Course | Madison College Outline of Instruction

32404341Suspension and Steering Systems

Course Information

Description

Covers basic principles of passenger car construction, suspension, and wheel alignment angles. Laboratory work stresses inspection, correction or replacement of all suspension parts and the role they play in proper vehicle handling and operation. Alignment procedures and the use of modern wheel alignment machines and troubleshooting are stressed.

Total Credits

Course Competencies

Practice safety and good work habits

Assessment Strategies

by instructor observation

by record form

Criteria

you demonstrate safety

you protect self

you protect tools

you protect equipment

you protect reference materials

you protect school models

you protect customers' property

you maintain clean work areas

you maintain organized work areas

you demonstrate conservative use of shop supplies
Repair suspension and steering systems

Assessment Strategies

in lab

Criteria

you inspect short- and long-arm suspension systems to determine necessary action

you inspect strut suspension systems to determine necessary action

you remove, inspect, and install upper and lower control arm bushings, shaft, strut rods and bushings

you remove and install upper and lower ball joints

you install steering knuckle

you remove and install coil springs and spring insulators, long- and short-arm

you remove and install torsion bars and mounts

you remove and install stabilizer bar bushing, brackets, and links

you remove and install strut cartridges or assemble strut coil springs, insulators and upper bearing plates

you replace shock absorbers

you remove leaf springs, spring silencers, shackles, brackets, bushing and mounts

you test and diagnose components of electronically controlled suspension systems
Repair steering systems

Assessment Strategies

on written test

on lab projects

on performance test

Criteria

you inspect pitman arm

you inspect relay (centerlink/intermediate) rod

you inspect idler arm and mountings

you inspect steering damper

you replace pitman arm

you replace relay (centerlink/intermediate) rod

you replace idler arm and mountings

you replace steering damper

you inspect power steering hoses

you inspect power steering pumps and pulleys

you replace power steering hoses

you replace power steering pumps and pulleys

you flush hydraulic system

you diagnose power steering gear binding

you diagnose power steering uneven turning effort

you diagnose power steering loose steering concerns

you diagnose power steering hard steering concerns

you diagnose power steering fluid leakage concerns

you determine necessary action for power steering problems

you diagnose rack and pinion binding

you diagnose rack and pinion uneven turning effort

you diagnose rack and pinion looseness concerns

you diagnose rack and pinion hard steering concerns

you diagnose rack and pinion fluid leakage concerns

you determine necessary action for rack and pinion problems

you adjust manual or power non-rack and pinion worm bearing preload and sector lock

you diagnose steering column noises

you diagnose steering looseness concerns

you diagnose steering binding concerns

you determine necessary action for steering problems
Wheel alignment diagnosis, adjustment and repair

Assessment Strategies

in lab

Criteria

you differentiate between steering and suspension concerns using principles of steering geometry (caster, camber, toe, etc)

you perform prealignment inspection; perform necessary action

you diagnose vehicle wander, drift, pull, hard steering, bump steer, memory steer, torque steer to determine necessary action

you check and adjust front and rear wheel camber

you check and adjust caster; perform necessary action

you check and adjust rear and front toe

you center steer wheel

you check turning radius, steering axis inclination and included angle to determine necessary action

you check thrust angle, wheel setback and cradle alignment to determine necessary action