Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

This manual is used to understand how your vehicle shakes. If you suspect a suspension or tire problem and you are confident you can pinpoint the cause, this guide will help you identify and fix some common problems.

Steps

1. 1 Try to "feel". Vibration felt in the steering wheel suggests a problem in the front of the vehicle (most likely in the steering linkage or in the mount). This could be the tie rod end or bushings in the vehicle's control levers. Vibrations in the seats suggest a problem in the rear of the vehicle. This could be a wheel bearing or worn tires.
2. 2 Once you are sure you know where the problem is, park the car and let it cool down. Take gloves and goggles. If you want to raise the vehicle, park the vehicle on a level surface and use proper supports. Do not rely solely on a jack to support your vehicle, and never use bricks or lumber to support your vehicle. Use the correct stand and block the wheels. Check the stability of the vehicle before climbing under it. Press on it, lean on it, and shake it a little. Make sure it sits firmly on the stand and does not move when you push, pull, or wiggle it.You can now access your vehicle at the suspect location and get to work.
3. 3 Make sure you know what you are looking for. Many suspension parts can be diagnosed if they are pulled out and rotated. For example, ball joint, steering column, tension arm, and other parts of the steering gear. For wheel bearings, bushings, and tires, you will need to mount the wheels above the ground.
4. 4 Tires are often the main culprit for these "bad vibrations" due to varying degrees of tire wear (such as how the tire deforms to an egg shape, to a bulge in the sidewall). With the tire off the ground, spin the wheel and look at the outside of it. You should be able to see that the tire has the symptoms described above. However, you cannot always see them with the naked eye. Since the tires are suspended in the air, grasp and squeeze the top and bottom of the tire. Roll the tire back and forth. If the wheel is playing, you may have bad (or dry) wheel bearings or a bad tie rod end. You can also check to see if the nuts are missing.
5. 5 If you cannot find a breakdown during this inspection, it may be necessary to take your vehicle to a mechanic, where appropriate diagnostic tools will be used.

Tips

• There should be no visible signs of movement in any part of your harness. If there is, this usually indicates a problem.
• Press down with your weight on one of the corners of the vehicle. If it bounces more than once, the shock absorbers or struts are probably worn out and need to be replaced soon.
• On vehicles without rack and pinion steering, the suspension should be lubricated every time the vehicle is equipped with new tires or has a range of 16,000 to 24,000 km.
• If your car is equipped with an auto-leveling system and you feel like your car is standing unevenly (that is, the rear of the car is sagging), an air leak is a typical cause. Air leaks are usually caused by degradation of the rubber air tubes. Air ducts and fittings can also leak, causing the vehicle to sag. In some cases, the problem may be the air compressor itself, or its sensors and wires.
• Most cars with factory air suspensions can be converted to conventional coil spring suspensions. While this option can be expensive and the ride may not be as good as with a perfectly functioning air suspension, the cost of repairs can go up substantially.

Warnings

• Suspension parts are usually very dirty and can be very hot. Always allow the vehicle to cool down for at least 4 hours before attempting an inspection.
• Any problem that involves tires or suspension should be dealt with right away. This problem can render the vehicle unmanageable or unusable.