Mesuring Camber?

KahunaKahuna familEE
in Suspension, Braking & Wheels
Alright, since I lowered my car the camber has became out of whack. I bought an adjustable camber kit to correct my problem. I just need to know how to mesure the camber angles. So, does anyone know how to do it?

Comments

  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    If you could figure out a way to measure the inside distance between rims both at the top and bottom you'd be able to figure out camber. Best thing i can think of is take it to a wheel alingment specialist and get all the readouts. They'll also be able to slightly adjust the camber but not to the extent that adjustable arms could. Theres also always the washer trick for the rear...
  • dacollier1dacollier1 Band Wagon
    About the only way I know to measure camber is with a bubble level. Make sure the car is on an absolutely level pad (all 4 wheels must be level)
    Make sure the level is exactly perpendicular to the ground (works best with a level that has two bubbles, one on each axis)
    Go from the top to the bottom crossing over the center of the wheel. Keep the bottom of the level touching the wheel rim (or, less precisly, you can use the tire if the level is too long to reach from rim edge to inner rim edge). Pull the top of the level away from the wheel until the bubble shows the level to be perpendicular to the ground. Measure the distance from the level to the wheel (or tire, which ever the bottom end of the level is touching). If you can measure it with a protractor you will get degrees, if you measure with a rules or inside micrometer, you can convert to degrees if you want to. I forget the formula but it was something that had to do the distance between the two points your level touched, 180 degrees, and the measured distance to perpendicular. Divide one subtract the other and you get degrees, or sometning like that.
    Even if you dont' convert to degrees, you can still get a relative measure from side to side to make it even.
  • judebertjudebert familEE 
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    Geometry! The level is the vertical line on the left. The top is the separation you measured. You'll need to measure the length of the level, too, from where it touches the wheel/rim to where you measured the separation.

    You want to know the angle at the bottom in degrees. The separation is the side opposite the angle, while the length of the level is the side adjacent to the angle. O/A is TAN.

    Just break out the calculator, divide the separation by the level length, and hit TAN-1 (or arctan, if that's how your calculator is labeled). Sometimes you need to use INV TAN.

    Tah-dah! Camber in degrees. Although, as dacollier1 pointed out, you don't really need it to get things even.
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