SECTION 2A

SUSPENSION DIAGNOSIS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Diagnostic Information and Procedures . . . . . 2A-1
General Diagnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2A-1

Wheel Bearing Diagnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2A-6

DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES

GENERAL DIAGNOSIS
Problems in the steering, the suspension, the tires, and
the wheels involve several systems. Consider all systems when you diagnose a complaint. Some problems,
such as abnormal or excessive tire wear and scuffed
tires, may be the result of hard driving. Always road test

the vehicle first. If possible, do this road test with the

customer.
Proceed with the following preliminary checks. Correct
any substandard conditions.

Application

Preliminary Checks

DAEWOO M-150 BL2

Checks

Correction

D Inspect the tires for improper pressure

and uneven wear.

D Inflate the tires to the proper pressure.

D Inspect the joint from the steering

column to the intermediate shaft for
loose connections or wear.
D Inspect the joint from the intermediate
shaft to the steering gear for loose
connections or wear.

D Tighten the coupling flange pinch

bolts.
D Replace the intermediate shaft as
needed.

D Inspect the front and the rear

suspension, the steering gear, and the
linkage for loose or damaged parts.

D Tighten the front and the rear

suspension.
D Tighten the steering gear mounting
bracket bolts.
D Replace the front and the rear
suspension as needed.
D Replace the steering gear as needed.
D Replace the coupling flange as
needed.

D Inspect for outofround tires.

D Perform free runout test.

D Matchmount the tires.

D Inspect for outofbalance tires, bent

wheels, and worn or loose wheel
bearings.

D Balance the wheels.

D Replace the wheels.
D Replace the wheel bearings.

D Check the power steering pump drive

belt tension.

D Tighten the power steering pump drive

belt.

D Inspect the power steering system.

Also, check the power steering fluid
level.

D Repair any leaks.

D Perform a power steering gear test.
D Add power steering fluid.

2A 2 SUSPENSION DIAGNOSIS

Condition

Car Lead/Pull

Abnormal or Excessive
Tire Wear

Scuffed Tires

Wheel Tramp

Shimmy, Shake, or
Vibration

Probable Cause

Correction

D Mismatched or uneven tires.

D Replace the tires.

D A broken or a sagging coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

D A improperly radial tire lateral force.

D Check the wheel alignment.

D Switch the tire and wheel assemblies.
D Replace the tires as needed.

D The frontwheel alignment is

outofalign.

D Align the front wheels.

D Offcenter steering gear.

D Reseat the pinion valve assembly.

D Replace the pinion valve assembly as
needed.

D Frontbrake dragging.

D Adjust the front brakes.

D The frontwheel and rearwheel

alignment is outofalign.

D Align the front and the rear wheels.

D Excessive toe.

D Adjust the toe.

D A broken or a sagging coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

D Outofbalance tires.

D Balance the tires.

D Worn strut dampeners.

D Replace the strut dampeners.

D A failure to rotate tires.

D Rotate the tires.

D Replace the tires as needed.

D Overloaded vehicle.

D Maintain the proper load weight.

D Low tire inflation.

D Inflate the tires to the proper pressure.

D Incorrect toe.

D Adjust the toe.

D A twisted or a bent suspension arm.

D Replace the suspension arm.

D An outofbalance tire or wheel.

D Balance the tire or the wheel.

D Improper strut dampener action.

D Replace the strut dampeners.

D An outofbalance tire or wheel.

D Balance the tire or the wheel.

D Excessive wheel hub runout.

D Measure the hub flange runout.

D Replace the hub as needed.

D Excessive brake drum or brake rotor

imbalance.

D Adjust the brakes.

D Replace the brake rotor or the brake
drum as needed.

D Worn tie rod ends.

D Replace the tie rod ends.

D Wheel trim imbalance.

D Balance the wheel.

D A worn ball joint.

D Replace the control arm and ball joint

assembly.

D Excessive wheel runout.

D Measure the wheel runout.

D Replace the wheel as needed.

D Excessive loaded radial runout on the

tire and wheel assembly.

D Matchmount the tire and wheel

assembly.

DAEWOO M-150 BL2

SUSPENSION DIAGNOSIS 2A 3

Condition

Probable Cause

Correction

Hard Steering (Manual)

D A lack of lubrication of the ball joints,

the tie rods and the steering gear.

D Lubricate the ball joints, the tie rods,

and the steering gear.
D Replace the control arm and ball joint
assembly, the tie rods, and the
steering gear as needed.

D The frontwheel alignment is

outofalign.

D Align the front wheels.

D Steering gear adjustment is

outofadjustment.

D Adjust the steering gear.

D The steering preload adjustment is

outofadjustment.

D Perform a rack bearing preload

onvehicle adjustment.

D The leaked hydraulic system.

D Test the power steering system

pressure with a gauge.
D Replace the seals and the hoses as
needed.

D A loose steering gear mounting.

D Tighten the steering gear mounting

bracket bolts.

D Worn or loose wheel bearings.

D Tighten the drive axle nut.

D Replace the wheel bearing as needed.

D A loose steering gear mounting.

D Tighten the steering gear mounting

bracket bolts.

D The steering preload adjustment is

outofadjustment.

D Perform a rack bearing preload

onvehicle adjustment.

D Loose connections or wear of the joint

from the steering column to the
intermediate shaft.
D Loose connections or wear of the joint
from the intermediate shaft to the
steering gear.

D Tighten the coupling pinch bolts.

D Replace the intermediate shaft as
needed.

D Binding in the ball joints.

D Replace the control arm and ball joint

assembly.

D Binding in the steering column.

D Lubricate the steering column.

D Replace the steering column as
needed.

D The frontwheel alignment is

outofalign.

D Align the front wheels.

D The steering preload adjustment is

outofadjustment.

