Showing posts with label steering and suspension. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steering and suspension. Show all posts

Are you neglecting your car? PartsAvatar outlines the ways you might be ruining your car without even knowing it.

You may end up damaging you own car without realizing. Let’s take a look at these tips! – By Partsavatar.ca Car Parts.


We as a typical driver want our car to undergo less maintenance and repair along with the long life of our car. But we do not give attention and care to our car as input. Unbeknownst to most of the motorists, there are various things that they do unintentionally to damage their vehicle. This way we our self are destroying the life span of our car.

In this article, the basic purpose of Parts avatar is to highlight certain ways by which you are yourself destroying your car and decreasing its life span.

Not using the Parking Brake
A study shows that most of the people in west do not prefer to use Parking brakes.Crowd thinks that Parking brakes of car come as an option even though it is designed to lock the wheels to prevent the car from rolling. So, your car is not meant to be held by the transmission only so that’s why parking brakes are used.

So, if you are not using parking brakes, do yourself a favor and start using it when you park your car and save your car’s transmission system. Failure to use the parking brake can strip the parking pawl in the transmission by time.

Ignoring Car noises
Never ignore sounds made by your car. Remember, every noise indicates any upcoming or ongoing problem with the auto part based on your inspection. If you ignore the grinding and hissing noises made by the car, you will end up paying more money for repairs coming in your way.

Grinding, roaring noises are surely a warning signal either it is coming from the rear of your car’s tire or under the hood. The best way is to take your car to your mechanic or yourself inspect it if you are a pro.

There is possibility based on your checking that you might need replacement of Car's brake rotors, brake pads or have to lubricate your car with high quality oil.

Ignoring Flashing Dashboard symbols


Most of us don’t even know what the symbols on the car's dashboard mean. We ignore these symbols in the hope that they will vanish by time on their own.

But these symbols let you know that there is something wrong with your car and you need to immediately check it out. For instance, there is this symbol called” Check engine light”. We often ignore it. Check engine light of car can be indicating to car’s engine or under the hood related issues that could get worse if ignored.

Auto repair shops don’t charge much for detecting the dashboard symbols. Take your car to professional, and take a good advice on what to do next.

Driving on low fuel
There are many folks who visit gas station when their car is running empty or too close to empty. Mind you, this way you are seriously damaging your car’s engine.

If you are constantly getting to your work and don’t have time to get a full tank of gas, then you are surely damaging your car by making it rely on the bottom of the tank which is where the sediments settle. This debris can clog up your car's engine fuel filter and can further slip into your engine. Fuel helps to cool down the fuel pump and engine in a vehicle. So keep at least half a tank full of gas to avoid fuel pump and engine issues.
Repairing and replacing car's fuel pump and car's engine components is quite expensive as compared to gas. Choice is yours!

Slamming on brakes and quick acceleration
You have got a jerk in a lane next to you that refuses to change speed so you can get around them. So when the lights turn green you hit the accelerator and zoom around them only to slam on brakes at the next light. Brake pads get prematurely damaged if you practice this driving on a daily basis.

Carelessly running a car on a pot hole and hitting a speed bump destroy a car’s suspension, wheels alignment and shocks. It is wise to avoid pot holes and approaching speed bumps, as the repairs for car's shocks, wheel alignment and auto suspension parts is quite expensive.

Neglecting to fix leaks
If you notice fluid pooling under your car, you should get your car checked for any possibility of leaks. Coolant keeps your car’s engine cool, so leaking of coolant can cause overheating which is quite disastrous. Never use water alone as a cooling agent for your car’s radiator. This is because untreated water can approach its boiling point and cause the radiator to blow.

Don’t be a dummy. Use 50-50 mixture of water and coolant and avoid overheating.
Not every time, there is coolant leak. You may find other fluids under your car due to leakage that can be determined from their color.automotive Coolant is usually green or orange colored, automatic transmission fluid is red colored and brake and power steering fluids are usually clear. Based on these, you can treat the leaks in your car’s auto parts.

Parking on a hill
If you are parking on a hill, with an automatic transmission of your car, you should shift into neutral after setting the parking brakes. Remove your foot slowly from the brake pedal and allow the car’s weight to settle against the parking brake and then shift the transmission into park.

This way you reduce the wear rate of auto brake pads.

Driving with one type of tires all year long
Seasonal tires like winter and summer tires are usually made according to the extreme weather conditions they can take and perform in. you are not supposed to be driving with winter tires in summer and vice versa.

Tires wear down super fast in summers. Treads of the tire begin to damage and you won’t get enough traction from them in the winters. In extreme temperatures like snow and ice, your vehicle will halt in between. So be wise, and choose the right tires according to the temperature you frequently drive in. moreover, tires are not cheap to replace. They are one of the most expensive parts of a vehicle to replace.

You can also go for all seasoned tires, if you don’t want to buy tires for two seasons.This is the best option for those who avoid owning two sets of tires.

