Every 16,000 km or 12 months.
Checking the front suspension and steering
1. Apply the parking brake, then raise the front end and place it on stands.
2. Inspect ball joint and steering gear boots for cracks, chafing, or damage (see fig. 15.2, a-c). Wear on these components leads to loss of lubrication, as well as the ingress of dirt and dampness, which leads to the rapid destruction of ball joints or steering gear.
3. Check the steering hydraulic system hoses for chafing or damage, and the pipes and hose connections of this system for leaks. Also check for pressure leaks from under the steering rubber boots. Leaks from under the covers indicate a failure of the seals inside the steering gear.
4. Grab the wheel at the 12 and 6 o'clock position, shake it (see fig. 15.4). A little play is allowed. With a large backlash, you need to identify its cause. Keep rocking the wheel while your assistant depresses the brake pedal. If the play disappears or decreases significantly, then the hub bearings are worn out. If there is still play when the brake pedal is pressed, the joints and suspension mounts are worn out.
5. Now, grasping the wheel at the 9 and 3 o'clock position, wiggle it in the same way (see above). The presence of play can also be caused by wear of the hub bearings or tie rod ball joints. If the tie rod outer ball joint is worn, this will be obvious. If the inner hinge is worn out, then you can feel it by putting your hand on top of the rack and pinion cover and holding the tie rod. If you now shake the wheel, then the presence of play in the internal hinge can be detected by feeling its movement.
6. Check the wear of the bushings of the subframe and suspension supports. To do this, insert a large screwdriver or pry bar between the respective component and its mounting location and, using it as a lever, try to separate them from each other. A little movement is allowed as the bushings are made of rubber and excessive wear will be evident. Also inspect all available rubber bushings for cracked or broken rubber.
7. With the vehicle resting on the wheels, have an assistant turn the steering wheel left and right about 1/8 turn in each direction. In this case, the wheels should turn under the action of the steering wheel with almost no play. Otherwise, you need to carefully inspect the connections and supports (see above) and, in addition, check for wear on the cardan joints of the steering column, as well as the steering gear.
Checking the rear suspension
8. Support the front wheels with wedges, then lift the rear of the car and place it on supports.
9. Check the rear hub bearings for wear as described above (item 4).
10. Check up wear of plugs of support of a suspension bracket. To do this, insert a large screwdriver or pry bar between the respective component and its mounting location and, using it as a lever, try to separate them from each other. A little movement is allowed as the bushings are made of rubber and excessive wear will be evident.
Checking and balancing wheels
11. Remove wheels periodically. After removal, clean the dirt from the inside and outside. Inspect the wheel rims for rust, corrosion, or other damage. Light alloy rims are easily damaged when hitting a curb while parking, and steel rims can bend. Often the only way to fix damage is to replace the drive.
12. Balancing the wheel together with the tire is necessary not only to prevent excessive tire wear, but also to avoid wear on the steering and suspension components. Wheel imbalance is usually detected by its vibration, which is transmitted to the car body, although it often makes itself felt by the vibrations of the steering wheel. Accordingly, wear or damage to suspension or steering components can cause excessive tire wear. Such cases also include out-of-round or misaligned tyres, damaged wheels and worn/misaligned wheel bearings. The vibration caused by this wear usually cannot be eliminated by balancing.
13. The wheel can be balanced by removing it from the vehicle or without removing it. If wheel balancing was carried out directly on the car, it is necessary to mark the wheel relative to the hub so that during subsequent removal and installation of the wheel, its original position is maintained.
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