On chassis parts (wheels, suspension arms and springs, anti-roll bars, shock absorbers) and transmission (front wheel drive shafts) there should be no deformations, cracks and other mechanical damage affecting the shape and strength of the parts.
Alternately hanging the wheels (while the car must be securely fixed on the stand), check the condition of the bearings of their hubs.
Use only factory-made stands.
The wheel should rotate by hand evenly, without jamming or knocking.
Grasping the wheel in a vertical plane, alternately sharply pull the upper part of the wheel towards you, and the lower part away from you, and vice versa.
We make sure there is no backlash (knocking). If there is play, ask the assistant to press the brake pedal. If at the same time the backlash disappeared, then the hub bearing is faulty, and if the knock remains, then most likely the suspension parts are worn out.
The front and rear wheel bearings are not adjustable and must be replaced if there is play.
To check the serviceability of the ball joints, we insert a powerful screwdriver between the suspension arm and the steering knuckle, while protecting the ball joint cover from damage.
Squeezing the lever with a powerful screwdriver, we monitor the movement of the ball joint housing relative to the steering knuckle.
If there is play in the ball joint, replace it.
Similarly, we check the ball joint of the other wheel.
We check the condition of the protective covers of the ball bearings.
We replace ball joints with torn, cracked covers.
To check the front silent blocks of the front suspension arms..
... we insert a powerful screwdriver between the eye of the lever and the subframe...... and try to move the eye of the lever relative to the subframe in different directions. If the lever eye moves without significant effort, then the silent block of the lever is badly worn or damaged and must be replaced.
Tears, cracks and swelling of the rubber bushing of the silent block are unacceptable.
We check the condition of the rear silent blocks of the front suspension arms.
We insert a powerful screwdriver between the subframe and the eye of the lever...... and try to move the eye of the lever relative to the subframe in different directions. If the lever eye moves without significant effort, then the silent block of the lever is badly worn or damaged and must be replaced.
Tears, cracking and swelling of the silent block rubber are unacceptable.
We inspect the pillows of the anti-roll bar of the front suspension.
If ruptures, cracks and severe deformation are found on the rubber pads, they must be replaced.
We check the ball joints of the stabilizer struts by moving the struts by hand in different directions.
If there is play in the ball joints, we replace the stabilizer struts.
We check the condition of the protective covers of the ball joints of the stabilizer struts.
We replace racks with torn, cracked covers.
We inspect the pillows of the rear anti-roll bar.
If ruptures, cracks and severe deformation are found on the rubber pads, they must be replaced.
We check the ball joints and protective covers of the rear suspension stabilizer struts by analogy with the front suspension struts.
In the presence of play in the ball joints and defects in the covers, we replace the stabilizer struts.
To check the condition of the silent blocks of the rear suspension arms..
... we alternately insert a powerful screwdriver between the subframe and the lugs of the transverse levers and try to move them in different directions..
... then we alternately insert a screwdriver between the brackets for attaching the trailing arms to the body and the eyelets of the levers and try to move them in different directions.
If the eyelets of the levers move freely, without effort, then the silent blocks are badly worn or damaged and the levers must be replaced.
We check and, if necessary, tighten the fastening elements of the front and rear subframes to the body.
We check the condition of the springs, telescopic struts and shock absorbers of the front and rear suspensions.
We inspect telescopic racks one by one..
front…
...and rear wheels.
Suspension springs must not be damaged. Ruptures, cracking of protective covers and severe deformation of rubber bushings, cushions and shock absorber compression buffers are unacceptable. Fluid leakage from shock absorbers is not allowed. Slight "sweating" of the shock absorber in its upper part while maintaining characteristics is not a malfunction.
If the rubber element of the upper support of the telescopic strut is set or destroyed, the support must be replaced.
Alternately rotating and turning the front wheels (with the front of the car hanging) …
... inspecting the protective covers of the outer..
... and internal hinges of the front wheel drives, we check the reliability of their fastening with clamps.
Cracked, torn or loose covers must be replaced.
We check the absence of oil leakage from the gearbox through the oil seals of the internal hinges of the drives. If there is a leak, replace the seals.
When the car is moving, a faulty exhaust system can make sounds and knocks, which are mistakenly attributed to defects in the wheel suspension. Therefore, it is advisable to inspect the exhaust system together with the chassis check.
We check the metal compensator on the intermediate pipe, suspension cushions, knock on the exhaust system in different places with our hand, swing it and make sure that it does not make rattling sounds and does not knock on the body and rear suspension parts.