top of page

Inspection Handbook

Table of Contents

  • Procedure

  • Walk Around

    • Body​

    • Glass

    • Rust

  • Engine Bay

    • Battery and belts​

    • Accessories and Pulleys

    • Grease and dirt

    • Fluid Inspection

  • Interior​

    • Seats, Doors, and Dash. ​

    • Adjustability

    • Windows and Roof

    • Mein Radio

    • Instruments

    • Screens and Gadgets

    • Code Reading

    • Headlights! Brake lights! Blinkers!

​​

  • Test Drive​

    • Listen Closely​

    • Procedure

  • From the pavement

    • Ball Joints​

    • Tie Rods

    • Sway bars

    • Springs

    • Shock Absorbers

    • Control Arms and Bushings

    • Subframes and Bushings

    • Brakes and lines

    • Tires

    • Leaks? Leaks? Leaks?

    • Rockers, Frame Rails, Floors.

Procedure

Walk Around

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

Engine Bay

Interior Inspection

Test Drive

From the Pavement

Ball Joints

Ball joints fail with normal use. There is usually one upper and one lower per spindle/Knuckle. They can be notorious for being hard to replace in parts of the country where corrosion is prevalent. The purpose of a ball joint is to allow for rotational movement of the wheel. 

​

Failure of the ball joint can lead to a clunking noise when hitting bumps. It will be recognizable as it will usually be when a specific wheel hits the bump. In more extreme cases a ball joint can separate which will cause the wheel to separate from the car causing to lose control and become immediately undrivable. 

​

A failed ball joint will appear in two ways. The most recognizable is a failed or torn boot via visual inspection. The outer rubber protecting the mechanism will be ripped or torn and evidence of the inner grease leaking out may be present. A failed ball joint can also appear as excess movement in the steering knuckle. This can be inspected for by lifting the car where the suspected bad ball joint is. Grab the wheel from the top and bottom, push one side while pulling the other, there should be no movement. Now alternate which hand is pushing and which is pulling. There should still be no movement. If there is movement this requires repair of either the wheel bearing or ball joint. In order to tell if it is the ball joint, have someone push and pull the top and bottom of the wheel while you examine the steering knuckle of the car from behind the wheel. If a bad ball joint is present, there will be movement in the knuckle. If there is no movement in the knuckle, the wheel bearing is the reason for the wheel movement and should be replaced. 

Tie Rods

Tie rods fail with normal use. There is one per steering wheel on each car. They are generally considered easy to replace given there isn't rust or corrosion. Replacing the tie rods requires that the car be aligned properly at a shop after installation. The purpose of the tie rod is to turn the wheel of the car. They are threaded into the steering rack which either will be manually or electronically connected to the steering wheel. 

​

Failure of the tie rods can be heard as a clunking noise over bumps. Failure can also be present as sloppy steering and steering which is less responsive than it should be. A clicking noise while turning the wheel while parked can also be evidence of failed tie rods. Extreme tie rod failure can result in loosing steering. When this happens the wheel becomes disconnected from the steering mechanism. The disconnected wheel can lock in either direction resulting in a loss of control of the car and inability to steer. 

​

We can inspect for a failed tie rod by first visually inspecting the tie rod end. If the boot is ripped or torn and grease is leaking out, it will need to be replaced. Another test which should be performed is to grab the back of the tie rod and try to wiggle it. The tie rod should not be able to be easily moved by hand if at all. If the tie rod can be wiggled it needs to be replaced.  

​​

Sway bars

For sway bars there are three components to look at. The sway bar itself, the sway bar bushings, and the sway bar end links. The bushings and end links fail with normal use; the sway bar itself should never fail. The sway bar works to increase the stability of the car by reducing body roll. It works by absorbing torsional force between the chassis from one wheel to the other. There is one on the front and rear in all cars. 

​

The only noise that is sometimes present is a clunk when hitting bumps. This is evident of tie rod end link failure. Bushing failure doesn't present as a noise. When there is failure in these components there is an increase in body roll and decrease in stability while driving. Failure of the sway bars is not critical. 

