Symptom Chart — Suspension, Service

Refer to the following chart for front suspension problems. For driveline noise, refer to Section 00-04.

SUSPENSION, SERVICE

Condition	Possible Source	Action
Vehicle Leans to One Side	Incorrect tire pressure.	ENSURE specified tire pressure for all tires.
	Improper tire/wheel usage.	INSTALL correct tire/wheel combination.
	Vehicle overloaded or unevenly loaded.	CORRECT as required.
	Loose, worn or damaged front or rear suspension components.	Visually INSPECT suspension systems. REPAIR or REPLACE as required. REFER to Section 04-01A, Section 04-01B or Section 04-02.
	Improper spring usage or improperly installed and seated springs.	CORRECT as required. REFER to appropriate section in Group 04.
	Incorrect front axle ride height. Lateral tilt out of specification.	To adjust, REFER to Vehicle Lean Correction in the Adjustments portion of this section.
	Incorrect rear axle ride height. Lateral tilt out of specification.	To adjust, REFER to Vehicle Lean Correction in the Adjustments portion of this section.
Front Bottoming or Riding Low	Incorrect tire pressure.	CORRECT as required.
	Improper tire/wheel usage.	INSTALL correct tire/wheel combination.
	Vehicle overloaded or unevenly loaded.	CORRECT as required.
	Broken or incorrectly installed front springs.	REPAIR or REPLACE as necessary. REFER to Section 04-01A or Section 04-01B.
	Loose or broken shackles.	TIGHTEN or REPLACE as necessary.
	Distorted or split front suspension bumper.	CORRECT as required.
	Incorrect front springs.	REPLACE front springs.
Dogtracking of Rear Wheels	Loose or damaged front or rear suspension components.	INSPECT, REPAIR or REPLACE as required. REFER to Section 04-01A, Section 04-01B or Section 04-02.
	Loose rear spring U-bolts.	TIGHTEN to specification. REFER to Section 04-02.
	Rear spring improperly installed on axle.	REPAIR as required.
	Rear spring center bolt bent.	REPLACE center bolt.
	Improperly installed front leaf springs (4x4). Rear axle out of specification or damaged.	REPAIR as necessary.
Shimmy or Wheel Tramp	Loose front axle bearing bracket attaching parts.	TIGHTEN to specification. REFER to Section 04-01A for 4x2 or Section 05-03A or Section 05-03B for 4x4.
	Incorrect tire pressure.	ADJUST air pressure in tires.
	Excessive tire sidewall deflection.	INSPECT, ADJUST air pressure and REPLACE as necessary.
	Irregular tire wear or tire sizes not uniform.	CHECK front wheel alignment, ADJUST and REPLACE with same size tires.
	Loose lug nuts.	TIGHTEN to specifications.
	Front wheel bearing adjustment.	ADJUST to specifications.
	Out-of-round wheels.	REPLACE as required.
	Out-of-round tires.	REPLACE as required.
	Wheel and tire lateral runout not to specifications.	FOLLOW tire and wheel runout check. REFER to Section 04-04.
	Incorrect wheel and tire balance.	BALANCE wheels and tires.
	Front wheel alignment (toe-in and caster) out of specification.	SET toe to specifications. SET caster to specifications on vehicles with front leaf-type springs.
	Deteriorated radius arm bushing.	REPLACE. REFER to Section 04-01A or Section 04-01B.
	Loose, worn or damaged shock absorbers.	TIGHTEN and REPLACE as necessary. REFER to Section 04-01A or Section 04-01B.
	Loose, worn or damaged steering linkage and idler arm connections.	TIGHTEN or REPLACE as necessary. REFER to Section 11-03.
	Broken or sagging springs.	REPLACE as required. REFER to Section 04-01A, Section 04-01B or Section 04-02.
	Loose steering gear mounting.	TIGHTEN to specifications. REFER to the appropriate steering gear section in Group 11.
	Incorrect steering gear adjustment.	ADJUST to specifications.
	Worn ball joints.	REPLACE ball joints.
	Worn spindle (king) pins.	REPLACE spindle pins and spindle pin bushings.
Sway or Roll	Unequal load distribution (side to side). Excessive load or body height.	CORRECT as necessary.
	Incorrect tire pressure.	ADJUST air pressure in tires.
	Loose lug nuts.	TIGHTEN to specifications.
