Steering geometry angles, also called alignment angles, are angles

between the wheels and parts attached to it and vehicles frame.
Traditionally, there are five steering geometry angles :
 Camber angle (CAM )
 Caster angle (CAS)
 Toe (TOE)
 Steering axis inclination (SAI)
 Toe-out on turns (TOT ).
The five traditional alignment angles can be classified as tire wear
angles or directional control angles. A tire wear angle helps prevent tire wear
when correct and accelerates tire wear when incorrect. Of the five traditional
alignment angles, the ones affecting tire wear are :
 Camber angle
 Toe
 Toe-out on turns.
A directional control angles affects steering and handling. All five of the
traditional alignment angles are directional control angles.
1. CAMBER ANGLE
Camber angle (CAM) is the inward or outward tilt of a wheel, viewed
from the front of the car. A wheel has zero camber when it is straight up and
down, so the centerline and the perpendicular line are the same. If the top leans
outward, away from the car body, the wheel has positive camber. If the top leans
inward, the wheel has negative camber. Camber angle is measurable on both the
front and rear wheels.

Fig. 1.1. Camber angle

Assoc. Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Văn Nhận - Dong A University - 2023

 3

Any amount of camber angle – positive or negative – tends to cause

uneven or more rapid tire wear, since the tilt puts more of the load on one side of
the tread than on the other. Camber angle is also a directional control angle. If
camber is unequal side-to-side, the car pulls toward the side with more camber.

2. TOE
Toe (TOE) is the angle between
the direction a wheel is aimed and a Front of vehicle
l1
line parallel to the centerline of the
automobile. If the toes point straight
l2
ahead, the wheels have zero toe. If the Toe - In
toes point toward each other, the
wheels have toe-in, or positive toe. If
the toes point away from each other,
Zero Toe
the wheels have toe-out, or negative
toe. l1

Purposes of the toe are to ensure

that wheels are rolling parallel, l2

stabilize steering and prevent slipping Toe - Out

toward sides, and prevent excessive Fig. 2.1. Toe

tire wear.

3. TOE-OUT ON TURNS
L

out
B

in


in
in
out
out

Fig. 3.1. Toe-out on turns

Assoc. Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Văn Nhận - Dong A University - 2023

 4

Toe-out on turns (TOT ) is the difference in angles between the two front
wheels and the car frame during turns. TOT allows the outside wheel to travel in
a larger arc than the inside wheel.
TOT is a result of the Ackermann steering geometry. When a car turns a
corner, the front wheel at the inside of the curve must turn at a greater angle than
the front wheel at the outside, so wheels are toe-out during turns.

4. CASTER ANGLE
Caster angle (CAS) is the forward or backward angle of the steering
axis, viewed from the side of the car. Specifically, it is the angle formed by
the steering axis and a vertical line running through the center of the wheel
and tire.
CAS = 0 CAS > 0 CAS < 0

Fig. 4.1. Caster angle

The main purpose of positive caster angle is to create self-centering
effect (straight-ahead stability and steering wheel returnability). The negative
caster angle makes the steering easier (steering stiffness).
5. STEERING AXIS INCLINATION

Fig. 5.1. Steering Axis Inclination

Assoc. Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Văn Nhận - Dong A University - 2023

 5

Steering axis inclination (SAI ) is the angle between the steering axis and
line perpendicular to a level surface, viewed from the front of the automobile.
More simply, SAI is the inward or outward tilt of the steering axis.
The inclination tends to keep wheels straight ahead and make the wheels
to get return to the straight position after completion of a turn.
__________________________

Assoc. Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Văn Nhận - Dong A University - 2023

 6

ASSIGNMENTS
A. ESSAY TYPE ASSIGNMENTS
The following assignments must be done in writing.
A10.1. What are Vietnamese specialist terms that are considered to be reasonable
equivalents to "steering geometry angles" and "wheel alignment", and
what do they mean, respectively ?
A10.2. What is the camber angle and what purposes it serves ?
A10.3. What is the caster angle and why almost late-model cars have positive
caster angle ?
A10.4. What is a Vietnamese term for "Ackermann steering geometry" and what
does it mean ?
A10.5. Select Vietnamese technical terms that are considered to be closest in
meaning to the below-given English ones, respectively :
English Vietnamese
1) Ackermann Steering Geometry
2) Alignment Angles
3) Camber Angle
4) Caster Angle
5) Directional Angles
6) Kingpin
7) Self-Centering Effect
8) Steering Axis
9) Steering Axis Inclination
10) Steering Geometry
11) Steering Geometry Angles
12) Steering Stiffness
13) Steering Wheel Returnability
14) Straight-Ahead Stability
15) Toe
16) Toe-In
17) Toe-Out
18) Toe-Out on Turns
19) Wear Angles
20) Wheel Alignment

Assoc. Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Văn Nhận - Dong A University - 2023

 7

B. OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS

Choose the single most correct answer.
B10.1. Which of the following is not a steering geometry term ?
A. Caster Axis Inclination B. Toe
C. Camber angle D. Steering Axis Inclination
B10.2. The steering geometry angle that defines the inward or
outward tilt of the top of the tire, viewed from the front of the
car, is called the ________.
A. Toe B. Caster angle
C. Camber angle D. SAI
B10.3. A tire that is straight up and down, perpendicular to the road
has _______.
A. zero caster B. zero toe
C. zero SAI D. zero camber
B10.4. Which is the term used to describe the angle formed by the
steering axis and a vertical line running through the center of
the wheel and tire ?
A. Camber angle B. Caster angle
C. Toe-in D. Toe-out
B10.5. Viewed from the front of the car, SAI is the angle between the
steering axis and _______.
A. a vertical line B. total camber
C. total caster D. a horizontal line
B10.6. Which of the following steering geometry angles most affect
tire wear ?
A. Camber, toe, and toe-out on turns
B. Caster, camber, and steering axis inclination
C. Steering angle, camber, and caster axis inclination
D. Caster, camber, and steering angle

Assoc. Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Văn Nhận - Dong A University - 2023

 8

B10.7. Technician A says that caster angle affects a vehicle's

directional stability. Technician B says that the steering
axis tilts toward the front of the car, the wheel has negative
caster. Who is right ?
A. Only A B. Only B
C. Both A and B D. Neither A nor B

B10.8. Technician A says that, if camber is unequal side-to-side,

the car pulls to the side with more positive camber.
Technician B says that, if caster is unequal side-to-side, the
car pulls to the side with more positive caster. Who is right
?
A. Only A B. Only B
C. Both A and B D. Neither A nor B
B10.9. Technician A says that camber and toe are usually non-
adjustable angles. Technician B says that SAI and toe-out
on turns are usually non-adjustable angles. Who is right ?
A. Only A B. Only B
C. Both A and B D. Neither A nor B
B10.10. The car will pull toward the side with _________ .
A. less caster B. more caster
C. less toe D. more toe

------- The End -------

Assoc. Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Văn Nhận - Dong A University - 2023