Not coming to a stop before shifting into reverse
Most of us switch gears from forward to reverse without fully stopping. Every time you shift into the reverse while the vehicle is moving forward, you are actually putting immense pressure on transmission system and ruining a car’s transmission much faster.Car's Transmission and drive train component  repairs are quite expensive so avoid doing this at all costs.

So the bottom line is, making small changes in your driving habits and maintaining your vehicle each day can help you keep your car from unexpected breakdowns on the road.


If you are planning to buy Aftermarket auto parts and accessories, then do visit PartsAvatar.ca for best deal.

Misaligned wheels? Steering Drifting? Know the Symptoms of Damaged or Worn out Ball Joints @PartsAvatar Canada

Know the symptoms of worn out ball joints as you may start steering to the right or left unintentionally.


The ball joints are the important suspension system component that are spherical bearing in a socket whose main function is to connect the control arm of the vehicle to the steering knuckles.

In this article we will read about the symptoms of worn out front ball joints as they are responsible for the front wheels and suspension to move back and forth while driving. When a ball joint fails, the driver eventually loses control of the vehicle. So it is very important to notice damaging symptoms of a ball joint.

By ignoring this, you not only damage the suspension but also the other components of vehicle like axle shafts and brakes of car. Before moving further, let us read about ball joints and its types.

Ball joints and its types

Ball joints basically connect the control arm with the steering knuckle and works as a pivot between suspension and wheels. On most vehicles, in the front suspension, there are car's upper and lower ball joints on both sides. On the other hand the car strut equipped vehicles have only two lower joints in the front suspensions.

Some front wheel drive cars with independent rear suspension use rear ball joints.

LOADED JOINTS

A loaded joint carries or supports the weight of vehicle and a follower joint that positions control arm assembly or strut. These are designed to support the weight of the vehicle while providing hinge point for the steering system. They decrease the wear rate by centering themselves in their own sockets.

FOLLOWER JOINTS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         These carry no weight. The follower ball joint is used in a strut suspension to connect lower control arm of car, steering knuckle and strut. These are designed to maintain precise dimensional tolerance in a car's steering and suspension system parts. A change can be noticed in camber, caster or toe angle due to wearing.

Symptoms of Worn out Ball Joints


By turning and driving on rough or bad roads, a constant friction is created between ball stud and bearing which causes the ball joints to wear prematurely. Lack of lubrication and corrosion of joints can also increase the rate of wear. Let us read some other symptoms of a worn out ball joint.

Excessive vibration from the front of the vehicle

Excessive vibrations from vehicle’s suspension are also one of the common symptoms of worn out ball joints. The vibration may be felt from right of left side of the vehicle or sometimes even the steering wheel can give the feeling of vibration. The cause of vibration is loosened ball joints in the sockets and they vibrate heavily when the vehicle is in motion.

Abnormal Drifting of steering

If the steering is not getting back to the centre, then there may be issue with the ball joints. When the ball joints are in good condition and wheels are in proper alignment the steering wheel should also stay straight. Damaged ball joints will cause the steering wheel to wander from right to left and it will eventually lead to damage or accident.

Tire wear

Uneven tire wear is also a symptom of worn out ball joint. Worn ball joints may cause the outer or inner edges of the front tires to wear faster than the tire tread. Worn ball joints also create cupping on the inner edge of the tire tread of car;s tire. Sometimes under inflated tire can also cause the side edges to wear at faster rate than the middle, so for this you may need to take a professional advice.

Noises

One of the most common symptoms is clunking noises coming from vehicle’s front suspension. Sometimes it is like a banging sound coming from the corner of the vehicle. You can hear these noises when the vehicle is going on a speed bump, rough road and potholes or around the corner. As the ball joints become loose in the socket they start to knock as the suspension travels up and down. Ignoring the noise may just add to the damage as by the time the sound will become louder and eventually the ball joint will fail and break.

So if we make a check list of factors that contribute in damaging ball joints is:

·        Improper service damaging the boot

·        Out of round tires

·        Lack of lubrication to the joints

·        Over greasing that causes boot failure

·        Severe potholes and rough roads

Ball joint Maintenance

Do not ignore the warning signs of worn out ball joints as they may break eventually. Ball joints may last 70000 to 150000 miles. Road conditions, driving, exposure to contaminants are the factors that affect lifespan of a ball joint.

 It is advised to replace all the ball joints while replacing a worn out ball joint as it will be economically convenient and also better for suspension performance.
For replacing a ball joint, you can jack up your car from the side where the replacement is needed.

Now grasp the top and bottom of the tire. By rocking it in and out, you can configure which ball joint is bad.

Pry apart the lower control arm and wheel hub with the help of a pry bar. Moving grease fitting indicates bad ball joint or grease fitting. You can detect if it is the ball joint or grease fitting that has gone bad by moving the ball with the fitting. If the fitting is dry and can move, there may be only issue with grease fitting.

If the ball joint is attached to the arm, then the whole car's control arm assembly should be replaced if the joint has worn out. You can take mechanic’s help if you cannot separate ball joints.

The replacement cost varies from vehicle to vehicle. They depend on year, make, model and even number of ball joints your vehicle is using. so, aftermarket parts can be taken into consideration if you want to shop for them. Partsavatar is one of the best aftermarket parts dealers that offer auto parts under your budget. take a look.

