User Manual

CAUTION
DO NOT spray the suspension with
chemical
products or mineral oil; it can
cause damage to the bushings.
Wheel Alignment
For driving safety and comfort, and to
prolong the life of your vehicle, it is
important to have wheels correctly aligned.
Check tire wear frequently
. Uneven tire
wear is a sign that the wheels may be
misaligned. If you see uneven wear, take
your vehicle to an authorized dealer
familiar with aligning wheels on your
vehicle.
Suspension U-Bolts
It is important that U-bolts remain tight.
Severe use of your vehicle will cause them
to loosen faster, and all vehicles need to
have their U-bolts checked and tightened
regularly. Be sure someone with the proper
training and the right tools checks and
tightens the U-bolts on your vehicle. New
springs can settle in after service, relieving
the tension on the U-bolts. Loose U-bolts
can cause leaf spring breakage, axle
misalignment, hard steering, and abnormal
tire wear. All vehicles should have
suspension U-bolts tightened after the first
500 miles (800 km) of operation. Re-torque
the front spring pinch bolts and shackle
pinch bolts.
WARNING
DO NOT operate the vehicle if the sus-
pension
U-bolts are not properly tight-
ened. Loose U-bolts will cause the
axle to not be properly secured to the
suspension, which could cause loss of
vehicle control and an accident. Loose
U-bolts can also cause uneven tire
wear and poor alignment. Failure to
comply may result in death, personal
injury, equipment or property damage.
U-bolts are difficult to tighten unless you
have the right equipment. If you cannot
tighten them correctly yourself, be sure to
have them checked and tightened regularly
by an authorized mechanic. T
ighten U-bolt
nuts to the specified torque value with the
vehicle loaded to its normal gross weight.
See Suspension U-Bolts, Grade 8 on page
282 specifications for torque values
applying to U-bolts and nuts.
MAINTENANCE - Front Axle and Suspension
Inspection
For all vehicles, mandatory maintenance
procedures include retightening all U-bolts
and inspecting the suspension for loose,
damaged, or abnormally worn fasteners.
Visually inspect the shock absorbers, the
rubber bushings, the leaf springs, and that
the suspension is aligned and functioning
properly. Mono leaf spring suspensions
should also have their rear shackle
brackets checked for proper alignment.
Even with proper maintenance, however,
the service life of leaf springs are affected
by many factors: fatigue, vehicle gross
weight, type of load, road conditions, and
vehicle speed. Check for cracks, wear
marks, splits, or other defects on the
surface of the spring. Defective parts must
be replaced. Because repaired springs
cannot be fully restored to their original
service life, replace the complete assembly
if cracks or other defects are detected.
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