Undercar Service Opportunities Are Only An Inspection Away
In 2001, BMW introduced the first completely new MINI in more than 40 years. With more than a million MINIs on the roads, a lot of opportunity exists for shops to service brakes and chassis.
Air Ride Diagnostics: 2003-2010 VW Touareg Applications
This is a full-feature air ride system designed to improve comfort, stability and off-road capabilities. Some vehicles with the 4XMotion option will also have a sway bar that can be decoupled to increase wheel travel.
2003-2010 VW Touareg Air Ride Suspension Repair And Diagnostics
This is a full-feature air ride system designed to improve comfort, stability and off-road capabilities. Some vehicles with the 4XMotion option will also have a sway bar that can be decoupled to increase wheel travel. The struts have active dampeners that control compression and rebound. The driver can also control the height.
Alignment Specs: Buick LaCrosse, Chevy Impala And Pontiac Grand Prix
The 2004-’13 GM W-Platform represents the evolution of the GM mid/full-sized front-wheel-drive car. The W-Platform includes best sellers like the 2004-’13 Chevy Impala, 2006-’07 Chevy Monte Carlo, 2004-’08 Pontiac Grand Prix and 2005-’09 Buick LaCrosse. These are “bread and butter” vehicles for every shop. This generation of vehicles is solid and easy to work on. Gone are the quirks of previous generations.
Tech Tip: GM Squeaky Rear Springs On Silverado, Colorado, Express And Savanna
The driver may complain of a squeaking noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. While squeaking is a normal operating characteristic of all weak springs under certain conditions, the frequency and severity of the noise will be present no matter what type of road conditions exist.
Symptoms Of Failing Shocks And Struts You Can Feel And Hear
The vast majority of drivers rely on their senses to tell them when it’s time for service. And there are few vehicle components that give off more physical warning signs that service is needed than shocks and struts.
2011-2015 Chevy Cruze Alignment: Are You Calibrating The Steering Angle Sensor?
The Chevy Cruze debuted as the replacement for the Cobalt. On the outside and under the hood, the Cruze is a big upgrade from the Cobalt. Underneath, however, the two cars have similar setups. In the six years, the Cruze has been on the road, it has proven to be a reliable vehicle for the most part, but it has had some suspension issues.
VW Touareg 2003-2010 Air Ride Diagnostics And Replacement
The Volkswagen Touareg was the first VW SUV and the first to get an air ride suspension system. The luxury SUV shares the same platform as the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne. This is a full-feature air ride system designed to improve comfort, stability and off-road capabilities. Some vehicles with the 4XMotion option will also have a sway bar that can be decoupled to increase wheel travel.
The Dynamic Alignment Perspective
One of the most difficult concepts for any technician to grasp is how alignment angles change when a vehicle is accelerating, braking and cornering. The view seen when the sensors and targets are on the vehicle in the alignment bay is just a small snapshot into the suspension’s geometry.
VIDEO: Wheel Displacement Sensor Diagnostics
Andrew Markel discusses the wheel displacement sensor (or ride height sensor) and the modules these sensors communicate with in order to determine ride height. Sponsored by Standard.
Toe And Tie Rods
Toe is the most critical alignment angle. It is also an angle that can change as the weight of the vehicle is transferred to the front or rear wheels. Engineers can tune the suspension geometry and toe to make the vehicle more stable under braking or initial turn in.
Piecing Together The Air Ride Diagnostic Puzzle
Air ride diagnostics can be just as complex as any ABS or fuel injection problem. The diagnostic process should start with questions about the system rather than the parts.
