Suspension and Steering Flashcards
7 cards from real ASE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Suspension and Steering flashcards as text
On a short-long arm suspension with the coil spring mounted on the lower control arm, where should the jack be placed to check the load-carrying ball joint for wear?
Answer: Under the lower control arm, near the ball joint
Supporting the lower arm takes the spring load off the lower (load-carrying) ball joint so you can measure its play.
On a vehicle with torsion bar front suspension, ride height is corrected by:
Answer: Turning the torsion bar adjusting bolt at the anchor
The adjusting bolt at the torsion bar anchor changes the bar's preload and so the ride height.
A customer says the power rack-and-pinion steering is hard to turn for the first few minutes on cold mornings, then gets normal. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: Worn spool valve seals and grooved housing in the rack
Worn rack valve seals and a grooved housing let fluid bypass until the parts warm up and expand ('morning sickness').
A turning radius (toe-out on turns) check shows one side out of specification. Which part is most likely at fault?
Answer: Bent steering arm
Toe-out on turns depends on steering arm geometry, so a bent steering arm causes an out-of-spec reading.
After a strut replacement, the steering wheel will not return to center after turns in one direction (memory steer). The most likely cause is:
Answer: A binding upper strut mount bearing
A seized or misinstalled upper strut bearing winds up the spring as you turn and keeps the wheel from returning.
When inspecting a parallelogram steering linkage, the idler arm is checked by:
Answer: Applying about 25 lb of force up and down at the arm and measuring movement
Manufacturers specify a vertical load (about 25 lb) and a maximum movement, usually around 1/4 inch total.
After a wheel alignment on a vehicle with electronic stability control, what is commonly required?
Answer: Recalibrating the steering angle sensor
Changing toe can move the steering wheel's center position, so the steering angle sensor often needs a zero-point recalibration.