For a smooth ride it is very important to choose right set of tires.


Clueless about car’s tires? Learn important things while choosing set of tires for your auto mobile.

Tires are the most overlooked part of a vehicle. They make the main contact between the road and the vehicle. During summers and winters many people face problems especially regarding tires because of lack of proper knowledge about them. An inadequate set of tires cause issues like frequent wearing of tires, flat tires due to inadequate pressure in them and steering problems.

This article will help you know the conditions and essentials for choosing the right set of tires. A good set of tires will improve handling, steering and suspension of car, acceleration and braking system auto parts of a car.

While choosing right set of tires, one must keep the following elements in consideration:

1. TUBE TYPE/ TUBELESS
Tubeless tires should be preferred over tube type. They are safer than the tuber ones and are more advanced. Allow wheels are not needed if you are using tubeless tires.

2. SIZE
Size is most important factor of a tire. Tire sizes are represented in a standard format.
Three deciding factors of choosing right size are:

RIM SIZE
You have to choose the tire size designed for exactly the size of the rim you plan to mount the tire on. Larger rims will reduce the sidewall height and minimize sidewall flex.

TREAD WIDTH
0 mm-20 mm increase in width is considered generally. Tire compound plays a large role in its gripping. If you increase the tire width then make sure that they do not touch wheel wells of the car on turning the steering wheel all the way.
  
SIDEWALL HEIGHT
Use calculator to judge basic changes in size. Generally 3-4 % change is acceptable.

3. TREAD PATTERN
The tread of a tire refers to the rubber on its circumference that makes contact with the road or the ground. The pattern of grooves into the rubber are called tread pattern. The tread pattern has a major effect on wet weather performance of a tire. Tread pattern also calculates the road noise generated by the tire due to trapping and expulsion of air from channels. Re treaded tires should be avoided. They are highly dangerous. Following are some common tread pattern used:
                              
CONVENTIONAL TREAD
Conventional treads are most commonly used treads. These are neither unidirectional nor asymmetric. These can be run either in direction or mounted on the rim.                     




 UNI DIRECTIONAL
These are basically designed for rotation in a specified direction. The marking on the sidewalls of the tires states the direction of rotation with arrow. Their usual pattern is either in ‘A’ or ‘V’. These are beneficial for water channeling and tire noise controlling.
                                                              

ASYMMETRIC
These tires have outside sidewall and inside sidewall. There will always be a notation stating the side to be faced by road. Outside shoulder of tire tread can be designed with different pattern and compound to aid high speed cornering.  


DIRECTIONAL AND ASYMMETRICAL
It features V shaped pattern of directional tread and dry weather traction of asymmetrical tread. Tires with this pattern should be treated as directional tires for tire rotation.



TREAD WEAR GRADING
The tread wear grading indicates the tire’s relative wear rate as tested against an industry standard which is 100. Higher the tread wear number, longer it is for the tread to wear down. Consumers are advised to choose tire brand with high tread wear rating. It should be kept in mind that driving conditions and environment may affect actual tire wear.

TRACTION GRADING
This specifies the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as tested under controlled conditions and test surfaces. The traction rating from highest to lowest is as “AA”,”A”,”B” and “C” based on braking tests. Tire with high traction rate is advised to be chosen. Note that traction rating does not include cornering or turning performance of a tire.

TEMPERATURE GRADING
It points out a tire’s ability to withstand heat. Temperature grading from highest to lowest is as “A”, “B”, and “C”. If the tire is unable to endure the detrimental effects of heat, its ability to run at high speed decreases. Blowouts and tread separations may occur while going on a long distance drive in high temperature. Purchasing tire of high temperature grade would be a nice decision.

4. RUBBER COMPOUND
Rubber compound is the most decisive factor in determining tire’s traction and tread wear characteristics.  The quality of rubber is proportional to amount of traction you get and speed rating of the tire, and inversely proportional to tread life off tire.  So, the higher the speed rating of tire, better the grip of the tire. Compound also determines the behavior of the tire, for example, while approaching traction, some tires screech and wail but some let out the faintest chirp.

5. OVERALL QUALITY OF THE TIRE
Overall quality of the tire can be determined by keeping in mind the following.

REPUTATION OF MANUFACTURER  
A good manufacture should possess modern facilities, better quality standards and newer equipment at their manufacturing units. Doing research and reading reviews on the manufacturer may help in getting an idea about how reliable the manufacturing company is.

WARRANTY
The fine print shall be read.

DATE OF MANUFACTURE
Every tire is stamped with a four digit DOT code on its sidewalls. The fresher the tire, the better it is. Try to buy a tire not older than 6 months.

ADDED TECHNOLOGIES
Each manufacturer has a different technology they add to their tire mechanism. We must go for something revolutionary rather going for its unique name.


If you are looking for long lasting set of tires, then above mentioned factors would be helpful. For aftermarket products do not forget to visit Partsavatar.ca which offers best deal in auto parts across Canada.

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