Repair And Fix it

Fluid dynamics is a complex subject; every time you think you understand one aspect of it, it seems as though youve missed some tiny, all-too-pertinent detail that will make or break the entire construct. Such is the case with spoilers, splitters, wings, ramps, canards and air dams. While the layman might use these terms interchangeably, the fact is that they all act in different ways in terms of their effects on a cars high-speed stability, handling balance and fuel economy.

What Spoiler?

Technically speaking, theres no such thing as a front spoiler; and to the extent that there is, its called an "air dam." By definition, a spoiler "spoils" existing airflow patterns on a cars body to smooth airflow and reduce drag. Theyre not intended to block airflow, create downforce (the opposite of lift) or establish new airflow patterns, all of which a front "spoiler" does. While it may seem a bit semantic, this concept is key to understanding how different types of front aerodynamics -- often collectively and incorrectly erred to as spoilers -- affect performance and fuel economy.

Air Dams

The simplest and most common type of front spoiler is called an air dam, and it does just what it sounds like it does. An air dam is just a piece of bodywork that extends downward from the front bumper and reduces the amount of air flowing under the car. This does two things; first, it keeps high-speed air from "catching" on protuberances under the car and creating drag, and it reduces lift by decreasing the amount of potential energy going under the car. An air dam would ideally scrape the ground as you drive, and will generally improve the cars fuel efficiency and high speed stability.

Splitters

Though often used in conjunction with an air dam, a splitter is an entirely different animal. A splitter is a thin, flat, horizontal "shelf" extending frontward from the bottom of the air dam. Normally, air encountering the bottom of the air dam would have to pressurize and become turbulent before it splits and goes either under the car, over the hood or around the sides. A splitter acts like a knife, cleanly cleaving the airflow in two so that it remains laminar, or straight and turbulence-free. A splitter -- often erred to as the "front wing" -- creates a powerful pocket of pressurized air in front of the bumper, which shoves the front of the car down and creates downforce.

Downforce and Fuel Economy

Downforce and lift will always hurt a cars fuel economy because they force the car to expend energy doing something it doesnt need to do -- namely, to either compress the springs or try to fly. The longer a front splitter is, the larger the air pocket it can contain and the more downforce it will produce; good for grip at high speeds, but bad for fuel economy. Additionally, any angled surface on the front bumper that directs airflow upward -- an angled splitter, a ramp or the wing-like canard -- will generally hurt fuel economy by increasing frontal pressure and downforce.

Exceptions

There are a few exceptions to the "air dam helps economy, downforce hurts it" rule. Canards are one of them. A small canard strategically mounted on the corner of an air dam helps to control airflow over the sides of the car, which keeps it out of the wheel-wells and impacts where it will end up behind the car. This can reduce the cars total drag, which may offset the frontal pressure increase caused by the canard. A splitter extending well under the car will act as a partial "belly pan," increasing air velocity under the engine and reducing total drag.

The nature of driving on roads anywhere in the United States has the issue of small bits of debris bouncing up and hitting the front bumper causing paint damage. The smallest of pebbles at 55 miles per hour can create a scratch or paint chip that will look ugly on a new car. This problem can easily be rectified with a trip to the auto store or dealer.

Instructions

1

Examine the damage to the bumper cover. if it is a large nick, more than 1 inch, you need to use the 200 grit sandpaper. If it is less, then use the 400 grit. You are not sanding a large surface. Hold the sandpaper between the thumb and forefinger and gently rub the damaged area. You are just trying to rough the surface.

2

Wipe the area clean. It is a good idea to use the damp cloth and wipe an area around eight inches around the damage, this will keep it from getting any excess dirt under the paint. Allow to dry.

3

Paint the damaged spot. The easiest way to do this is to carefully paint inside the damaged area first and try not to go outside the lines. The touch-up paint comes with a brush on the inside of the bottle connected to the cap. Allow the paint to dry.

Dodge is a brand within the Chrysler auto manufacturing family. Their vehicles range from medium sized front-wheel drive sedans to commercial grade four-wheel drive trucks. The vehicles that send their power to the front wheels rely on continuous velocity joints, also know as U joints, to transfer torque while flexing. Without U joints, the front wheels could not bend and flex with the suspensions struts. However these joints are put under a lot of stress and need to be replaced if they break.

Instructions

1

Park the 2005 Dodge out of traffic and engage the parking brake. Turn the Dodge off and jack up the front of the vehicle with the car jack. Slide in the jack stands to keep the front of the car or truck elevated. Take off the front wheels with your tire iron and place them to the side.

2

Locate the front differential that connects the front half axles together. The half axles have U joints on each end so that they can flex independently. The U joints are a physical part of the half axles, so each half axle has to be removed and replaced. Unbolt the half axle from the shaft on the front differential and wrench the single bolt out of the U joint. Then wrench the bolt out of the shaft on the steering knuckle that connects to the other end of the half axle. Repeat this process on the other half axle.

