Front Suspension And Steering Check; Driveshaft Check; Exhaust System Check; Rear Suspension Check - Opel Zafira B MPV 2006 Owners Workshop Manual

1A•10
Every 20 000 miles - petrol models
9.4 Check for wear in the hub hearings by
grasping the wheel and trying to rock it
1 Apply the handbrake, then raise the front
of the vehicle and securely support it on axle
stands (see Jacking and vehicle support).
2 Inspect the balljoint dust covers and the
steering gear gaiters for splits, chafing or
deterioration.
3 Any wear of these components will cause
loss of lubricant, and may allow water to
ente~ th~ componen~s, resulting in rapid
detenorat1on of the ballJoints or steering gear.
4 Grasp each roadwheel at the 12 o'clock
and 6 o'clock positions, and try to rock it
{see illustration). Very slight free play may
be felt, but if the movement is appreciable,
further investigation is necessary to determine
the source. Continue rocking the Wheel while
an assistant depresses the footbrake. If the
movement is now eliminated or significantly
reduced, it is likely that the hub bearings are
at fault. If the free play is still evident with the
footbrake depressed, then there is wear in the
suspension joints or mountings.
5 Now grasp each wheel at the 9 o'clock and
3 o'clock positions, and try to rock it as before.
Any movement felt now may again be caused
by wear in the hub bearings or the steering track
rod end balljoints. If the track rod end balljoint is
worn, the visual movement will be obvious.
6
Using a large screwdriver or flat bar, check
for wear in the suspension mounting bushes
by levering between the relevant suspension
component and its attachment point. Some
movement is to be expected, as the mountings
are made of rubber, but excessive wear
should be obvious. Also check the condition
of any visible rubber bushes, looking for splits,
cracks or contamination of the rubber.
7 Check for any signs of fluid leakage around
the suspension struts, or from the rubber
ga(ters arou~d the piston rods. Should any
fluid be noticed, the suspension strut is
defective internally, and should be renewed.
Note: Suspension struts should always be
renewed in pairs on the same axle.
8 With the vehicle standing on its wheels
have an assistant turn the steering wheel
back-and-forth about an eighth of a turn each
10.2
Check the condition of the driveshaft
gaiters
(1)
and retaining clips
(2)
way. There should be very little, if any, lost
movement between the steering wheel and
roadwheels. If this is not the case, closely
observe the joints and mountings previously
described. In addition, check the steering
column universal joints for wear, and also
check the rack-and-pinion steering gear itself.
9 The efficiency of each suspension strut may
be checked by bouncing the vehicle at each
front corner. Generally speaking, the body will
return to its normal position and stop after
being depressed. If it rises and returns on a
rebound, the suspension strut is probably
suspect. Also examine the suspension strut
upper mountings for any signs of wear.
1 Firmly apply the handbrake, then jack up
the front of the car and support it securely on
axle stands (see Jacking and vehicle support).
2 Turn the steering onto full lock then slowly
rotate the roadwheel. Inspect the condition of
the outer constant velocity (CV) joint rubber
gaiters while squeezing the gaiters to open
out the folds (see illustration). Check for
signs of cracking, splits or deterioration of the
rubber which may allow the grease to escape
and lead to water and grit entry into the joint.
Also check the security and condition of the
retaining clips. Repeat these checks on the
inner CV joints. If any damage or deterioration
is found, the· gaiters should be renewed as
described in Chapter
8.
11.3
Exhaust mountings
3 At the same time, check the general condition
of the CV joints themselves by first holding the
driveshaft and attempting to rotate the wheel.
Repeat this check by holding the inner joint
and attempting to rotate the driveshaft. Any
appreciable movement indicates wear in the
joints, wear in the driveshaft splines or loose
driveshaft retaining nut.
1 With the engine cold (at least an hour
after the vehicle has been driven), check the
complete exhaust system from the engine to
the end of the tailpipe. The exhaust system is
most easily checked with the vehicle raised
on a hoist, or suitably-supported on axle
stands, so that the exhaust components are
readily visible and accessible (see Jacking and
vehicle support).
2
Check the exhaust pipes and connections
for evidence of leaks, severe corrosion and
damage. Make sure that all brackets and
mountings are in good condition, and that all
relevant nuts and bolts are tight. Leakage at
any of the joints or in other parts of the system
will usually show up as a black sooty stain in
the vicinity of the leak.
3 Rattles and other noises can often be traced
to the exhaust system, especially the brackets
and mountings (see illustration). Try to move
the pipes and silencers. If the components
are able to come into contact with the body
or suspension parts, secure the system with
new mountings. Otherwise separate the joints
(if possible) and twist the pipes as necessary
to provide additional clearance.
1 Chock the front wheels, then jack up the
rear of the vehicle and support securely on
axle stands (see Jacking and vehicle support).
2 Inspect the rear suspension components
for any signs of obvious wear or damage. Pay
particular attention to the rubber mounting
bushes, and renew if necessary (see Chap-
ter 10).
3 Grasp each roadwheel at the 12 o'clock and
6
o'clock positions (see illustration
9.4),
and
try to rock it. Any excess movement indicates
wear in the wheel bearings. Wear may also be
accompanied by a rumbling sound when the
wheel is spun, or a noticeable roughness if the
wheel is turned slowly. The wheel bearing can
be renewed as described in Chapter 1 O.
4 Check for any signs of fluid leakage around
the shock absorber bodies. Should any fluid
be noticed, the shock absorber is defective
internally, and should be renewed. Note:
Shock absorbers should always be renewed in
pairs on the same axle.