Professional Motor Mechanic

Multi-link suspension diagnosis and repair – VW Passat B5

|Date: August 23, 2013

Multi-link suspension diagnosis and repair – VW Passat B5

The first step in diagnosing faults should be a visual inspection of specific elements. At this stage, yo ...

The first step in diagnosing faults should be a visual inspection of specific elements. At this stage, you should estimate the condition of the rubber caps that protect the ball joints and metal-rubbe ...

August 23, 2013
Read more
Wheel bearings – how to correctly mount an HBU (hub bearing unit)

|Date: August 09, 2013

Wheel bearings – how to correctly mount an HBU (hub bearing unit)

Many vehicles nowadays incorporate a‘HBU1’ design wheel bearing; however, when this needs replacing some ...

Many vehicles nowadays incorporate a‘HBU1’ design wheel bearing; however, when this needs replacing some technicians still make a crucial error during the mounting process. When installing the new bea ...

August 09, 2013
Read more
Multi-link suspension systems – purpose and function

|Date: July 25, 2013

Multi-link suspension systems – purpose and function

The primary task of the vehicle’s suspension system is to keep the wheels on the road and isolate the cha ...

The primary task of the vehicle’s suspension system is to keep the wheels on the road and isolate the chassis of the vehicle from vibrations coming from irregularities and bumps on the road. When the ...

July 25, 2013
Read more
Rear mounting bush replacement – various models

|Date: May 08, 2013

Rear mounting bush replacement – various models

Sealey's VSE4781 is a tool that is designed for the removal and installation of the rear mounting bush on ...

Sealey's VSE4781 is a tool that is designed for the removal and installation of the rear mounting bush on the front lower wishbone of the following vehicles: Seat Cordoba MK3 (2003+), Skoda Fabia (200 ...

May 08, 2013
Read more
Steering and suspension components – fault diagnosis and best practice

|Date: February 21, 2013

Steering and suspension components – fault diagnosis and best practice

Defective steering and suspension parts on a vehicle can not only affect the geometry and handling, but a ...

Defective steering and suspension parts on a vehicle can not only affect the geometry and handling, but also result in MOT failure. Worn or damaged parts can cause serious instability when driving and ...

February 21, 2013
Read more
MOT testing – the importance of testing suspension components ‘under load’

|Date: December 02, 2012

MOT testing – the importance of testing suspension components ‘under load’

A few weeks ago my wife’s car came back from its MOT with a couple of advisories, relating to ‘slightly w ...

A few weeks ago my wife’s car came back from its MOT with a couple of advisories, relating to ‘slightly worn ball joints’. Now I know there was no wear in the joints because I’d checked them a few day ...

December 02, 2012
Read more
Front wheel bearing removal – Various models

|Date: November 25, 2012

Front wheel bearing removal – Various models

TASK: Removal/fitting of front wheel bearing (XMGB 40899R01) MAKES/MODELS: Audi A2; Seat Cordoba, Ibiza; ...

TASK: Removal/fitting of front wheel bearing (XMGB 40899R01) MAKES/MODELS: Audi A2; Seat Cordoba, Ibiza; Skoda Fabia, Roomster, VW Fox, Polo REMOVAL ...

November 25, 2012
Read more
Coil spring degradation – the effect of cold weather

|Date: October 12, 2012

Coil spring degradation – the effect of cold weather

The MOT Testing Manual includes some valuable advice for the tester when it comes to inspecting the state ...

The MOT Testing Manual includes some valuable advice for the tester when it comes to inspecting the state of the coil-spring and its mountings. Section 2.4.C discusses in some detail how coil-springs ...

October 12, 2012
Read more
How to remove a CV joint from a drive shaft

|Date: September 24, 2012

How to remove a CV joint from a drive shaft

Removing a CV joint from a drive shaft can be an annoying task, especially when the shaft is not dismantl ...

Removing a CV joint from a drive shaft can be an annoying task, especially when the shaft is not dismantled. With the new joint puller from SPIDAN the joint can be loosened without using a hammer, ens ...

September 24, 2012
Read more
Shocks and springs – key winter checks

|Date: September 19, 2012

Shocks and springs – key winter checks

As a critical item on the MOT tester’s checklist, KYB recommends that every vehicle that comes into the w ...

As a critical item on the MOT tester’s checklist, KYB recommends that every vehicle that comes into the workshop during (and after) the winter months is checked for broken coil springs as a matter of ...

September 19, 2012
Read more
Steering & Suspension – why you should replace in pairs

|Date: September 11, 2012

Steering & Suspension – why you should replace in pairs

Steering and suspension accounts for around 21% of MOT failures, a surprising statistic considering they ...

Steering and suspension accounts for around 21% of MOT failures, a surprising statistic considering they are safety critical automotive parts.The reality is that defective steering and suspension part ...

September 11, 2012
Read more
Suspension bush upgrades – various Subaru models

|Date: August 17, 2012

Suspension bush upgrades – various Subaru models

Subaru retained the same basic design of front control arm used on the Impreza from 1993 for the Legacy a ...

Subaru retained the same basic design of front control arm used on the Impreza from 1993 for the Legacy and Forester well into the Noughties. The demands of performance 4WD means that fitting replacem ...

August 17, 2012
Read more
Link rods – their purpose and why they fail

|Date: June 26, 2012

Link rods – their purpose and why they fail

Link rods are subjected to massive shock loading – more so on increasingly pot-holed roads. The safety of ...

Link rods are subjected to massive shock loading – more so on increasingly pot-holed roads. The safety of the vehicle depends on the smallest and most vulnerable part of the whole steering and suspens ...

June 26, 2012
Read more
Lower control arm bush installation – Land Rover Discovery Series 3

|Date: June 26, 2012

Lower control arm bush installation – Land Rover Discovery Series 3

In its initial stages, Land Rover’s engineers faced some challenges in designing this luxury vehicle whic ...

In its initial stages, Land Rover’s engineers faced some challenges in designing this luxury vehicle which needed to offer outstanding on-road performance whilst maintaining a reputation for off-road ...

June 26, 2012
Read more
Track rod and knuckle joint removal – Skoda Fabia 2003

|Date: June 26, 2012

Track rod and knuckle joint removal – Skoda Fabia 2003

A bent track rod or a worn inner knuckle joint requires that the rod/joint is removed as a unit and repla ...

A bent track rod or a worn inner knuckle joint requires that the rod/joint is removed as a unit and replaced with new. There is usually limited access under there, but using tools designed for the job ...

June 26, 2012
Read more