How to Adjust Camber, Toe, and Caster on Your Side-by-Side

By Side by Side Sports Team | Technical How-To

Precision matters. Whether you're trail-ripping in a RZR or hauling gear with your Ranger, getting your alignment right—specifically camber, toe, and caster—can dramatically improve ride quality, control, and tire life. Let's break down what each component means and how to adjust them for optimal performance.

Understanding Camber

Camber is the vertical tilt of your wheels when viewed from the front. Getting this angle right helps maintain tire contact with the ground, especially during turns and over uneven terrain.

• Zero Camber: Tires are perfectly upright—ideal for utility riding and work applications.
• Negative Camber: Tops of the tires tilt inward—best for aggressive cornering and high-speed control.
• Positive Camber: Tops tilt outward—generally undesirable, as it reduces grip and causes uneven wear.

Adjusting Camber

1. Inspect Your Setup: Inflate all tires equally and check camber using a T-square or angle finder. Identify whether you're dealing with negative, positive, or neutral camber.
2. Modify A-Arms: With the vehicle lifted, loosen the jam nuts on adjustable lower A-arms or radius rods. Turning the pivot block out increases negative camber; turning in adds positive camber. Two full turns typically equals one degree.
3. Reinstall & Settle: Put arms back in place, lower your machine, and roll it forward and backward to let the suspension settle. Recheck your angles.

Tip: You can also adjust camber with the machine lifted, but expect about 2 degrees difference once back on the ground.

Dialing in Toe

Toe refers to the direction your front tires point—either inward (toe-in) or outward (toe-out). Proper toe settings reduce strain on your suspension and ensure stability, especially at speed.

Steps to Adjust Toe

1. Prep Your Ride: Inflate all tires to equal psi. Place front tires on a slick surface like cardboard or plastic to allow easier alignment. Have someone hold the steering wheel straight.
2. Check Alignment: Using a tape measure, compare the distance between the front and rear of your front tires. Ideally, these should be the same, or slightly toed out based on your vehicle's factory specs.
3. Adjust Tie Rods: Loosen the tie rod jam nuts and rotate the rods to bring tires in or out evenly. Make micro-adjustments until both wheels are straight or toed to spec.
4. Final Check: Roll the vehicle back and forth to reset suspension and confirm the adjustment.

What About Caster?

Caster is the angle of your steering axis from vertical when viewed from the side. It affects how your steering self-centers and how stable your machine feels at speed.

• More Positive Caster: Offers better straight-line stability, but makes turning more difficult.
• Less Positive Caster: Easier to steer, but can feel twitchy or unstable.

Adjusting Caster

1. Lift & Inspect: Make sure tires are equally inflated. Raise the vehicle and remove your adjustable lower A-arms.
2. Adjust Pivot Blocks: Turn front pivot blocks in or rear pivot blocks out to increase positive caster (more stability). Reverse for a more aggressive, agile setup.
3. Reinstall & Test: Reinstall arms, settle the suspension, and test drive. Fine-tune based on your machine's feel and handling needs.

Final Thoughts

A well-aligned suspension isn’t just for performance—it protects your investment. Keep an eye on alignment every few rides or after installing new parts. If something feels off, inspect your ball joints, tie rods, and bushings before assuming it's just a camber issue.

Need adjustable A-arms or tie rods? Check out our Suspension section for trusted upgrades from top brands that let you dial in your ride exactly how you like it.