Tech Tip: Symptoms of a Worn Wheel Hub Bearing
Signs of a worn wheel hub bearing vary in severity. Some may be difficult to detect, leading to damage before corrective action can be taken. The time frame in which damage occurs is linked to driving conditions and/or the mechanical practices that were followed at installation.
Automatic 4WD Hub Replacement
Automatic hubs are used on many 4×4 trucks to disengage the front wheels when four-wheel drive is not needed. Disconnecting the front wheels reduces friction and may improve fuel economy as much as one mile per gallon depending on the vehicle. A one mpg difference may not sound like much, but with gas costing around
CV Joints & Halfshafts
Rear-wheel drive has made a comeback on many large luxury import nameplates, but more than 80% of all cars on the road today are front-wheel drive. Most small- and mid-size cars are FWD, and all import minivans have FWD. What’s more, most of the full-size and crossover 4WD SUVs have halfshafts with CV joints front
Making Sense out of Sensors
Sure, you may be familiar with some basic sensor operation. But as an automotive technician, you may not really understand all of the ins and outs of many common sensors. Do you really understand how they work, how the PCM views them and the possible scan tool and DVOM results when things go wrong? If
Subaru Tech Tip: Correct Axle Ratios
The customer has brought his vehicle in complaining about a shudder when turning (rear axle binding). He tells you that the problem has occurred since the transmission or rear differential was changed. This could be caused by an improper front-to-rear axle ratio match.
Management: Selling Specialty Chemicals
Chemicals are hot commodities because they are profitable to sell and help customers with a variety of needs. So let’s take a look at some of these products to see what kinds of needs they meet and benefits they provide.
Wheel Bearings 101
Service and replacement is making a comeback on some vehicles Some people think servicing wheel bearings is a thing of the past — like measuring dwell on a set of ignition points. But, even with sealed hub units, inspection and service have not gone out of style. Like any moving part on a vehicle that
Tie Rod Geometry
Keeping the angles in line with Ackermann Most people consider the common tire rod to be low tech. But, when you consider how front suspensions have evolved from straight axles to independent designs, the tie rod has had to adapt to new angles and geometry. Keeping it on the road was simple with the straight
Diagnostic Solutions: Wheel Bearing Diagnosis
PROPER PROCEDURES AND CORRECT TOOLS PREVENT COMEBACKS Although wheel bearings are often the most neglected part of the vehicle, they nevertheless have a critical job to do, and in most cases, do it very well. Not only are wheel bearings designed to support the weight of the vehicle and allow it to travel over a
Better Breathing: EGR Improvements
So Why Do We Have EGR? By Glen Beanard, technical contributor The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system was created in the early 1970s for the same No. 1 ranking motivation that drives every other engine management system design — to reduce emissions. The EGR valve targets one specific pollutant, oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Under normal