Understanding, Checking and Replacing Ball Joints for Vehicle Safety
If the engine quits at 60 mph, you have a chance of getting off the road safely. If a ball joint quits, you have a chance of crashing off the road. The ball joint is one moveable part of a control arm assembly. The control arm bushings are just as important as the ball joint
Rack and Pinion vs. Recirculating Ball Steering Systems
ocedure to ensure the proper preload on the rack. Rack and Pinion Inspection (Figure 5). The controller processes the steering effort, wheel position and speed inputs with a series of software programs called algorithms to produce the polarity and current flow to the motor. The steering wheel can be referred to as a hand wheel
A Look at Ride Control Technology and Service
Confused about modern ride control technology? Sometimes looking back into automotive history can put such technology into a more usable framework. A good illustration is how ride control technology evolved from the simple, early-century friction shock absorber to the electronic variable-rate shocks and MacPherson struts being installed on today’s cars and light trucks. When early
Diagnosing and Replacing Chassis & Ride Control Components
Worn chassis parts are often-overlooked causes of tire wear, steering and handling problems, and even road noise. Worn tie rods are the most common culprit for causing rapid tire wear, but worn control arm bushings or ball joints also can contribute to tire wear.
Know Shocks, Struts Inside and Out to Improve Vehicle Handling
As a vehicle brakes, accelerates and corners, weight is transferred and the vehicle attitude changes. If done in a controlled manner, it can effectively transfer weight to the wheel that needs it the most. For the most part, the suspension handles the best when weight transfer is not sudden and the suspension is not compressed
Consider The Customer When Purchasing an Alignment Lift
If you do wheel alignment work, you need an alignment lift for raising vehicles off the ground. A lift is essential because you have to get under the vehicle to inspect the steering and suspension before you check the alignment. You can’t align worn parts, so it’s important to always make sure the tie rod
Keeping Quiet: How to Solve Noise, Vibration and Harshness Complaints
If there is anything that frustrates a tire tech, it’s the matter of resolving noise, vibration and harshness issues. The first hurdle is figuring out what the customer is hearing or feeling compared to what the tech hears or feels on a test drive. No two people are the same, so “persistent” NVH problems are
More Tire Works News
I am putting this June 19 news report by Las Vegas’ KTNV.com here because despite its obvious tilt, there are a few valuable lessons here for tire dealers.
Smoother Ride Smoothes Out Budget
Well thought-out and properly executed tire programs have many benefits. Not so long ago, the emphasis was on avoiding unscheduled tire replacement, road calls and single tire purchases from unfamiliar suppliers. Tire reliability and casing durability have improved to the point where multiple retreads are common, provided inflations are maintained and needed repairs are attended
Shockingly Good Tire Wear
The soft-riding trucks of today are a far cry from the rough-and-tumble kidney bouncers of yesterday. Air-ride tandem drive axles, longer taper-leaf steer axle springs and air spring rear cab mounts have become standard on many models. Recently, suspension travel – or jounce and rebound limits – have been extended, together with ride-height sensors, lateral