- prolonged rocking of the body when driving on uneven road surfaces;
- increasing body vibration when driving on uneven road surfaces;
- wheel bouncing when driving in a certain speed range, including on normal road surfaces and on turns;
- involuntary turning of the car when braking;
- instability when cornering and skidding of the car;
- increased tire wear characterized by wear of the tire pattern;
- the presence of clicks and extraneous noise when the vehicle is moving. Clicks and light impacts can also be caused by other suspension faults, in particular, loose threaded connections, failure of hub bearings or worn constant velocity joints of drive shafts.
You can check the shock absorber manually, but the best result will be achieved using special equipment.
Remove the shock absorber from the vehicle.
Holding the shock absorber in the working position, pull out and push the shock absorber rod. Check the entire length of the shock absorber rod for pitting. Check the shock absorber body for mechanical damage. Set the shock absorber in a vertical position and check its operation by moving the shock absorber rod through its full stroke. Also check the operation of the shock absorber by moving the shock absorber rod up and down a distance of 50-100 mm. In all cases, the shock absorber rod should move smoothly with noticeable resistance. If the shock absorber rod moves with jerks or there is mechanical damage, the shock absorber must be replaced (see fig. 8.14).
In a gas-filled shock absorber, the piston rod spontaneously extends from the shock absorber to its original position due to excess pressure. However, if the piston rod does not spontaneously extend from the shock absorber, this does not indicate a malfunction of the shock absorber. In this case, the operating mode of the gas-filled shock absorber corresponds to the operating mode of the hydraulic shock absorber. The shock absorber performs its functions even without excess gas pressure, but additional noise may appear when the shock absorber piston moves.
Check for shock absorber fluid leaks. Minor oil leaks are allowed while maintaining normal shock absorber functionality. If the fluid leak from the shock absorber reaches only the lower spring support, this is considered normal. Minor fluid leaks from the shock absorber also lubricate the shock absorber rod sealing ring, which increases its service life.
If there are significant fluid leaks from the shock absorber, it must be replaced.
[This article was previously published on the resource AudiManual.ru]