Hello, my name is Nick. This is my new auto blog. Have you ever wondered about how you can improve the look and functioning of your auto? If so you are in the right place. I live in a large house in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia and my house has as many garage parking spots as it does rooms. And believe me, it has a lot of rooms. I like to collect classic cars and then work on them to restore them to their former glory. In doing this, I have learnt lots of cool tricks. I would like to share some of these tricks with you here.
Two hallmark components of your car are the steering and suspension systems. The steering system helps the car driver to be in control of the vehicle while on the road. The suspension system, on the other hand, is designed to give the driver and his or her passengers a smooth ride. The two systems are directly linked, which explains why they are usually referred to collectively.
Even though the task of troubleshooting steering or suspension issues may seem rather daunting to many people, you have a fighting chance if you can detect the following telltale warnings:
Drifting to one side on straight roads
Does your car tend to drift to one side when you are driving on a straight road? Drifting is one of the most common suspension problems that a lot of people easily mistake for misaligned wheels. If the car's wheels are properly aligned and the car still veers off a straight road, it means that the shocks are weak and can no longer allow the vehicle to remain stable while you are driving.
Pulling to one side when turning
If the car tends to pull to one side when you are turning, the shocks may be the problem, as they may no longer be strong enough to keep the body of the vehicle stable as the car moves away from the point of a turn, heightening the risk of a rollover. Besides having weak shocks, your car may also pull to one side of the road when you are turning due to irregular tread wear, low or uneven inflation of the tyres, or damaged steering rack components.
Hard or slipping steering
In order to ensure that the driver has full control of the vehicle while driving, the steering should be easily manageable for the driver to negotiate sharp corners or to swerve and overtake other vehicles at high speed. If the steering is hard or tends to slip when you hold the wheel in a spun position, then it is likely that you have a worn or loose steering pump belt, worn or loose power steering belt, low steering fluid, or damaged steering rack assembly parts.
Screeching sounds
Another sign of steering and suspension problems is a loud screeching sound when you are turning the steering wheel. This usually indicates an overall deterioration of the suspension and that the steering pump belt is either loose or worn out. Screeching sounds may also imply there is an issue with the steering pump, although it may sometimes only require you to replace worn bushings or springs (leaf springs, coil springs and torsion bars).
If you notice any of these issues with your car, take into a local shop for auto repairs before the damage gets worse and you are put in danger.
Share14 January 2016
