What Causes the Vehicle Body to Sway Left and Right?
1 Answers
Body sway is often caused by issues in the chassis system. Factors such as unbalanced wheels, loose suspension components, and excessive steering gear clearance can lead to vehicle sway during driving. Additionally, some automakers, due to outdated chassis technology and insufficient tuning of the suspension system design, may result in inherent body sway issues during operation. Below are detailed explanations of specific causes: 1. Unbalanced Wheels: Wheel imbalance is a common issue in many vehicles. During manufacturing, tires and rims cannot guarantee uniform quality, so wheels must undergo dynamic balancing after assembly. Moreover, as tires wear over time, periodic dynamic balancing is necessary at certain mileage intervals. 2. Loose Suspension Components: The chassis suspension consists of various links and support arms, connected via ball joints and rubber bushings. Normally, these components are tightly secured, but as ball joints and bushings wear out, loosening occurs, leading to suspension slack and resulting in body sway during driving. 3. Excessive Steering Gear Clearance: The vehicle's steering system uses a rack-and-pinion mechanism to convert the steering wheel's rotational motion into wheel movement. Over time, wear between the gear and rack creates excessive play, causing slight left-right wheel movement even without steering input, which translates into a noticeable body sway sensation.
