Car and Automotive Chassis Systems
GM Autoride Diagnostics, Service And Conversion

Autoride comes standard on the GMC Yukon Denali and Yukon XL Denali. The product is also standard on the Cadillac Escalade, Escalade EXT and Escalade ESV, on which it is known as Road Sensing Suspension. GM also offers Autoride as an option for the Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe and Avalanche 1500, as well as the GMC Yukon XL 1500.

Dodge Tech Tip: Suspension Does Not Adjust In Cold Weather

Customers may experience no ride height change with the truck in really cold conditions and they may also have a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination. They may also notice the truck does not change ride heights when selected in cold weather.

Bushing Inspection And Diagnostics

Most suspension system components pivot upon a rubber bushing that is compressed between an inner and outer metal sleeve. Because the compressed rubber bushing has no moving parts, it allows a maximum range of travel throughout a single plane without the frictional wear created in a conventional metal-to-metal bushing.

VIDEO: Cleaning Thread-Locking Compound From Fasteners

Andrew Markel discusses replacing fasteners on suspension and wheel hub components, and the importance of keeping the bolts clean upon re-installation. Sponsored by FAG, a Schaeffler brand.

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VIDEO: Air Ride And Sleep Mode

Jason Stahl discusses air ride, and how the vehicles that have it still perform even when the vehicle is turned off. Sponsored by Standard.

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Electric Power Steering Advancements

Electric power assist does more than add force in either direction; it can push back to improve handling and driver comfort. These corrections could be as innocuous as adding a little assist for road crown, or as obvious as the vehicle steering on its own. But, a lot of the improvements in electric power steering have mostly gone unnoticed by the driver and even the technician.

VIDEO: Can Electric Power Steering Smooth Out Road Crown?

Jason Stahl discusses electric power steering and how it senses driver activity in order to smooth the vehicle’s suspension movements on turns. Sponsored by Standard.

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2006-2013 Toyota RAV4 Alignment Specs

The third generation of the Toyota RAV4 shares all of the same infrastructure with the Corolla and many other Toyota vehicles. The front suspension is easy to adjust, while the rear requires a little more attention.

Selling Ride Control With Tires

Tire wear patterns are visual representations of how the vehicle is performing and how owners maintain their vehicle. Tread patterns reveal the condition of alignment angles, suspension components and ride control components. Learning how to read the tire and communicate your findings to your customers is the key to selling ride control.

VIDEO: Wheel Speed Sensors And Steering

Andrew Markel discusses wheel speed sensors, and how they determine the turning state of a vehicle. Sponsored by BCA Bearings.

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Lexus Air Ride Review

Lexus models, including the LS sedan, RX crossover and GX SUV, are some of the least problematic air ride vehicles on the road. In fact, most Lexus customers do not realize that their vehicle is equipped with an air suspension until something breaks. Like all air ride systems, if you are not familiar with the system operation, you can throw a lot of parts at it without achieving any results. Taking some time to look at the theory and operation sections of the service information can save you a lot of lost time speculating on the source of the problem.

CV Axle Diagnostic And Service Tips

When a CV axle fails, it is for a reason. Rarely will an axle fail because it is just worn out. The failure of an axle can usually be traced to torn boot, alignment issue or a problem with components attached to the axle.