What is the Departure Angle of a Car?
2 Answers
The departure angle refers to the angle between the tangent line drawn from the rear protruding point of the car to the rear wheels and the road surface when the car is fully loaded and stationary. In other words, it is the maximum angle between the horizontal plane and the plane tangent to the outer edge of the vehicle's rearmost tire (under static load). Additional information is as follows: Departure angle location: It is located on any rigid component fixed to the vehicle behind the rearmost wheels and must not be below this plane. Significance of the departure angle: It indicates the vehicle's ability to avoid collision when leaving obstacles (such as small hills, ditches, etc.). The larger the departure angle, the better the vehicle's off-road capability.
I've always thought the departure angle is quite important. I remember last time when I was driving my off-road vehicle in the mountains, suddenly encountering a steep downhill slope, the rear wheels just lifted off the ground and the rear end almost scraped against a rock. The departure angle refers to the angle between the line connecting the lowest point of the rear wheels and the rear of the vehicle body with the ground when the vehicle leaves a slope. The larger this angle is, the less likely the vehicle is to scrape its rear when passing over obstacles. Many novice drivers tend to overlook this, especially when exiting parking lot ramps in urban areas or encountering ditches on rural roads. If the departure angle is too small, the bumper or exhaust pipe could get damaged. In contrast, there's the approach angle, which is a similar angle for the front of the vehicle when climbing a slope. When choosing a car, I usually pay attention to these parameters. For example, SUVs typically have larger departure angles, making them more suitable for frequent off-roading, while sedans have smaller angles, being more suited for paved roads. I also recommend regularly checking tire wear and ground clearance, as these factors can affect the actual departure angle performance. Maintaining them well can reduce unnecessary repairs.
