Note: Steering and suspension components should be checked regularly as wear can cause excessive and dangerous tire wear, poor vehicle performance and handling, and increased fuel consumption.
Checking suspension and steering parts
1. Examine components of system of a steering on presence of damages and deformations. Pay attention to damaged anthers.
2. Clear a rotary fist of a dirt in the field of a spherical support of a suspension bracket. Ask an assistant to grab the lower edge of the wheel and shake it, while you yourself observe the movement of the ball joint connecting the steering knuckle to the suspension arm. Inspect ball bearing boots (see resist. illustration) for breaks. When a gap is detected (radial or axial) or torn anthers, the ball joint and its anther should be replaced.
10.2 Ball joint boot
3. Inspect the bearings (rubber bushings) front suspension (see resist. illustration). They must be free of play and the vulcanized rubber bearing must be free of cracks or pores.
10.3 Front suspension bushing
4. Grab each of the front wheels by the front and rear edges and try to turn it front in and rear out to check for play in the steering gear. If play is found, check for loose steering gear and tie rod joints. Tighten loose fasteners. Worn joints can be the cause of loose tie rods: first check the tightness of the nuts. Check the condition of the anthers of the steering mechanism and the joints of the tie rod ends (see resist. illustration). If the tip boots are torn or twisted, replace them together with the tips.
10.4 Tie rod end boot
Steering play check
5. Set the steering wheel to the straight ahead position.
6. Turn the steering wheel from side to side while watching the front wheels. The steering wheel with the engine running may have a play of no more than 30 mm along the outer radius of the steering wheel. There should be no play in the steering column when trying to move the steering wheel up / down or left / right.
7. If there is more play in the steering wheel, check the steering rods and the steering mechanism.