1. Turn the steering wheel to the right until it stops and check the condition of the cuff by expanding it with your hand (see illustration).
2. Make sure that the cuff fastening collars are not loose and firmly hold the cuff.
3. Replace cuff if defective.
Tie Rod End Caps - Check
The tie rod ends are metal spheres pressed into plastic cups. Tip supports are capped (anthers), which also need to be checked regularly.
4. Check the condition of the protective caps around their entire circumference. A torn boot must be replaced immediately (see illustration).
5. Make sure there is no play on the tie rod ends. To do this, the car must be installed on the goats and move the tie rods from side to side, or these actions must be performed with the wheel.
Another way to check the tie rod ends.
6. Ask the assistant to turn a steering wheel of the car standing on wheels to the right and to the left.
7. Place your hand on the handpiece support. The presence or absence of backlash will be felt quite well.
In a similar way, the play of silent blocks is checked, with which the steering rods are connected to the steering mechanism. If the silent block is defective, the steering rod must be completely changed.
Front suspension ball caps - check
The ball joints connecting the front suspension wishbones and suspension struts are maintenance-free. The spherical ball heads are in plastic cups filled with long lasting grease.
To prevent the penetration of moisture and dust, the ball joints are closed with protective caps (anthers). When they are damaged, dust and moisture that have fallen on the ball bearings act as an abrasive substance, destroying the bearings.
8. Turn the steering wheel all the way to one side.
9. Check the condition of the caps on the left and right sides. A damaged cap is not individually replaceable. Replacement is carried out together with the ball joint.
Steering play - check
10. Lower the driver's door glass.
11. Apply the parking brake.
12. Start the engine.
13. Rotate the steering wheel through the hole in the downed door glass and watch as the left front wheel begins to shift in response to the rotation of the steering wheel. It is recommended to observe the rim of the wheel because the tire rubber is elastic and can dampen wheel movement.
The causes of steering play may be:
- free play of the gear rack of the steering mechanism. This stroke can be adjusted;
- wear of the tips of the transverse steering rods or silent blocks connecting the transverse steering rods with the steering mechanism;
- defect in the connecting hinge of the split steering column;
- coupling defect between the steering mechanism and the steering column.
Hub bearing clearance - check
The front wheel hubs of front wheel drive vehicles have double row ball bearings. The rear hubs of these models are fitted with tapered roller bearings. The hubs of quattro all-wheel drive vehicles have double-row ball bearings front and rear.
The bearings are packed with long life grease and under normal operating conditions they last more than 100,000 miles. Defective wheel bearings while driving «make noise». Which hub bearing is faulty is determined in a simple way. If the noise increases when making a right turn, then the left bearing is faulty.
14. Grasp the wheel with your hands and try to move it perpendicular to the body. Do this operation with all wheels in turn. If the hub bearings are normal, then the wheels have practically no free play. If you find free play on one of the wheels, ask an assistant to fully depress the brake pedal.
15. Try to move the wheel with the brake pedal depressed. If there is no free play now, the wheel bearing is defective. If there is free play, check the suspension.
16. Install the car on the goats and turn the wheel. If the wheel is hard to move or jerks, the bearing is too tight. If, during the rotation of the wheel, a noise is heard similar to the noise of the millstones, then the hub bearing must be changed.
Note: The rear wheel bearing on front wheel drive models can be adjusted. The bearings of the hubs and the front and rear wheels of the quattro models cannot be adjusted.
Protective covers of CV joints - check
CV joints are protected from moisture and dust by rubber cuffs (anthers), which need to be checked regularly. Damaged or cracked cuffs should be replaced immediately, because moisture and dust that have entered will destroy the CV joint.
17. Install the car on the goats.
18. Rotate the corresponding axle shaft and at the same time inspect the protective cover. Traces of grease on the surface of the boot may indicate a crack.
19. Make sure that the cover is firmly fixed with clamps.
20. Replace damaged boot.
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