STEERING AND SUSPENSION UPDATED ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Electrical power assist - ✔✔Hydraulic pump is replaced with an electric motor in
order to reduce load on the engine
✔✔Parallelogram Steering (aka Linkage) - ✔✔Composed of Pitman arm, Idler arm, Tie
rods, and a steering box
✔✔Rack & Pinion Steering - ✔✔Has inner and outer ties rods, everything bolts in as an
assembly, and may be manual or power assisted
✔✔Steering Column Assembly - ✔✔Consists of the steering wheel, steering shaft,
column, ignition key mechanism, and, sometimes, a flexible coupling and universal joint
✔✔Ball Socket - ✔✔Provide for motion in all directions between two connected parts.
Some have a grease fitting, allowing lubrication while others are sealed units. Can be
used in pitman arms, idler arms, and tie rods
✔✔Power Steering Pump - ✔✔Engine-driven unit that produces the hydraulic pressure
for hydraulic steering system operation. Usually driven by a belt off of the crankshaft
pulley. The fluid reservoir may be formed as part of the body or as a separate container
in the system.
✔✔Electric Power Steering - ✔✔Uses a small electric motor to help move the rack-and-
pinion gearbox. The motor may be mounted inside the rack housing or on the steering
column. Iit acts on the steering rack assisting it without the use of a hydraulic system
✔✔Suspension System - ✔✔Supports the weight of the vehicle, allows the wheels to
move up and down, allows rapid cornering without extreme body roll, & keeps the tires
in firm contact with the road
✔✔Springs - ✔✔Must jounce (compress) and rebound (extend) as a vehicle travels over
bumps and holes in the road surface. The must also support the weight of the vehicle
while still allowing suspension travel (movement)
✔✔Spring Rate - ✔✔Stiffness or tension of a spring. Determined by the amount of
weight needed to compress the spring
✔✔Electronic Suspension Systems - ✔✔Uses various sensors, a computer, and shock
absorber actuators to control ride stiffness. Increases comfort and safety by matching
suspension system action to driving conditions.
, ✔✔Caster - ✔✔is the angle between the pivot line (in a car an imaginary line that runs
through the center of the upper ball joint to the center of the lower ball joint) and vertical
✔✔Camber - ✔✔Is the angle between the vertical axis of the wheels used for steering
and the vertical axis of the vehicle when viewed from the front or rear.
✔✔Toe - ✔✔Is the symmetric angle that each wheel makes with the longitudinal axis of
the vehicle
✔✔Vehicle Alignment - ✔✔Steering wheel off center when driving straight down the
road. Constantly having to steer into Road Crown
Caster, Camber, & Toe may be adjusted at each wheel.
Improper setting can impact how the tires to roll down the road, to adjust for Road
Crown, Improve Gas Mileage & , promote good vehicle handling
✔✔solid axle - ✔✔Both the right and left wheels are attached to the same axle.
✔✔track rod - ✔✔Is also known as a lateral control rod and is used to prevent side-to-
side axle movement during cornering.
✔✔jounce bumpers - ✔✔Are blocks of hard rubber that keep the suspension system
parts from hitting the frame or body when the car hits large bumps or holes.
✔✔twin I-beam suspension - ✔✔An independent suspension used on some Ford
pickups.
✔✔curb height - ✔✔The distance from the point on the vehicle to the ground.
✔✔coil spring compressor - ✔✔A special tool that squeezes the spring coils closer
together, reducing the overall height of the coil spring.
✔✔overinflation - ✔✔Tire wears in the center of the tread.
✔✔curb weight - ✔✔Is generally the weight of the vehicle with a full tank of fuel and no
passenger or luggage.
✔✔underinflation - ✔✔Tire wears on both outsides of the tread.
✔✔tire cupping - ✔✔Tires shows wear due to bad shocks.
