Maintenance

Suspension / Maintenance

1 Periodically check the tightness of all suspension nuts and bolts using a torque wrench.

2 At the intervals specified in “Routine Maintenance” inspect all suspension rubber bushes for deterioration or wear. Renew where necessary.

3 Check for wear in the track control arm to hub carrier balljoint. Do this by raising the roadwheel and prising the control arm down.

If the hub carrier is pulled outwards, any up and down movement or slackness will necessitate renewal of the track control arm, although it may be possible to obtain a balljoint repair kit from a motor factor.

4 A defective strut or shock absorber can usually be detected by the tendency of the car to pitch badly when braking or cornering.

However the component can be tested more thoroughly in the following way.

5 Remove the strut and take off the coil spring or withdraw the rear shock absorber as described later in this Chapter.

6 Grip the strut or shock absorber lower mounting in the jaws of a vice and then fully extend and contract the unit five or six times, with the unit held in a vertical attitude. If there is any lack of resistance, jerkiness or seizure, then the unit will have to be renewed, no repair being possible. It is recommended that struts or shock absorbers are renewed in pairs as axle sets, in order to maintain similar suspension characteristics on both sides of the car.

7 Check for signs of hydraulic fluid leakage from around the front strut spindle gland and also the condition of the dust excluding boot.

Oil leakage will mean a new unit, a split boot can be renewed after having withdrawn the coil spring.