Welcome to our chassis set up definitions page. As time allows we will be adding more information to this section to give you a better understanding of the working parts of a Nascar chassis in order to improve your set ups and car handling. We will try to illustrate using the C3 cut away car as much as possible.
Cut away car is the CTJP V3 model.

Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the wheel at the top of the tire.

Negative camber is the tilt of the top of the tire towards the center of the vehicle.

Positive camber is the tilt of the top of the tire away from the center of the vehicle.

Camber adjustments are utilized to help maintain the maximum grip allowable from the surface of the tire through the corners of the track. Proper camber adjustments are very critical for achieving maximum cornering speeds. A typical oval track setup would have positive camber in the left front and negative camber in the right front to help the vehicle make left-hand turns.

Caster is the leaning forward or back of the tire at the top of the wheel.

Positive caster is when the wheel is tilted back toward the rear of the vehicle.

Negative caster is when the wheel is tilted forward toward the front of the vehicle..

Toe out is the difference in the distance between the front and rear edges of the rim on one axle. If the distance at the front is larger than the rear the alignment is said to be toed out. If the distance at the rear is larger than the front its said to be toed in. To alter this simply loosen the jam nuts on the tie rods and adjust the rods. This can be done with a tape measure but a alignment rack is suggested.

During a pit stop, one of the crewmen will sometimes add or subtract spring pressure by attaching a rachet and manually rotating it one way or another. This tightens or loosens the spring and brings the frame and trailing arm forward or away from each other. Applying more or less pressure on the tire when the car goes into a turn. This is know as adding or subtracting wedge.
Adding wedge means putting more weight onto a wheel by compressing the spring.
A typical adjustment for a "loose" car would be to increase the weight of the left rear corner of the vehicle, which decreases the weight of the left front and right rear corners and increases the weight of the right front.
A typical adjustment for a "tight" vehicle would be to increase the weight of the right rear corner, which decreases the weight of the right front and left rear and increases the weight of the left front.

(Also referred to as a "Panhard bar.") This bar locates the vehicle's rear end housing from left-to-right under it. In calibrating the vehicle's "suspension geometry," raising or lowering the track bar changes the rear roll center and determines how well it will travel through the corners. During races, this adjustment is done through the rear window using an extended ratchet. Typically, lowering the track bar will "tighten" the vehicle and raising the track bar will "loosen" it.

Sway bars are used to resist or counteract the rolling force of the car body through the turns.

A push happens when the rear end of the car has more grip then the front.

When the car enters a corner it doesn't want to turn and instead it tries to drift up the track. If to much speed is carried into the corner the front wheels will break traction first causing the car to plow. A pushing condition is also called understeer, in general your car will start to push more and more as your fuel burns off and as the tires wear. A car that pushes is easy to control but is also slow.

Sometimes you will find that your car pushes when following another car closely in a corner. This kind of push has nothing to do with your set up, it's all due to aero dynamics. When following another vehicle closely, the airflow off the lead vehicle does not travel across the following one(s) in a normal manner. Therefore, down force on the front of the trailing vehicle(s) is decreased and it does not turn in the corners as well, resulting in an "aero push." This condition is more apparent on the exit of the turns.

When a car is loose this means that the front end of the car has more grip than the back. When the car enters the corner the rear end will fish tail and try to swing out. If to much speed is carried into the corner the rear wheels will break traction and result in a spin. A loose condition is also called oversteer. While the car is faster it is also on the ragged edge of losing control,in the hands of a experienced driver a loose car will turn the fastest laps.
Loose in is when a driver is off the gas getting into a corner and the car wants to get sideways.
Loose off is when he get on the gas coming off the corner and the rear tires slide and fishtail.

If you have a car right on your tail in a corner you can also get a loose condition known as Aero-Loose. This in most cases has nothing to do with your set up. A portion of the air that forces the rear of the car down is now being blocked by the car behind you, less air on the back of your car results in less rear down force and will loosen your car.

This type of oversteer happens when you quickly lift off the throttle when cornering. The cars weight quickly shifts forward, the rear end loses weight and will result in a spin. The best way to avoid this is to be smooth on the gas, gently roll out of the gas or easy off the pedal in a smooth consistent rate.

A balanced or neutral car is a car with no loose or push condition.