3

Lift the new half axle into place and thread the bolts through the U joints by hand. First thread in the differential shaft U joint, then the steering knuckle U joint. Once both bolts are in, wrench the nuts down tight. Then repeat the process on the other half axle. Use the car jack to lift the steering knuckle up if it is too heavy for you.

4

Lower the Dodge off the jack stands. Then inspect the bolts in the U joints to make sure they are still tight. Turn the Dodge on. If you are in a four-wheel drive vehicle, shift into "4H." Listen for any banging or screeching that would indicate a loose half axle. Stop the car immediately and tighten the bolts if that happens.

Never lower the front end of any motorcycle without also lowering the rear of that motorcycle the same amount. Because of elements of frame geometry called "rake" and "trail" it is possible to safely lower just the rear end of a motorcycle, but lowering only the front end can make the bike dangerously unstable. Lowering a motorcycle also decreases the bikes ground clearance. Nevertheless, it remains a popular modification. Progressive Suspension sells a fork lowering kit that includes all the parts you will need. Harley sells a kit that includes everything except a couple of seals.

Instructions

Fork Disassembly

1

Remove the windshield from the Softail Heritage using the quick detach mechanism.

2

Raise the bike on a motorcycle jack until the front tire is off the floor and the forks are fully extended.

3

Remove the front brake caliper with a hex socket and a socket wrench. Support the caliper with a bungee cord attached to the caliper and the handlebars.

4

Remove the axle nut, lock washer and washer with a socket wrench and hex socket. Pull the axle free from the wheel. Remove the front wheel from the forks.

5

Remove the 4 front fender mounting screws and nuts with an Allen wrench and a hex socket and a socket wrench. Remove the front fender.

6

Remove both slider tube caps with a large adjustable wrench. Remove the slider tube cap washers and seals from both forks.

7

Remove the clamp bolts from both sides of the fork tube bracket with an Allen socket and socket wrench. Pull the forks from the bracket.

8

Remove the fork tube plugs and O-rings from both slider tubes using a large adjustable wrench. Pull the fork springs from both slider tubes.

9

Remove the drain screw and washer from one fork slider at a time with a Phillips head screwdriver. Drain the fork oil from one fork at a time into a drain pan.

Fork Reassembly

10

Reinstall the drain screws and washers into both fork sliders. Refill the forks with the type and quantity of fork oil specified in the owners manual for your year Heritage Softail.

11

Insert the new springs from the fork lowering kit into each slider tube with the more tightly wound portion of the spring on the bottom.

12

Replace the fork tube plugs and O-rings into both slider tubes and tighten securely with a large adjustable wrench. Ensure that one flat on each fork tube plug faces toward the inside of the fork.

13

Insert both fork slider assemblies up through the slider covers, the fork stem and bracket, and the upper fork bracket.

14

Install 2 new fork cap oil seals and the old spacers and slider tube caps onto the tops of the slider tubes with a large adjustable wrench.

15

Reinstall the clamp bots into both sides of the fork tube bracket and tighten with an Allen socket and torque wrench to 35 foot pounds of torque.

16

Replace the front fender. Replace the 4 front fender mounting screws and nuts with an Allen wrench and a hex socket and socket wrench.

Jiffy Stand

17

Retract the jiffy stand installed on the bike to the "up" position. Unhook the jiffy stand spring from the frame. Remove the jiffy stand bolt, washer, lock washer and leg stop from the threaded end of the jiffy stand with a hex socket and socket wrench.

18

Discard the old jiffy stand. Retain all hardware and other components.

19

Assemble the new jiffy stand leg assembly from the kit to the mounting bracket on the motorcycle. Open the jiffy stand to the "down" position.

20

Position the jiffy stand leg over the square end of the jiffy stand assembly. Ensure the "down side" text on the leg is facing down and that the longer side of the leg faces the rear of the bike.

21

Reinstall the flat washer, lock washer and bolt you removed with a socket wrench and hex socket.

22

Reattach the jiffy stand leg spring. Install the rubber from the kit into the hole on the raised tip of the jiffy stand leg. Extend and retract the jiffy stand leg several times to verify proper operation.

Final Reassembly

23

Put your foot under forks. Roll the front laced wheel into the forks atop your foot. Lift your foot.

24

Replace the axle. Replace the axle nut, lock washer and washer. Tighten the axle nut to 55 foot pounds of torque with a hex socket and torque wrench.

25

Replace the front brake caliper. Tighten the brake caliper mounting bolts to 38 pounds of torque with a hex socket and a torque wrench.

26

Lower the motorcycle jack and remove. Replace the front windshield.

