ASE A4 Steering and Suspension
Which of the following is the proper way to adjust the rack yoke bearing?
A. Tighten to 75 ft lbs.
B. Tighten to 5 inch lbs.
C. Tighten and then back off the original equipment manufacturers (OEM)
specifications.
D. Tighten to 0.002" end-play. - answer Tighten and then back off the originial
equipment manufacturers (OEM) specifications. Many OEMs will recommend that the
technician tighten to a specification then back off a certain number of degrees.
A customer says that the steering wheel turns more turns to the left than the right.
Which of the following is the LEAST LIKELY cause?
A. Incorrectly timed steering gear
B. Bent pitman arm
C. Faulty power steering pump
D. Bent tie rod - answerFaulty power steering pump. A faulty power steering pump
would not change the relationship between the steering wheel and the steering stops.
A vehicle is hard to steer in one direction only. Which of the following could be the
cause?
A. Tight joint in the steering shaft
B. Loose joint in the steering shaft
C. Faulty power steering pump
D. Fault power steering gear - answerFaulty power steering gear. A leaking seal in a
power steering gear could affect steering in both directions.
The rear tires have a diagonal wear pattern. Which of the following is the most likely
cause?
A. Rear toe
B. Rear camber
C. Front camber
D. Front caster - answerRear toe. Incorrect rear toe causes a diagonal swipe wear
pattern on rear tires.
A customer says their car makes more noise on asphalt than on concrete road surfaces.
Which of the following could be the cause?
A. Front wheel bearing wear
B. Rear wheel bearing wear
C. Aggrresive tire tread patterns
D. Incorrect alignment angles - answerAggressive tire tread patterns. Tires with very
aggressive tread patterns are noisy. This noise will vary with different types of finish on
the road surface.
,There is a loud roaring noise while driving. The noise gets louder when vehicle speed
increases. Which of the following could be the cause?
A. Worn power steering pump
B. Worn wheel bearing
C. Worn ball joint
D. Worn power steering gear - answerWorn wheel bearing. This is a typical wheel
bearing diagnosis.
A setback condition is found during an alignment. Which of the following could be the
cause?
A. Worn spring shackle
B. Worn spring eye bushing
C. Worn tie rod end
D. Worn pitman arm - answerWorn spring eye bushing. A worn spring eye bushing
could allow the rear axle to shift and setback to occur.
There is a whining noise heard only when turning. Which of the following could be the
cause?
A. Leaking internal seals in the steering gear
B. Worn ball joint
C. Worn power steering gear
D. Worn power steering pump - answerWorn power steering pump. A worn power
steering pump can cause noise while turning.
The front leaf springs have been replaced on a vehicle. Which of the following
operations must also be performed.
A. Vehicle alignment
B. Tire rotation
C. Tire balance
D. Rear spring replacement - answerVehicle alignment. After the springs are replaced,
the vehicle alignment will be changed. Therefore, the vehicle must be aligned.
A vehicle has worn jounce bumpers. Which of the following could be the cause?
A. Leaking shocks
B. Leaking power steering pump
C. Leaking power steering gear
D. Worn strut bearings - answerLeaking shocks. Leaking shocks can allow the vehicle
to bottom out on rough road surfaces.
A worn idler arm would affect which alignment angle?
A. Camber
B. Caster
C. Toe
D. SAI - answerToe. Toe is directly affected by the idler arm. A worn idler arm would
allow toe to change while traveling down the road.
, A shifted front cradle could affect any of these EXCEPT:
A. Front camber.
B. Front caster.
C. Thrust line.
D. Thrust angle. - answerThrust line. The thrust line is the direction the rear wheels are
pointing; this would not be affected by a shifted front cradle.
There is a pull on acceleration and deceleration. Technician A says spring eye bushings
could be the cause. Technician B says worn strut rod bushings could be the cause.
Who is right? - answerBoth Technicians are correct. Spring eye bushings and worn strut
rod bushings can both allow the control arm to move when the vehicle is driven.
A composite leaf spring is being installed in a vehicle. Which of the following is correct?
A. The spring can be installed using a pry bar.
B. The spring can be compressed with vise grips.
C. The spring should be painted after installation.
D. The spring should not be scratched during installation. - answerThe spring should not
be scratched during installation. The spring needs to be handled with care. If the spring
is dented or scratched, it will be weakened and break.
Which of the following alignment specification would most likely need a steering
damper.
A. 6 degrees caster.
B. 2 degrees camber
C. 2 degrees caster
D. 6 degres camber - answer6 degrees caster. Vehicles with high caster settings are
most likely to use a steering damper to help control front-wheel shimmy.
A customer complains of a popping noise while turning the steering wheel. Which of the
following is the most likely cause?
A. Rear shock mounts
B. Rear toe adjusters
C. Front shock mounts
D. Front tie rods - answerFront tie rods. Worn front tie roads can make a popping noise
when the steering wheel is rocked back and forth.
A power steering pump hose is leaking on a vehicle. Which of the following is the most
likely cause?
A. Separated motor mounts
B. Loose drive belt
C. Air in the fluid
D. Broken pump mounts - answerSeparated motor mounts. It is possible that separated
motor mounts could cause the hoses to be stretched and leak.
Which angle has the greatest affect on steering wheel return?
