The angle from the rear ground contact point of the rear tire to any projections behind the rear axle is called

• A. Angle of Departure
• B. Angle of Approach
• C. Shear Angle
• D. Pitch Angle

Answer: (A)

Angle of Departure describes the angle from the rear ground contact point of the rear tire to any projection behind the rear axle. This measures how much rear clearance you have when backing away from an obstacle behind the vehicle, indicating whether the rear end will clear or strike something as you back up. A larger departure angle means better ability to clear rear obstacles; a smaller one increases the risk of contact. The front-end counterpart is the angle of approach, which deals with obstacles in front, while the other terms don’t apply to rear clearance in this context.