Glossary of Terms

Understeer- Describes a lack of front grip. If you turn the wheels and the car still wants to
go straight or doesn’t turn as sharply as desired, that condition is known as understeer. It is
also known as “pushing”

Oversteer- Describes a lack of rear grip. This occurs when the rear of the car wants to
come around or spin out while cornering. A car that has this trait is said to be “loose”.

Roll Center- Refers to both the camber locations and the mounting point for the
suspension arms. By adding or removing shims from under the camber ball stud or raising
or lowering it in a shock tower, you will change the rate of camber change. By changing the
height of the suspension mounts, the weight transfer and roll rate of the car is altered.

Camber- The angle that the top of the tire leans inward or outward in comparison to the
centerline of the chassis. The angle of the tire in relation to the ground. A tire that is
perfectly up and down has 0-degrees of camber. A tire that has the top leaned away from
the centerline of the chassis is said to have positive camber. A tire that has the top leaned
in towards the centerline of the chassis has negative camber.

Caster- Refers to the angle of the front axle/steering knuckle in relation to the ground.
Refers to the angle of the steering knuckle as it would be angled front or rearward. If you
were to draw a line from the centerline of the knuckle to the ground, angling of the knuckle
towards the rear of the car is referred to as negative caster. If the knuckle is angled
towards the front of the car that is referred to as positive caster. In the rear of the car, this
is referred to as Pro-Squat and Anti-Squat.

Toe In/Out- Looking down at your car from overhead, if the front part of your tires is
closer than the rear, that is toe in. If the rear part of the tire is closer, that is toe out. By
using toe-out on the front of your car, it will initiate a turn more aggressively. Toe in is not
used on the front. On the rear of the car, toe in increases rear grip. Toe out is never used
on the rear of the car.

Shock Oil- A viscous fluid that is used inside the shock body to vary the dampening rate of
a shock. Available in a variety of viscosities, a thicker oil will resist piston movement more,
while a thinner oil will allow a piston to pass more freely. Using thinner oil will also allow the
car to be more compliant, handling bumps and inconsistencies in the surface better.

Traction Roll- A condition that occurs on extremely high-grip surfaces where a car will flip
or roll over when cornering.

Ackerman- Describes the difference in the angle of the inside and outside tires in relation
to the chassis while cornering.

Bump-Steer- Refers to the steering geometry changes that occur when the suspension is
compressed.

Pack- How firm or soft a shock feels when compressed with a specific shock oil and piston

Droop- The down travel of a suspension arm once it is fully extended.