Contents: Chassis of the car ↡ Security measures ↡
Chassis of the car
The car is equipped with a front suspension in the form of triangular transverse levers and a rear suspension in the form of a spatial lever system, the main components of which are coil springs, an anti-roll bar and gas-filled shock absorbers. The elements of the front suspension, together with the rack and pinion steering mechanism and engine mounts, are located on the front suspension beam, made of aluminum, which is connected to the body with bolted connections.
Security measures
When performing repairs or servicing of suspension and steering components, you may encounter the problem of loosening rusted bolts and nuts. These bolts and nuts, located under the bottom of the car, are constantly exposed to external influences. It is not surprising that over time they become covered with rust and partially destroyed. Do not try to loosen the fasteners by force - you will certainly damage them. Apply a large amount of penetrating liquid (such as WD40) to the relevant nut or bolt and allow it to soak into the rust. Use a wire brush to remove all rust and dirt from the visible threaded parts of the fastener. Sometimes a sharp blow with a hammer on the nut through a drift can destroy the rust located between the threaded parts of the bolt and nut. However, when striking the nut, make sure that the drift does not jump off its surface and does not damage the threads of the bolt. When loosening a rusted nut or bolt, use a long handle - this will increase the force applied; however, never use a long handle on a ratchet wrench, as you may not only damage the return mechanism of the wrench, but also get injured. If the bolt or nut does not come off, try to tighten it slightly. If you have used too much force to loosen the bolt/nut or damaged its head (its surface), use the new one when installing.
Since most of the procedures in this chapter require you to lift the vehicle, make sure you have adequate support. Use a hydraulic trolley jack to jack up the vehicle. You may also need one to support some suspension components when performing a procedure.
Warning! Warning! Never work under a vehicle supported solely by a jack. When raising the rear of the vehicle, do not use the crossbar as a support for the jack arm.