Kingpin Angle, Scrub Radius and Wheel Centre Lateral Offset – Suspension KPI

Kingpin angle is a measure of the angle of the suspension steer axis relative to vertical in front view. The steer axis (or kingpin axis) on a conventional double wishbone suspension passes through the upper control arm and lower control arm ball joints. On a MacPherson strut, the kingpin axis is defined by a line passing through the strut top bearing and the lower ball joint.  Kingpin angle is measured in Degrees and is positive when the top of the steering axis points towards the centre of the car. Scrub radius is the distance from the steer axis to the centre of the tyre contact patch at ground level and wheel centre offset is the distance from the kingpin axis to the wheel centre. All three are shown in the figure below.

This KPI page is only a brief overview. To learn more about this and other KPIs, including KPI values used in industry, real-world examples and best-practice guidance, please refer to our courses below.

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