Which of the following is the proper way to adjust the rack yoke bearing?
A. Tighten to 75 ft lbs.
B. Tighten to 5 inch lbs.
C. Tighten and then back off the original equipment manufacturers (OEM)
specifications.
D. Tighten to 0.002" end-play. - answer Tighten and then back off the originial
equipment manufacturers (OEM) specifications. Many OEMs will recommend that the
technician tighten to a specification then back off a certain number of degrees.
A customer says that the steering wheel turns more turns to the left than the right.
Which of the following is the LEAST LIKELY cause?
A. Incorrectly timed steering gear
B. Bent pitman arm
C. Faulty power steering pump
D. Bent tie rod - answerFaulty power steering pump. A faulty power steering pump
would not change the relationship between the steering wheel and the steering stops.
A vehicle is hard to steer in one direction only. Which of the following could be the
cause?
A. Tight joint in the steering shaft
B. Loose joint in the steering shaft
C. Faulty power steering pump
D. Fault power steering gear - answerFaulty power steering gear. A leaking seal in a
power steering gear could affect steering in both directions.
The rear tires have a diagonal wear pattern. Which of the following is the most likely
cause?
A. Rear toe
B. Rear camber
C. Front camber
D. Front caster - answerRear toe. Incorrect rear toe causes a diagonal swipe wear
pattern on rear tires.
A customer says their car makes more noise on asphalt than on concrete road surfaces.
Which of the following could be the cause?
A. Front wheel bearing wear
B. Rear wheel bearing wear
C. Aggrresive tire tread patterns
D. Incorrect alignment angles - answerAggressive tire tread patterns. Tires with very
aggressive tread patterns are noisy. This noise will vary with different types of finish on
the road surface.
,There is a loud roaring noise while driving. The noise gets louder when vehicle speed
increases. Which of the following could be the cause?
A. Worn power steering pump
B. Worn wheel bearing
C. Worn ball joint
D. Worn power steering gear - answerWorn wheel bearing. This is a typical wheel
bearing diagnosis.
A setback condition is found during an alignment. Which of the following could be the
cause?
A. Worn spring shackle
B. Worn spring eye bushing
C. Worn tie rod end
D. Worn pitman arm - answerWorn spring eye bushing. A worn spring eye bushing
could allow the rear axle to shift and setback to occur.
There is a whining noise heard only when turning. Which of the following could be the
cause?
A. Leaking internal seals in the steering gear
B. Worn ball joint
C. Worn power steering gear
D. Worn power steering pump - answerWorn power steering pump. A worn power
steering pump can cause noise while turning.
The front leaf springs have been replaced on a vehicle. Which of the following
operations must also be performed.
A. Vehicle alignment
B. Tire rotation
C. Tire balance
D. Rear spring replacement - answerVehicle alignment. After the springs are replaced,
the vehicle alignment will be changed. Therefore, the vehicle must be aligned.
A vehicle has worn jounce bumpers. Which of the following could be the cause?
A. Leaking shocks
B. Leaking power steering pump
C. Leaking power steering gear
D. Worn strut bearings - answerLeaking shocks. Leaking shocks can allow the vehicle
to bottom out on rough road surfaces.
A worn idler arm would affect which alignment angle?
A. Camber
B. Caster
C. Toe
D. SAI - answerToe. Toe is directly affected by the idler arm. A worn idler arm would
allow toe to change while traveling down the road.
, A shifted front cradle could affect any of these EXCEPT:
A. Front camber.
B. Front caster.
C. Thrust line.
D. Thrust angle. - answerThrust line. The thrust line is the direction the rear wheels are
pointing; this would not be affected by a shifted front cradle.
There is a pull on acceleration and deceleration. Technician A says spring eye bushings
could be the cause. Technician B says worn strut rod bushings could be the cause.
Who is right? - answerBoth Technicians are correct. Spring eye bushings and worn strut
rod bushings can both allow the control arm to move when the vehicle is driven.
A composite leaf spring is being installed in a vehicle. Which of the following is correct?
A. The spring can be installed using a pry bar.
B. The spring can be compressed with vise grips.
C. The spring should be painted after installation.
D. The spring should not be scratched during installation. - answerThe spring should not
be scratched during installation. The spring needs to be handled with care. If the spring
is dented or scratched, it will be weakened and break.
Which of the following alignment specification would most likely need a steering
damper.
A. 6 degrees caster.
B. 2 degrees camber
C. 2 degrees caster
D. 6 degres camber - answer6 degrees caster. Vehicles with high caster settings are
most likely to use a steering damper to help control front-wheel shimmy.
A customer complains of a popping noise while turning the steering wheel. Which of the
following is the most likely cause?
A. Rear shock mounts
B. Rear toe adjusters
C. Front shock mounts
D. Front tie rods - answerFront tie rods. Worn front tie roads can make a popping noise
when the steering wheel is rocked back and forth.
A power steering pump hose is leaking on a vehicle. Which of the following is the most
likely cause?
A. Separated motor mounts
B. Loose drive belt
C. Air in the fluid
D. Broken pump mounts - answerSeparated motor mounts. It is possible that separated
motor mounts could cause the hoses to be stretched and leak.
Which angle has the greatest affect on steering wheel return?
