Camber is measured by comparing the wheel angle to

Prepare for the Automotive Service Technician Period 1 exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Camber is the tilt of the wheel relative to vertical. To determine camber, you compare the wheel’s plane to true vertical—the vertical line defined by gravity. That reference lets you describe camber as positive when the top of the tire angles outward, and negative when the top angles inward. The steering axis is a different geometry line used for understanding steering feel and caster/camber interaction, not the reference for camber measurement. The horizontal plane is used for toe, which looks at how the wheels point relative to the vehicle’s forward direction, not the wheel’s tilt. The vehicle body line isn’t the standard reference for camber either. So true vertical is the correct reference for camber.