✔✔tire feathering - ✔✔This is caused by erratic scrubbing against road when tire is in
need of toe-in or toe-out alignment correction.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Electrical power assist - ✔✔Hydraulic pump is replaced with an electric motor in
order to reduce load on the engine
✔✔Parallelogram Steering (aka Linkage) - ✔✔Composed of Pitman arm, Idler arm, Tie
rods, and a steering box
✔✔Rack & Pinion Steering - ✔✔Has inner and outer ties rods, everything bolts in as an
assembly, and may be manual or power assisted
✔✔Steering Column Assembly - ✔✔Consists of the steering wheel, steering shaft,
column, ignition key mechanism, and, sometimes, a flexible coupling and universal joint
✔✔Ball Socket - ✔✔Provide for motion in all directions between two connected parts.
Some have a grease fitting, allowing lubrication while others are sealed units. Can be
used in pitman arms, idler arms, and tie rods
✔✔Power Steering Pump - ✔✔Engine-driven unit that produces the hydraulic pressure
for hydraulic steering system operation. Usually driven by a belt off of the crankshaft
pulley. The fluid reservoir may be formed as part of the body or as a separate container
in the system.
✔✔Electric Power Steering - ✔✔Uses a small electric motor to help move the rack-and-
pinion gearbox. The motor may be mounted inside the rack housing or on the steering
column. Iit acts on the steering rack assisting it without the use of a hydraulic system
✔✔Suspension System - ✔✔Supports the weight of the vehicle, allows the wheels to
move up and down, allows rapid cornering without extreme body roll, & keeps the tires
in firm contact with the road
✔✔Springs - ✔✔Must jounce (compress) and rebound (extend) as a vehicle travels over
bumps and holes in the road surface. The must also support the weight of the vehicle
while still allowing suspension travel (movement)
✔✔Spring Rate - ✔✔Stiffness or tension of a spring. Determined by the amount of
weight needed to compress the spring
✔✔Electronic Suspension Systems - ✔✔Uses various sensors, a computer, and shock
absorber actuators to control ride stiffness. Increases comfort and safety by matching
suspension system action to driving conditions.
, ✔✔Caster - ✔✔is the angle between the pivot line (in a car an imaginary line that runs
through the center of the upper ball joint to the center of the lower ball joint) and vertical
✔✔Camber - ✔✔Is the angle between the vertical axis of the wheels used for steering
and the vertical axis of the vehicle when viewed from the front or rear.
✔✔Toe - ✔✔Is the symmetric angle that each wheel makes with the longitudinal axis of
the vehicle
✔✔Vehicle Alignment - ✔✔Steering wheel off center when driving straight down the
road. Constantly having to steer into Road Crown
Caster, Camber, & Toe may be adjusted at each wheel.
Improper setting can impact how the tires to roll down the road, to adjust for Road
Crown, Improve Gas Mileage & , promote good vehicle handling
✔✔solid axle - ✔✔Both the right and left wheels are attached to the same axle.
✔✔track rod - ✔✔Is also known as a lateral control rod and is used to prevent side-to-
side axle movement during cornering.
✔✔jounce bumpers - ✔✔Are blocks of hard rubber that keep the suspension system
parts from hitting the frame or body when the car hits large bumps or holes.
✔✔twin I-beam suspension - ✔✔An independent suspension used on some Ford
pickups.
✔✔curb height - ✔✔The distance from the point on the vehicle to the ground.
✔✔coil spring compressor - ✔✔A special tool that squeezes the spring coils closer
together, reducing the overall height of the coil spring.
✔✔overinflation - ✔✔Tire wears in the center of the tread.
✔✔curb weight - ✔✔Is generally the weight of the vehicle with a full tank of fuel and no
passenger or luggage.
✔✔underinflation - ✔✔Tire wears on both outsides of the tread.
✔✔tire cupping - ✔✔Tires shows wear due to bad shocks.
✔✔tire feathering - ✔✔This is caused by erratic scrubbing against road when tire is in
need of toe-in or toe-out alignment correction.
