© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Supports the weight of the vehicle

 Allows the wheels to move up and
down
 Allows rapid cornering without extreme
body roll
 Keeps the tires in firm contact with the
road

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Functions of a
Suspension System
 Prevents excessive body squat when
accelerating or heavily loaded
 Prevents excessive body dive when
braking
 Allows the front wheels to turn left or
right for steering
 Helps keep the wheels in correct
alignment

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Suspensions

Independent

Nonindependent

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Types of Springs

A. Coil spring
B. Leaf spring
C. Air spring
D. Torsion bar

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Coil Springs

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Leaf Spring Assembly

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Air Springs

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Torsion Bar

The bar resists twisting action and acts

like a conventional spring
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Control Arm Assembly

Control arm bushings act as bearings

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Ball Joints

Tapered stud provides a force fit into the

steering knuckle or bearing support
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Shock Absorber
Action

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Gas-Charged Shock
Absorbers
 Use a low-pressure gas to help keep
the oil in the shock from foaming
 Nitrogen gas is enclosed in a chamber
separate from the main oil cylinder
 Gas pressure acting on the oil prevents
air bubbles from forming

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Checking Shock
Absorber Condition
 Perform a visual inspection for
damage, rubber bushing wear or oil
leakage
 Perform a shock absorber bounce test
 push down on one corner of the vehicle
 release the body
 count the number of times the body
rebounds
 maximum two or three oscillations
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Sway Bar (Stabilizer Bar)

Sway bar links connect the bar

to the control arms

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Front Suspension
(MacPherson Strut)

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Strut Compressor

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Twin I-Beam
Suspension

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Nonindependent Rear
Suspension

Solid axle housing for rear-wheel-drive

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Dead Axle

Solid axle that does not drive wheels

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Independent Rear
Suspension

This differential is mounted to the frame

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
  Provide precise control of the wheel
direction
 Maintain correct steering effort
 Transmit road feel to the driver’s hands
 Absorb most of the road shock going to
the steering wheel
 Allow for suspension action
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
  Two basic kinds of steering systems
are in use today:
 Parallelogram steering systems
 rack-and-pinion steering systems
 Each may be operated manually or with
power assist

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Steering
Parallelogram
Steering

Basic Rack-and-
Pinion Steering
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Parallelogram Steering
System

Credit: ATW Assembly & Test Worldwide

27
Fig. 2-5
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Rack-and-Pinion Steering
System

Credit: ATW Assembly & Test Worldwide

28
Fig. 2-7
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Steering
Gears
Rack-and-Pinion Gear
(rack and pinion steering)

Worm Steering Gear

(parallelogram steering)
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Steering Rack
(Rack and Pinion Steering)

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Steering Gear box
(parallelogram steering)

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Power Steering
Systems
 Most systems use an engine-driven
pump and a hydraulic system to assist
steering action
 An electric motor in the rack may be
used to provide assist

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Basic Power Steering

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Steering Wheel Play
 Amount that you can turn the steering
wheel without front wheel movement
 Caused by worn ball sockets, a worn
idler arm, or too much clearance in the
steering gearbox
 Compare the play to service manual
specifications
 e.g. 1 1/2” (33 mm)

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Dry Park Test

With the vehicle on the ground, rotate the

steering wheel back and forth while
someone watches for part wear
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Steering Inspection

Raise the vehicle on a lift. Wiggle the

tires back and forth while watching
for steering play
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Hard Steering
 Caused by problems with the steering
gear, power steering components, ball
sockets, and the suspension system
 Check the power steering pump belt for
condition and tension
 If the belt is slipping, hard steering
could result
 Check for cracks and glazing and
compare tension to specs

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Steering System Noise
 Noise can be a sign of worn parts, dry
bearings or ball sockets, loose parts,
slipping belts, or low power steering
fluid level
 Belt squeal and power steering pump
noise both occur when the steering
wheel is turned
 Pump noise can result from low fluid
level or aerated fluid

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

  Maintenance involves checking for low
fluid level, incorrect belt adjustment,
system leaks, and other problems
 Ball socket lubrication may be
necessary

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Checking the Fluid

Check most systems at operating

temperature, with the engine off
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
 Tire Problem
 Under-inflated Tire

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Tire Problem
 Over-inflated Tire

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Tire Problem
 Cupping
 Out of balance
 Lack of proper
rotation
 Broken belts in tire

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 Tire Problem
 Alignment Problem
 Worn Parts
 Bent Parts

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 Alignment
Three Angles to check
 Camber
 Caster
 Toe

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Camber
 Positive camber
 Tire leans away
from vehicle
 Negative camber
 Tire leans
towards vehicle
 Causes tire wear
 Causes vehicle
pulling

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Camber

47

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Caster
 Amount of upper
and lower ball
joint offset
 Will cause
vehicle pull
 Does not cause
tire wear

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Caster

49

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Toe
 measurement
difference across
front and back of tires
 Will cause tire wear
 Will result in pulling or
wandering

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Toe Angle

51

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Tire Future
 Tweel
 Pneumatic tire
 Michelin
 Experimented with
in Military and Off
Road applications

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

 Tire Future

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.