Chapter 5 Front Suspension Systems 101
Review Questions—Chapter 5
Please do not write in this text. Place your answers on
a separate sheet of paper.
1. Describe the main job of the front suspension.
2. Modern vehicles with front-wheel drive must have a
suspension that can absorb _____ and _____ forces.
3. While light, modern suspensions must be strong
enough to maintain _____ _____ as well as not wear
out prematurely.
4. Where is the coil spring of a MacPherson strut
assembly usually installed?
5. A _____ prevents bottoming out of the MacPherson
strut.
6. MacPherson strut systems that have a single-mount
control arm generally use a _____ _____.
7. In some MacPherson strut systems, the spring is
located between the _____ _____ _____ and the
frame.
8. On a conventional suspension, the lower control
arm is always _____ than the upper arm.
9. _____ were used on older trucks with solid or twin
I-beam front axles.
10. If the spring is installed on the upper control arm, the
_____ ball joint is the load-carrying joint.
ASE-Type Questions—Chapter 5
1. All the following statements about the upper strut
mounting are true except:
(A) the upper mounting plate is contoured to fit the
vehicle body.
(B) the upper mounting keeps the strut assembly
from turning.
(C) the top of the piston rod is threaded.
(D) bushings and washers isolate the piston rod and
mounting plate.
2. Technician A says that some struts have an adjusting
cam installed where the strut attaches to the steering
knuckle. Technician B says that on some struts there
is no separate steering knuckle. Who is right?
(A) A only.
(B) B only.
(C) Both A and B.
(D) Neither A nor B.
3. All of the following statements about conventional
front suspensions are true except:
(A) all conventional front suspensions have upper
and lower control arms.
(B) control arms are attached to the steering knuckle
through ball joints.
(C) control arms are attached to the frame through
bushings.
(D) a strut rod is attached to all upper control arms
with a single bushing.
4. Moving the suspension in an arc has which of the
following advantages?
(A) Reduces ball joint wear.
(B) Eliminates coil spring oscillations.
(C) Reduces noise from the suspension.
(D) Keeps the tire tread in contact with the road.
5. On most modern cars with conventional front sus-
pensions, where is the shock absorber installed?
(A) Inside the spring.
(B) On the frame and sway bar.
(C) Between the sway bar and frame.
(D) Between the sway bar and control arm.
6. Technician A says kingpins are best suited to inde-
pendent front suspensions. Technician B says king-
pins were used on some trucks until the 1980s. Who
is right?
(A) A only.
(B) B only.
(C) Both A and B.
(D) Neither A nor B.
7. Which of the following parts is not installed in the
final drive unit of a driving solid front axle?
(A) Ring gear.
(B) Pinion gear.
(C) U-joint.
(D) Differential assembly.
8. The radius arm used on some trucks is a type of:
(A) stabilizer bar.
(B) strut rod.
(C) control arm.
(D) I-beam.
9. On a MacPherson strut assembly with the spring
installed over the strut damper, which ball joint is the
load-carrying ball joint?
(A) Upper.
(B) Lower.
(C) Both carry some of the load.
(D) There is no load-carrying ball joint.
10. On a solid front axle of a four-wheel drive vehicle,
which ball joint is the load-carrying ball joint?
(A) Upper.
(B) Lower.
(C) Both carry some load.
(D) There is no load-carrying ball joint.