Contents: Checking the front suspension and… ↳ Checking the rear suspension ↳ Checking and balancing wheels ↳
Every 16,000 km or 12 months.
Checking the front suspension and steering
1. Apply the parking brake, then raise the front end and place it on stands.
2. Inspect the ball joint and steering gear boots for cracks, wear, or damage (see Fig. 15.2, a-c). Wear on these components results in loss of lubrication, as well as the ingress of dirt and moisture, which leads to rapid destruction of the ball joints or steering gear.
3. Check the hydraulic power steering hoses for fraying or damage, and the hydraulic power steering hose connections for leaks. Also check for pressure leaks from the rubber steering boots. Leaks from the boots indicate a faulty seal inside the steering gear.
4. Grasp the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and rock it (see Fig. 15.4). A small amount of play is acceptable. If there is a lot of play, you need to find out its cause. Continue rocking the wheel while your assistant presses the brake pedal. If the play disappears or decreases significantly, then the hub bearings are worn out. If the play remains when you press the brake pedal, then the suspension joints and supports are worn out.
5. Now, holding the wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock, rock it in the same way (see above). The presence of play can also be caused by wear of the hub bearings or the ball joints of the steering rod. If the outer ball joint of the steering rod is worn, this will be obvious. If the inner joint is worn, then this can be felt by placing your hand on top of the rack and pinion boot and grasping the transverse steering rod. If you rock the wheel now, then the presence of play in the inner joint can be detected by feeling its movement.
6. Check the subframe and suspension bushings for wear. To do this, insert a large screwdriver or pry bar between the component and its mounting location and, using it as a lever, try to separate them. A small amount of movement is acceptable since the bushings are made of rubber, but excessive wear will be obvious. Also inspect all accessible rubber bushings for cracks or damage to the rubber.
7. With the car resting on its wheels, ask an assistant to turn the steering wheel left and right by about 1/8 of a turn in each direction. The wheels should turn under the action of the steering wheel with almost no play. Otherwise, it is necessary to carefully inspect the joints and supports (see above) and, in addition, check the cardan joints of the steering column for wear, as well as the steering mechanism.
Checking the rear suspension
8. Support the front wheels with wedges, then lift the rear of the car and place it on supports.
9. Check the rear hub bearings for wear in the manner described above (item 4).
10. Check the wear of the suspension mount bushings. To do this, insert a large screwdriver or pry bar between the component and its mounting location and, using it as a lever, try to separate them from each other. A small amount of movement is acceptable, since the bushings are made of rubber, but excessive wear will be obvious.
Checking and balancing wheels
11. Remove the wheels periodically. After removing, clean the dirt from the inside and outside. Inspect the wheel rims for rust, corrosion or other damage. Alloy wheels are easily damaged by hitting a curb when parking, and steel wheels can be bent. Often the only way to fix the damage is to replace the wheel.
12. Wheel and tire balancing is necessary not only to prevent excessive tire wear, but also to prevent wear of steering and suspension components. Wheel imbalance is usually detected by vibrations transmitted to the vehicle body, although it is often indicated by vibrations in the steering wheel. Accordingly, wear or damage to suspension or steering components can cause excessive tire wear. Such cases also include out-of-round or improperly mounted tires, damaged wheels, and worn/misaligned wheel bearings. Vibration caused by such wear is usually not eliminated by balancing.
13. The wheel can be balanced with or without being removed from the vehicle. If the wheel was balanced directly on the vehicle, it is necessary to mark the wheel relative to the hub so that its original position is maintained during subsequent removal and installation of the wheel.