Hunter Alignment Training Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Why is a road test needed?

Evaluate the vehicle's operation under normal driving circumstances, confirm customer's concerns, create a baseline for the post alignment test drive.

What areas should a test drive include?

Straight level road surface, left and right hand turns, hitting bumps or dips.

Why is the steering wheel crooked?

Front individual toe is incorrect or rear individual toe is incorrect.

What causes a vehicle to pull or drift at speeds below 20 mph?

Tire conicity, brake drag, power steering imbalance. Signup and view all the answers

What causes a vehicle to pull or drift at speeds above 20 mph?

Front cross camber exceeds manufacturer's specification, Front cross caster exceeds manufacturer's specification, road crown, uneven side-to-side load. Signup and view all the answers

What are possible causes of a vehicle pull with slight brake pedal application?

Contaminated friction material, binding caliper piston, binding caliper slides, master cylinder by-pass, restricted brake hose. Signup and view all the answers

What are possible causes of a vehicle pull with hard brake applications?

Worn control arm bushings, radius arm bushings, strut rod bushings. Signup and view all the answers

What could cause a vehicle to pull during accelerating or braking?

Worn engine or transaxle mounts, worn suspension components, tire conicity or tread pattern differences, tire circumferences differences (new vs used tire). Signup and view all the answers

What can cause a vehicle to change direction when hitting a dip or bump?

Outer tie rods have different angles, steering linkage attachment or gearbox mounting. Signup and view all the answers

What to check when the steering wheel shakes while cruising?

Excessive front tire or wheel run-out, wheel balance of the front tires. Signup and view all the answers

What to check when you feel a vibration in the seat?

Excessive front tire or wheel run-out, wheel balance of the rear tires. Signup and view all the answers

What to check when the steering wheel shakes or you notice vibration only when accelerating?

Worn or binding U-Joints, worn engine or transaxle mounts on FWD vehicles, worn inner (plunge) CV joint on FWD vehicles. Signup and view all the answers

What to check when vibration is only noticed when braking?

Front brake rotors for excessive thickness variation, Rear brake rotors for excessive thickness variation, Rear brake drums for excessive diameter variation. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of tire wear has slight front to back feathering referred to as 'heel & toe' wear pattern?

Normal. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of tire wear has deep front to back feathering on non-drive tires?

Excessive cornering or lack of rotation. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of tire wear is isolated to the shoulder and is smooth?

Excessive camber wear. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of tire wear that starts on the shoulder, moves inward and feels rough?

Excessive toe. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of tire wear that has spotty cupping?

Weak or loose suspension components or wheel imbalance. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of tire wear has diagonal wipe?

Unequal rear toe. Signup and view all the answers

How can the power steering system cause a vehicle to pull?

An imbalance in the power steering control valve. Signup and view all the answers

What are four steering systems commonly found in light vehicles?

Relay rod steering system, Haltenberger steering system, Parallelogram (conventional) steering system, Rack and Pinion steering system. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of vehicles use a Relay Rod Steering System?

Trucks and sports utility vehicles with a non-independent front suspension. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of vehicles use Haltenberger Steering System?

Ford and Mazda light trucks and sport utility vehicles with twin I beam suspensions. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Parallelogram Steering System also known as?

Conventional, is the most common on many full frame cars and light trucks. Signup and view all the answers

What are the steering linkage components that make up a Parallelogram Steering System?

<ol> <li>Outer tie rod 2. Idler arm 3. Inner tie rod 4. Center link 5. Pitman arm 6. Tie rod adjusting sleeve.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What are the standard linkage components of a Rack and Pinion Steering System?

Inner tie rods, outer tie rods, jam nuts, bellows boot. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two methods of inspecting steering linkage components?

Dry park method and Weight Off method. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Road Test Importance

Road tests evaluate vehicle operation under normal driving conditions.
They confirm customer concerns and establish a baseline for post-alignment performance.

Test Drive Areas

Test drives should include straight, level surfaces, left and right turns, and scenarios hitting bumps or dips.

Steering Wheel Alignment Issues

A crooked steering wheel can indicate incorrect front or rear individual toe settings.

Vehicle Pulling Causes Below 20 mph

Factors include tire conicity, brake drag, and power steering imbalance.

Vehicle Pulling Causes Above 20 mph

Issues arise when front cross camber or caster exceeds manufacturer specifications, or due to road crown and uneven loads.

Vehicle Pulling with Light Brake Application

Possible causes: contaminated friction material, binding caliper piston, and restricted brake hose.

Vehicle Pulling with Hard Brake Application

Caused by worn control arm bushings, radius arm bushings, or strut rod bushings.

Pulling During Acceleration or Braking

Issues may stem from worn suspension parts, engine mounts, or tire differences in tread and circumference.

Direction Change on Bumps

Changes in vehicle direction can result from differing angles in outer tie rods or issues with steering linkage attachment.

Steering Wheel Shake at Cruising

Check for excessive front tire or wheel run-out and balance of front tires.

Vibration Felt in Seat

Investigate excessive front tire or wheel run-out along with rear tire balance.

Vibration During Acceleration

Possible problems include worn U-joints, engine mounts, or worn inner CV joints.

Vibration Only on Braking

Inspect front or rear brake rotors and drums for excessive thickness or diameter variation.

Tire Wear Patterns: Heel & Toe

Slight front to back feathering is classified as normal wear.

Tire Wear from Excessive Cornering

Deep feathering on non-drive tires indicates excessive cornering or lack of rotation.

Tire Wear Insights: Camber

Smooth tire wear isolated to the shoulder suggests excessive camber.

Wear that starts on the shoulder and moves inward with a rough texture indicates excessive toe.

Spotty Cupping in Tire Wear

Results from weak suspension components or wheel imbalance.

Diagonal Wipe Tire Wear

Can be attributed to unequal rear toe settings.

Power Steering Pulling Causes

An imbalance in the power steering control valve can lead to vehicle pulling.

Common Steering Systems in Light Vehicles

Relay rod, Haltenberger, Parallelogram (Conventional), and Rack and Pinion steering systems.

Relay Rod Steering System Usage

Primarily found in trucks and SUVs with non-independent front suspensions.

Haltenberger Steering System Applications

Used in Ford and Mazda light trucks and SUVs with twin I-beam suspensions.

Parallelogram Steering System Definition

Also known as Conventional steering; widely used in full-frame cars and light trucks.

Parallelogram Steering Components

Includes outer tie rod, idler arm, inner tie rod, center link, pitman arm, and tie rod adjusting sleeve.

Rack and Pinion Steering Components

Standard components consist of inner tie rods, outer tie rods, jam nuts, and bellows boot.

Steering Linkage Inspection Methods

Two methods: Dry park method and Weight Off method for evaluating condition.

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Description

This quiz features flashcards related to Hunter Alignment training. It covers essential concepts such as the need for a road test, areas to include during a test drive, and common issues like a crooked steering wheel. Perfect for those preparing for vehicle alignment assessments.