​

To inspect for failed sway bar components, we can inspect the tie rod end links. Check for excess play by wiggling the links by hand. They should not be loose. If they are of the grease and cup type, make sure the boots are sealed. In order to inspect the bushings just look at them. They should not be cracked or dried out. The sway bar should be held snuggly in them. If the sway bar can be wiggled in them, they need to be replaced. The sway bar should not move by hand. 

Springs

Springs do not generally fail with normal wear. However, springs can fail due to harsh driving, age, and bad modification. They are often one of the first modifications done on a car and it can be important to identify this. The springs of a car are meant to absorb and distribute weight across all four wheels. There is one per wheel on a car. They can either be in the shock absorber assembly or separate depending on design. 

 

A failed spring will first affect the ride height of a car. If a car is sitting unevenly then a spring is more than likely at fault.  This means that the rear of front, or either side of the car is higher than the other side. A failed spring can cause the wheel to hit the top of the liner and can cause the car to be unable to move or damage itself. 

​

A visual inspection suffices in order to inspect a spring. When inspecting a spring we are looking to ensure it is properly seated and is not cracked or cut. If it is aftermarket we also will take note of this. 

Shock Absorbers

Shock absorbers wear with normal use. They are also vulnerable to corrosion. They are also commonly modded on cars. The purpose of the shock absorbers is to absorb excess bounce in the chassis after hitting a bump. They can also work to decrease body roll and increase performance by allowing for more traction. They also directly affect how comfortable a car drives. There is one per wheel. 

 

A failed spring will present during a test drive as the car being too "bouncy" or being too stiff. A visual inspection will allow for further confirmation of failure. A failed shock absorber can be rusted, seized, or leaking. Leaking can be seen as oil or dirt stuck to the side of the shock absorber. Excess rust should not be present. This would look like pitting on the whole absorber, especially where the two tubes that it consists of meet. Pushing weight onto the car downwards can also determine if the shocks are working properly. The car should move but not bounce. If it can't be moved, they may be seized. However, sports cars do have stiffer springs. If the car bounces too much and creaks, the shocks are more than likely blown. 

​

Control Arms and Bushings

The control arms do not wear with normal use. Steel built ones can be weakened as a result of corrosion, however most manufacturers use aluminum and have begun using plastic. Notable damage in the form of bends and cracks in the control arm is evident of front-end collisions or damage from hitting minor objects. The bushings which hold the control arm do fail, they are made of rubber and wear with time. 

 

A failed control arm will result in decreased stability. While driving there will not be noticeable noises even when hitting bumps, unless the bushings are completely failed. A control arm which has failed due to bushings or being bent will prevent the vehicles tires from being able to be aligned correctly. This well cause premature tire wear and bad handling. 

 

A visual inspection of the control arm can ensure that it is not bent, overly rusted, or has bad bushings. The bushings should not be cracked or have excess space where the control arm or bolts can move around in them. 

​

Subframe and Bushings

Although subframes should not be a normal wear item, they are prone to failure in rust belt areas due to the amount of corrosion they will see. The bushings which hold them to the chassis are wear items which fail due to them usually being made of rubber. 

 

Subframes experience corrosion normally. However, if there are points on the subframe where the rusting has become structural then the subframe needs to be replaced. Subframe bushings which have failed will allow for the subframe to hit the bottom of the chassis. In some model cars this will cause irreversible chassis damage.  

 

A visual inspection of the subframe will show significant rust and bushing failure. A certain amount of rust is acceptable however should be noted in order for future treatment. If rust is treated when it is surface rust or minor scaling then it is not an issue. However major scaling and penetrating rust means the subframe is 

​

Founded 2025

Warwick, Rhode Island

Interested in our weekly Automotive Journal, Driver's Digest? Subscribe here. Even if you aren't using our services Driver's Digest can just be a fun read in that spare few minutes at work. 

DRIVERS DIGEST

Happy motoring

bottom of page