D Perform a rack bearing preload

onvehicle adjustment.

D A sticking valve.

D Lubricate the pinion valve assembly.

D Replace the pinion valve assembly as
needed.

D Binding in the coupling on the

intermediate shaft.

D Replace the intermediate shaft.

D Damaged suspension components.

D Replace the damaged suspension

components.

D Worn control arm bushings or tie rod

ends.

D Replace the control arm bushings or

the tie rods.

Hard Steering (Power)

Too Much Play in

Steering.

Poor Returnability

Abnormal Noise, Front

Suspension

DAEWOO M-150 BL2

2A 4 SUSPENSION DIAGNOSIS

Condition

Abnormal Noise, Front

Suspension

Wander or Poor
Steering Ability

Erratic Steering when

Braking

Low or Uneven Trim

Height

Ride Too Soft

Ride Too Harsh

Body Leans or Sways

in Corners

Suspension Bottoms

Probable Cause

Correction

D A loose stabilizer shaft link.

D Tighten the stabilizer shaft link.

D Loose wheel nuts.

D Tighten the wheel nuts.

D Loose suspension bolts or nuts.

D Tighten the suspension bolts or the

nuts.

D Loose wheel covers.

D Tighten the wheel covers.

D Worn strut dampeners or strut

mountings.

D Replace the strut dampeners.

D Tighten the strut mounting nuts.

D An improperly positioned strut spring.

D Adjust the strut spring to the proper

position.

D Mismatched or uneven tires.

D Replace the tires.

D Worn strut dampeners.

D Replace the strut dampeners.

D A loose stabilizer shaft link.

D Tighten the stabilizer shaft link.

D A broken or a sagging coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

D The steering preload adjustment is

outofadjustment.

D Perform a rack bearing preload

onvehicle adjustment.

D The frontwheel and the rearwheel

alignment are outofalign.

D Align the front and the rear end

wheels.

D Worn or loose wheel bearings.

D Replace the wheel bearings.

D A broken or a sagging coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

D A leaking caliper.

D Replace the caliper.

D Warped rotors.

D Replace the rotors.

D An incorrect or an uneven caster.

D If the caster is beyond specifications,

check the frame and repair it as
needed.

D A broken or a sagging coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

D An overloaded vehicle.

D Maintain the proper load weight.

D An incorrect or weak coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

D Worn strut dampeners.

D Replace the strut dampeners.

D A broken or a sagging coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

D Incorrect strut dampeners.

D Replace the strut dampeners.

D An incorrect coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

D A loose stabilizer shaft link.

D Tighten the stabilizer shaft link.

D Worn strut dampeners or strut

mountings.

D Replace the strut dampeners.

D Tighten the strut assembly mounting
nuts.

D an overloaded vehicle.

D Maintain the proper load weight.

D A broken or a sagging coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

D Worn strut dampeners.

D Replace the strut dampeners.

D An overloaded vehicle.

D Maintain the proper load weight.

D A broken or a sagging coil spring.

D Replace the coil spring.

DAEWOO M-150 BL2

SUSPENSION DIAGNOSIS 2A 5

Condition

Steering Wheel
Kickback (Power)

Steering Wheel Surges

or Jerks (Power)

Cupped Tires

DAEWOO M-150 BL2

Probable Cause

Correction

D Air in the power steering system.

D Bleed the power steering system.

D A loose steering gear mounting.

D Tighten the steering gear mounting

bracket bolts.

D Loose connections or wear of the joint

from the steering column to the
intermediate shaft.
D Loose connections or wear of the joint
from the intermediate shaft to the
steering gear.

D Tighten the coupling pinch bolts.

D Replace the intermediate shaft as
needed.

D Loose tie rod ends.

D Tighten the tie rod ends.

D Replace the tie rods as needed.

D Loose or worn wheel bearings.

D Tighten the drive axle nut.

D Replace the wheel bearing as needed.

D Low pressure in the power steering

system.

D Replace the seals and the hoses as

needed.

D A sluggish steering gear valve.

D Clean the pinion valve assembly.

D Replace the pinion valve assembly as
needed.

D A loose power steering pump drive

belt.

D Adjust the power steering pump drive

belt.

D The frontwheel and the rearwheel

alignment are outofalign.

D Align the front and the rear wheels.

D Worn strut dampeners.

D Replace the strut dampeners.

D Worn or loose wheel bearing.

D Tighten the drive axle nut.

D Replace the wheel bearings as
needed.

D Excessive tire or wheel runout.

D Matchmount the tires.

D Replace the tires as needed.
D Replace the wheels as needed.

D A worn ball joints.

D Replace the control arm and ball joint

assembly.

D The steering gear preload adjustment

is outofadjustment.

D Perform a rack bearing preload

onvehicle adjustment.

2A 6 SUSPENSION DIAGNOSIS

WHEEL BEARING DIAGNOSIS

This vehicle with nonserviceable bearings in the rear
wheels. If any fault is found with a wheel bearing, it must
be replaced.

Wheel Bearing Noise

A road test usually reveals excessive wheel bearing
noise. Wheel bearings emit a howling sound when loose
or damaged. Wheel bearing noise is present only when
the vehicle is moving. It is constant and unwavering and
increases with the speed of the vehicle. If the wheel
bearing noise cannot be positively diagnosed, or if the

origin of the noise cannot be determined, perform the

following test :
1. Raise and suitably support the vehicle.
2. Spin the wheels using your hand. Check for outof
round or outofbalance tires, bent rims, or loose
wheel bearings.
3. Spin the rear wheels using a commercial wheel spiner.
4. If a noise can be heard from the passenger compartment, replace the noisy wheel bearings. Refer to Section 2D, Rear Suspension.
5. Lower the vehicle.

DAEWOO M-150 BL2