What camber is and why it matters
Camber is the angle of your wheel relative to vertical when viewed from the front or back of the car. If the top of the wheel tilts outward, that's positive camber. If it tilts inward, that's negative camber. Zero camber means the wheel stands perfectly straight up and down.
Camber affects how your tires wear, how your car handles in corners, and how it tracks in a straight line. Too much positive camber wears the outer edge of your tire. Too much negative camber wears the inner edge. The right camber angle for your car is set by the manufacturer and depends on your suspension design, tire width, and intended use.
Most cars leave the factory with a slight negative camber — typically between 0.5 and 1.5 degrees — because it improves cornering grip and reduces tire wear during normal driving. If your tires are wearing unevenly, your car pulls to one side, or you've hit a pothole hard enough to bend suspension parts, camber adjustment may be necessary.
Key Takeaways
- Camber is the angle of your wheel relative to vertical, and incorrect camber causes uneven tire wear and poor handling.
- Most adjustments require removing the wheel, loosening bolts on the suspension strut or control arm, and moving the wheel in or out slightly before retightening.
- You will need a camber gauge or alignment machine to measure the angle accurately — eyeballing it will not work.
- After any camber adjustment, you must have a full wheel alignment performed to may support all four wheels are set correctly and your car tracks straight.
- Some suspension designs (like MacPherson struts on many economy cars) have limited camber adjustment range or require replacing parts rather than adjusting bolts.
When you actually need to adjust camber
Camber drift happens gradually over time as suspension bushings wear, but it also happens suddenly after collision or impact. If you hit a deep pothole, curb, or were in an accident, have the alignment checked when ready — a bent control arm or strut cannot be adjusted back into spec and must be replaced.
Signs that camber may be off include tires that wear on one edge faster than the other, a car that pulls consistently to one side even on a straight road, or a steering wheel that is not centered when driving straight. Uneven tire wear is the most common symptom because it shows up before handling problems become obvious.
Do not assume camber is the only problem. Toe (the angle of the wheels pointing in or out) and caster (the forward or backward tilt of the steering axis) also affect tire wear and handling. A full alignment check measures all three, and adjusting one without checking the others often makes things worse.
Tools and equipment you will need
A basic camber adjustment requires a jack, jack stands, wheel chocks, a socket set, and a way to measure the angle. The measurement part is the hard part: a camber gauge is a straightforward tool that sits on the wheel rim and shows the angle relative to vertical, costing $30 to $80 for a basic mechanical version. Digital versions cost more but are easier to read.
Many home mechanics skip the gauge and take the car to an alignment shop for measurement before and after adjustment. This is often the smarter choice because alignment shops have four-wheel alignment racks that measure all angles at once and catch problems you might miss. A full alignment typically costs $100 to $200 depending on your location and whether it is a two-wheel or four-wheel alignment.
If you are adjusting camber yourself, you will also need a way to safely lift the car — a hydraulic floor jack and at least two jack stands rated for your car's weight. Never work under a car supported only by a jack. Wheel chocks prevent the car from rolling while you work.
How to adjust camber on a strut suspension
Most modern cars use a MacPherson strut suspension, which has limited camber adjustment. The strut connects to the steering knuckle (the part that holds the wheel) with two bolts. Loosening these bolts slightly and moving the top of the strut in or out changes camber — moving the top outward increases positive camber, moving it inward increases negative camber.
Lift the car safely on jack stands and remove the wheel. Locate the two bolts where the strut connects to the steering knuckle — they are usually on the back side of the knuckle, visible once the wheel is off. Loosen these bolts just enough that you can move the strut by hand, but do not remove them completely. Use a camber gauge or take a measurement with a straight edge and protractor to see the current angle.
Move the strut slightly in the direction you need — usually just a quarter-inch to half-inch of movement changes camber by 0.5 degrees. Retighten the bolts firmly, then measure again to confirm you are in the target range. Reinstall the wheel and lower the car. Repeat on the other side if needed, then have a full alignment performed to verify all angles and may support the car tracks straight.