The exhaust pipes on your car, truck or motorcycle carry the gasses expelled from the engine during the combustion process safely to the rear of the vehicle. This is usually accomplished with pieces of steel tubing that are suspended to the underside of the vehicle. Since the exhaust usually has to wind over, under or around the vehicle undercarriage to get to the rearmost part of the vehicle, it is manufactured in several different pieces and either welded, bolted or clamped together to form a continuous flow. Each manufacturer may have different names for the various exhaust pieces, but may include the header pipe, front pipe, exhaust pipe, catalytic converter, muffler, resonator and tailpipe.

Exhaust Manifold

Converting the exhaust from each cylinder on your engine to a single outlet is usually accomplished with an exhaust manifold. An exhaust manifold is usually constructed of cast iron and is bolted to the cylinder head. V-type or boxer engines have two banks of cylinders -- one on each side of the block. In these cases, there should be an exhaust manifold bolted to each cylinder head. The exhaust manifold is usually not considered part of the exhaust system, but it gives the exhaust pipe a place to attach to.

Header Pipe

When referring to exhaust pipes, the header pipe sometimes refers to the part of the exhaust system that attaches directly to the exhaust manifold of the engine. If your vehicle is a single cylinder motorcycle or a vehicle that has an inline engine, a single header pipe would connect directly to the exhaust manifold or engine. Header pipes used on V-type or boxer engines can sometimes be referred to as a Y pipe, as it connects to both sides of the engine and comes together to form one pipe. Some vehicles use a dual exhaust system. These types of vehicles may a have a separate, single header pipe for each exhaust header.

Headers

Some vehicles may use factory or aftermarket exhaust headers in place of a cast iron exhaust manifold and header pipe. Headers are usually constructed of several pipes welded together and take the place of both the exhaust manifold and the header pipe. Headers are usually tuned, meaning the length of the tube that attaches to each exhaust port on the engine is engineered in such a way to extract maximum power and efficiency from the engine. Headers are factory-installed on some performance engines, but are usually an aftermarket accessory that is owner-installed.

Front Pipe

Depending on the manufacturer, the front pipe on an exhaust system can refer to pipe that bolts to the engine -- the header pipe -- or the pipe that connects the header pipe to the remainder of the exhaust system. The exhaust system on vehicles that have transverse-mounted engines may need to compensate for the back-and-forth rocking motion of the engine when accelerating or decelerating. Whereas the header pipe may be a solid, fixed pipe, a flexible pipe -- sometimes referred to as the front pipe -- connects the header pipe to the rear of the exhaust system. On some vehicles, the exhaust pipe that connects to the rear of the flexible pipe may be referred to as the front pipe.

Coil springs provide absorption for varied road conditions, allowing a vehicle to have a smooth ride. When the springs are compressed for prolonged periods of time, they eventually lose their original length, causing the ride to suffer. Replacing the front springs on a 1988 Chevrolet Camaro requires a few specialized tools and should only be done by experienced mechanics.

Instructions

1

Place blocks under the rear wheels so the prevent the vehicle from rolling when raised. Lift the vehicle with a hydraulic lift and place the two jack stands under chassis structural points behind the front wheels. This will cause the front wheels to sag due to the pressure of the coil springs and shocks. Lower the lift and reposition it under the control arm. Lift until the wheel is raised to is normal position.

2

Remove the lugs using a 1/2-in. ratchet wrench and socket lug. Place the lugs in the wheel and slide the wheel underneath the vehicle for extra safety. Use the appropriate sized Allen wrench to remove the retainer bolts for the brake caliper. Remove the caliper and and place it on a box or brick to prevent it from pulling the brake line. Locate the wheel hub assembly and remove the two bolts located on the flange of the lower and upper control arms. Remove the hub assembly and place to the side.

3

Use the 1/2-in. ratchet wrench and appropriate-sized socket to remove the front shock. Pull the shock away from the control arms and place to the side. Slowly lower the hydraulic lift under the lower control arm to allow the spring to release compression tension.

4

Remove the lift and place the coil spring compression tool inside the coil spring. Adjust the tool arms to grip on the spring and tighten the compression bolt with an adjustable crescent wrench.Tighten the compression tool until the spring can be removed from the control arm mounts. Slowly loosen the compression tool to remove it from the spring. Installation of the new spring is opposite of removal.

The MG ZR, the hatchback version of the Rover 25, was produced between 2001 and 2005 at MGs plant in Birmingham, England. In addition to performance improvements over the stock version, the MG ZRs aesthetic profile includes several fog lights in the front and rear. Removal of the bulb from a front fog light requires only a few minutes.

Instructions

1

Open the hood and use a wrench to remove the negative lead from the battery.

2

Move under the car and find the back cover of the fog light that you want to remove.