	Worn or loose stabilizer assembly.	TIGHTEN or REPLACE as required. REFER to Section 04-01A, Section 04-01B or Section 04-02.
	Broken or sagging spring.	REPLACE as required.
	Incorrect steering gear adjustment.	ADJUST to specifications. REFER to Section 11-02B or Section 11-02D.
	Loose steering gear mounting.	TIGHTEN to specifications.
	Excessive front or rear overhang.	CORRECT as necessary.
	Broken toe bolts on rear spring.	REPLACE as required.
Sticky Steering, Pointing or Small Angle Returnability	High spindle rotating torque.	INSPECT for sticky steering linkage joints and/or spindle ball joints/kingpins and REPLACE as required.
	Excessive steering gear preload/meshload.	MEASURE preload/meshload, ADJUST as required.
	Power steering control valve centering.	INSPECT and SERVICE as required.
	High steering column friction or binding.	INSPECT for interfering parts, worn steering column bearings and SERVICE or REPLACE as required.
Wander	Improper loading.	WEIGH vehicle, BALANCE loading and/or REMOVE payload as required.
	Low tire pressure.	INFLATE to specification.
	Improper tire/wheel size.	REPLACE as necessary.
	Steering linkage ball joint looseness or wear.	INSPECT and SERVICE as required.
	Spindle ball joint/kingpin looseness or wear.	INSPECT and REPLACE as required.
	Wheel bearing looseness or wear.	INSPECT and REPAIR as required.
	Worn suspension bushings.	INSPECT and REPLACE as required.
	Loose suspension attachments of components.	INSPECT all attachments of components and SECURE/TIGHTEN with proper torque or REPLACE as required.
	Weak shock absorber control.	SERVICE shocks as required.
	Improper steering gear meshload.	MEASURE meshload and ADJUST as required.
	Steering gear peak meshload not on center.	If clear vision is correct, INSPECT steering gear and ADJUST or REPLACE as required. If clear vision is not correct, CHECK alignment, CENTER steering wheel and RESET front toe to optimum setting as required.
	Excessive front total toe-out.	CHECK alignment and RESET front toe to optimum setting as required.
Steady State, Constant Drift/Pull	Improper loading causing improper caster and/or caster split.	WEIGH vehicle, BALANCE load or REMOVE load as required. If condition still exists, CHECK alignment and RESET caster and/or camber to optimum setting as required.
	Improper tire pressures.	INFLATE tires to specifications.
	Mismatched tires/wheels.	REPLACE as required.
	Unequal tire circumferences.	MEASURE, CORRECT through tire rotation or REPLACE as required.
	Uneven tire wear.	CHECK alignment and ADJUST to optimum settings as required, ROTATE or REPLACE tires as required.
	Tire conicity (new or worn tires).	ROTATE right front tire to left front position, ROTATE left front to right front. If direction of drift/pull has changed, ROTATE tires or REPLACE as required.
	Steering linkage ball stud wind up.	LOOSEN all steering linkage ball studs from tapered holes in linkage. ALIGN wheels/steering wheel straight ahead. SEAT tapered hole and TIGHTEN ball stud to proper torque.
	Brake drag.	RAISE vehicle and SPIN wheels, CHECK for unequal side to side spinning drag. SERVICE brakes as required.
	Power steering control valve centering.	CHECK steering gear centering and SERVICE as required.
	Low steering gear preload/meshload.	MEASURE steering gear preload/meshload and ADJUST as required.
	Excessive caster split. Excessive camber split.	CHECK alignment, SET to optimum settings as required.
Drift Left or Right	Tires. Steering linkage. Alignment.	PERFORM Pinpoint Test A.
Steering Wheel Off-Center	Clear vision. Steering linkage.	PERFORM Pinpoint Test B.
Tracks Improperly	Caster. Rear suspension.	PERFORM Pinpoint Test C.
Rough Ride	Front shock absorbers. Rear shock absorbers.	PERFORM Pinpoint Test D.
Excessive Noise	Shock absorbers. Springs. Suspension components.	PERFORM Pinpoint Test E.
Improper Tire Wear	Tires (alignment). Tires (balance).	PERFORM Pinpoint Test F.
Vibration	Tires and wheels. Wheel bearings. Wheel hubs. Rotors. Drums.	PERFORM Pinpoint Test G.