How to adjust camber on a control arm suspension
Older cars and some trucks use a double-wishbone or control arm suspension, which offers more camber adjustment range. These suspensions typically have an eccentric bolt (a bolt with an off-center hole) or a slotted mounting hole where the control arm attaches to the frame. Rotating the eccentric bolt or sliding the control arm in the slot changes camber.
Lift the car on jack stands and remove the wheel. Locate the control arm mounting bolts — usually there are two per arm, one toward the front and one toward the rear. Loosen the bolt that controls camber (often the rear one, but check your service manual to be sure). Rotate the eccentric bolt or slide the control arm to adjust camber, measuring with a gauge as you go. Small adjustments — a quarter-turn of an eccentric bolt — make a big difference.
Once you reach the target angle, tighten the bolt firmly and measure again to make sure it did not shift. Reinstall the wheel, lower the car, and have a full alignment performed. Control arm suspensions are more forgiving than struts, but you still need a professional alignment afterward to set toe and caster correctly.
What to do if camber cannot be adjusted
Some cars have no camber adjustment built in — the suspension is designed to be set at the factory and not touched. This is common on economy cars with straightforward strut designs. If your car has no adjustment points, or if the adjustment range is too small to fix the problem, the issue is usually a bent or worn suspension part.
A bent control arm, strut, or steering knuckle cannot be adjusted back into spec and must be replaced. This is not a job for a home garage unless you have suspension experience — it requires removing and reinstalling multiple components, and mistakes can make the car unsafe to drive. Take the car to a shop and have them diagnose which part is bent, then replace it and perform a full alignment.
If your car has never been aligned and camber is straightforward out of spec from wear, an alignment shop can often shim or adjust other components to bring it back into range. This is why a professional alignment check is the first step — it tells you whether adjustment is possible or whether parts need replacing.
After adjustment: the alignment check
Camber adjustment is only half the job. After you adjust camber, the car must be aligned on a four-wheel alignment rack to set toe (the angle the wheels point in or out) and caster (the forward or backward tilt of the steering axis). These three angles work together, and changing one without checking the others causes new problems.
A typical alignment process takes 30 minutes to an hour. The shop pulls the car onto the rack, attaches sensors to all four wheels, and measures the angles. They then adjust toe and caster as needed and print a report showing before and after measurements. Many shops will not charge extra if you bring the car in right after a camber adjustment you did yourself, because they are already doing the full alignment.
After alignment, the car should track straight, the steering wheel should be centered, and tire wear should be even. If problems persist, the shop can check for bent suspension parts or other issues that adjustment alone cannot fix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I adjust camber without removing the wheel?
No. You must remove the wheel to access the bolts or eccentric adjusters that control camber. You also need to measure the angle with a gauge, which requires the wheel to be off. The whole job takes 30 minutes to an hour per wheel if you work slowly and carefully.
What if I adjust camber but the car still pulls to one side?
Pulling is usually caused by toe being out of spec, not camber. After a camber adjustment, have a full alignment performed. If pulling persists after alignment, the problem may be a bent suspension part, uneven tire pressure, or a brake issue — not alignment.
How much does a professional camber adjustment cost?
A full four-wheel alignment typically costs $100 to $200 depending on your location and whether the shop needs to replace parts. If you adjust camber yourself and then have the alignment done, you pay only the alignment fee. If the shop does both the adjustment and alignment, expect to pay the same alignment price — the adjustment is usually included.
Will adjusting camber fix uneven tire wear?
It will stop future wear if the wear was caused by incorrect camber. Tires that are already worn unevenly will not become even again — you may need new tires. Adjust camber, have an alignment performed, and monitor the new tires to confirm the wear pattern has stopped.
Is negative camber better than positive camber?
It depends on how you drive. Negative camber improves cornering grip and is preferred for performance driving and racing. Positive camber reduces tire wear during highway driving and is better for comfort and fuel economy. Most cars leave the factory with a slight negative camber as a compromise between the two.