Suspension System - General Information: Other Ford Explorer V

Material(s)

MATERIAL(S)

Caster

Caster is the deviation from vertical of an imaginary line drawn through the pivot points (top of strut and lower ball joint), when viewed from the side. The caster specifications in this information will give the vehicle the best directional stability characteristics when loaded and driven. The caster setting is not related to tire wear. The caster setting is not adjustable.

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A backward tilt is positive (+) and a forward tilt is negative (-). Front caster adjustment is not a separate procedure on this vehicle. The vehicle will tend to drift/pull toward the side with the lowest caster.

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The vehicle toe setting affects tire wear and directional stability.

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Incorrect thrust angle (also known as dogtracking) is the condition in which the rear axle is not square to the chassis. Heavily crowned roads can give the illusion of dogtracking.

Wander

Wander is the tendency of the vehicle to require frequent, random left and right steering wheel corrections to maintain a straight path down a level road.

Shimmy

Shimmy, as experienced by the driver, is large, consistent, rotational oscillations of the steering wheel resulting from large, side-to-side (lateral) tire/wheel movements.

Shimmy is usually experienced near 64 km/h (40 mph), and can begin or be amplified when the tire contacts pot holes or irregularities in the road surface.

Nibble

Sometimes confused with shimmy, nibble is a condition resulting from tire interaction with various road surfaces and experienced by the driver as small rotational oscillations of the steering wheel.

Poor Returnability, Sticky Steering

Poor returnability and sticky steering are used to describe the poor return of the steering wheel to center after a turn or steering correction.

Drift, Pull

Pull is a tugging sensation felt by the hands on the steering wheel that must be overcome to keep the vehicle going straight.

Drift describes what a vehicle with this condition does with the hands off the steering wheel.

1. A vehicle-related drift/pull on a flat road causes a consistent deviation from the straight-ahead path and requires constant steering input in the opposite direction to counteract the effect.
2. Drift/pull may be induced by conditions external to the vehicle (for example, wind or road crown).

Vehicle Drifts, Pulls

Vehicle drifts, pulls can be caused by the following

1. Unevenly loaded vehicle
2. Tire pressure
3. Tire forces
4. Brake drag
5. Incorrect vehicle alignment
6. Bent/damaged vehicle components
7. Steering system