Ball Joint Friction And Wear
Any recommended procedure for inspecting a ball-type joint from an OEM or suspension component manufacturer rarely involves a pry bar, and almost never involves a set of pliers.
Undercar Trend Watch: Loaded Calipers, Struts, Arms And Knuckles
The main advantage of a loaded, unitized or complete assembly is not the cost of the part, but rather the efficiency it offers the technician and the greater effectiveness of repair it gives the customer. By packing a loaded caliper, strut, control arm or even knuckle into a job, you can create a “win/win” for everyone.
ACDelco Adds More Than 850 New SKUs To Chassis Lineup
The expansion includes new ball joints, bushings, control arms, drag/center links, pitman/idler arms, sway bar links and tie rods for more than 200 million vehicles on U.S. roads today.
MAS Industries Launches New Online Catalog
The catalog is accessible to anyone through the MAS Industries website at mas-industries.com/catalog. Users can search by vehicle or by part number.
Honda Civic Alignment Spec: 2006-’11
Before performing an alignment, it is critical to perform a thorough inspection. First, make sure the suspension is not modified. Many Honda owners lower their Civics with inexpensive lowering kits and springs. Second, check the tire size and set the correct tire pressure. Use the information printed on the driver’s side door pillar.
Control Arm Bushing Replacement Proper Tools And Procedures Optimize Service
Once we were able to determine where the noise was coming from and how to duplicate it, it was time for the inspection. When the vehicle was on a service lift, we saw right away that the front suspension arm bushings were leaking their hydraulic fluid.
Why Alignment Angles Change
An alignment angle doesn’t change randomly. There is a cause-and-effect relationship between external and internal forces that can alter the geometry of a vehicle’s suspension. Having the alignment reading for only one angle on one corner is just like having the outside temperature without knowing if there is a tornado outside. Just making an adjustment
Mevotech Releases More Than 500 New Part Numbers For Control Arms And Chassis
Mevotech has announced the release of more than 500 new part numbers for control arms and chassis. According to the company, these latest numbers meet and exceed OE specifications, and many of the parts released have been engineered with Mevotech XFactor features, which include greaseable ball joints, sintered metal-to-metal bearings, knurled housing, corrosion resistant coatings and enlarged ball studs for reduced contact pressure.
MOOG Brand Introduces Problem Solver Control Arm Bushings For Millions Of Vehicles
Federal-Mogul has introduced MOOG Problem Solver control arm bushings featuring a patent-pending ball-and-socket design that eliminates stress-induced failures encountered in original equipment-style parts. The new MOOG bushings, which Federal-Mogul states last up to 10 times longer than OE-style bushings, are available for millions of popular foreign-nameplate and domestic passenger vehicles.
Performance Rocker Arms
Overhead cams have been used in many European and Asian engines for years, so when Ford opted to go the overhead cam route with their 4.6L V8 engine, some predicted pushrod engines were on their way out. But, GM stuck with the pushrod design for their LS engines as did Chrysler with their 5.7L and 6.2L Hemi engines. When you add in all the older engines and current aftermarket block/head combinations that still use pushrods and rocker arms, it’s easy to understand why rocker arms and pushrods are still a hot topic for performance engine building.
Servicing Bent Arms And Struts
Normal driving usually won’t knock the wheels out of alignment or damage the suspension. However, normal driving also involves encounters with the unexpected, which often includes potholes, curbs, railroad crossings (which are famous for being rough), parking lot speed bumps and other things that jar and stress the suspension. For this reason, periodic alignment checks are a good way to ensure proper wheel alignment and to detect damaged, worn or bent parts that might need attention.
Why Do Ball Joints, Tie Rods And Control Arms Wear Out?
The ball and socket joint has been around on animals and humans for millennia. This simple design has been used on vehicles since the turn of the century because it works. But, just like our hip joints, ball and socket joints, like ball joints, tie rods and sway bar links, wear out.