3

Pull open the back cover of the fog light and remove two mounting screws.

4

Pull the wire connector from the back of the light and remove the fog light.

5

Twist the bulb counterclockwise and pull it from the back of the light assembly.

In 1991, Harley-Davidson shipped motorcycles with two radically different styles of forks. Springer Softail models shipped with "springer" forks, or what old-timers call "new style springer" forks. The ones Harley shipped include two exposed coil springs and a shock absorber. Most of the motorcycles Harley shipped in 1991, though, had telescoping tube forks of several widths and tube diameters. These forks are hydraulic shock absorbers, and the only service Harley recommends is that you change the fork oil every 20,000 miles. There are a half dozen methods for changing fork oil in these forks; this is a method of which Harley-Davidson approves.

Instructions

1

Loosen the fork cap on top of the left fork with a 1-3/8 inch open-end wrench or a large adjustable wrench. Remove the fork cap, washer and O-ring.

2

Remove the drain plug on the bottom, side or back of the fork slider assembly with a Phillips head screwdriver. Drain the fork oil into a pan.

3

Coat the drain plug threads with Teflon paste. Replace the plug into the drain hole and tighten with a Phillips head screwdriver.

4

Measure the correct weight and amount of fork oil, as specified in the owners manual or shop manual, for your motorcycle into a pint measuring cup. Most 1991 Harleys will use about 11 ounces of 10-weight oil.

5

Stick a funnel into the top of the fork; pour the measured amount of oil into the funnel.

6

Reinstall the O-ring, washer and fork cap. Tighten the cap wrench securely with a 1-/38 inch open-end or adjustable wrench.

7

Repeat all these steps for the right fork.

The 2010 Ford F-250 two-wheel drive is available in several trims with different cab sizes and bed lengths. All trims were referred to as "Super Duty" trucks, as Ford phased out the standard F-250 in 1999. All trims come with a 5.4-liter, 300-horsepower V-8 engine. With the exception of the caster angle on those trims with HD Suspension, the alignment specs are the same for all trims. Alignment specs for a given model of vehicle tend to vary from year to year. It is extremely important to check the trucks model year and suspension type before attempting to make any adjustments to the alignment. The rear alignment is not adjustable on any trim of the 2010 Ford F250 two-wheel drive.

Caster

The caster angle is the forward or rearward slope of the vehicles steering axis, with the steering axis being an imaginary line drawn through the upper and lower ball joints of a wheels knuckles. The measure of the angle is based on a vertical line from the ground straight through the center of the wheel. If the top of caster slope passes on the rear of the vertical line, toward the rear of the vehicle, then the wheel has a positive caster. If the top of the caster slope passes on the front of the vertical line, toward the front bumper of the vehicle, then the wheel has a negative caster. The ideal caster angle for the 2010 Ford F-250 two-wheel drive is +3.6 degrees for trims with HD Suspension and +4.0 degrees for all other trims. The caster can range by 1.2 degrees in either direction on all trims, with a cross tolerance of 0.75 degrees.

Camber

The camber is the inward or outward tilt of a wheel when viewed from the front of a vehicle. If the top of a wheel tilts out, away from the center of the vehicle, then the wheel has a positive camber. If the top of the wheel tilts in, toward the center of the vehicle, then the wheel has a positive camber. The ideal camber angle for the 2010 Ford F-250 two-wheel drive is +0.62 degrees but it can range by 0.75 degrees in either direction, with a cross tolerance of 0.75 degrees.

Toe-in

The toe is the difference in the space between the fronts of the two front wheels and the rears of the two front wheels. If the fronts of the wheels are closer to each other than the rears are, then the wheels have toe-in. If the fronts of the wheels are farther apart than the rears are, then the wheels have toe-out. The toe-in for the 2010 Ford F-250 two-wheel drive should be set at +0.1 degrees but it can range by 0.25 degrees in either direction.

For years standard pickup trucks have been converted to snow plows for personal and commercial snow removal. The weight of the plow can cause the front end of a plow truck to sag. This not only looks bad but can cause dangerous driving conditions and damage to the vehicles suspension components. Upgrading the front suspension will save money by reducing future costly repairs.

Instructions

1

Choose a new suspension kit ideal for the use of the vehicle. If the vehicle is driven in non-winter months, choose an air-filled suspension system, which will allow air to be added and removed depending on the season. This type of suspension is usually better at handling increased weight while providing a comfortable ride year round.

2

Add weight to the back of truck with sandbags. The rear weight not only assists in leveling the truck but also provides additional traction.

3

Install the new front end suspension kit following the included instructions or consult with a automotive repair facility.

4

Attach the plow to the truck.

5

Fill the suspension system with air, using an air compressor until the truck is level.

6

Release air pressure from the suspension system when the plow is removed from the vehicle.