1998 MITSUBISHI MONTERO ball joint

knuckles steering linkage
Rack and pinion mounting Tighten all mounting
loose bolts
Rack and pinion out of See adjustment in
adjustment STEERING article
Tie rod end loose Tighten and check
steering linkage
Excessive Pitman shaft-to- Repair as necessary
ball nut lash









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Poor Lack of lubricant in ball Lubricate and service
Returnability joint or linkage systems
Binding in linkage or ball See STEERING LINKAGE
joints and SUSPENSION article
Improper front end alignment See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
article
Improper tire pressure Inflate to proper
pressure
Tie rod binding Inflate to proper
pressure
Shaft seal rubbing shaft See STEERING COLUMN
article









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Excessive Improper tire pressure Inflate to proper
Vertical Motion pressure
Tires, wheels or rotors Balance tires then
out of balance check wheels and
rotors
Worn or faulty shock Check and replace if
absorbers necessary
Loose tie rod ends or Tighten or replace if
steering necessary
Loose or worn wheel See SUSPENSION article
bearings









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Steering Pulls Improper tire pressure Inflate to proper
to One Side pressure
Front tires are different Rotate or replace if
sizes necessary
Wheel bearings not See FRONT SUSPENSION
article
adjusted properly
Bent or broken suspension See FRONT SUSPENSION
components article
Improper wheel alignment See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
article

Free play in steering See STEERING COLUMN
shaft bearing article
Bearing loose on shaft See STEERING COLUMN
serrations article









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Clicking Noise Pump slippers too long See POWER STEERING PUMP
in Pump article
Broken slipper springs See POWER STEERING PUMP
article
Excessive wear or nicked See POWER STEERING PUMP
rotors article
Damaged cam contour See POWER STEERING PUMP
article









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Poor Return of Wheel rubbing against See STEERING COLUMN
Wheel turn signal SWITCHES article
Flange rubbing steering See STEERING COLUMN
gear adjuster article
Tight or frozen steering See STEERING COLUMN
shaft bearing article
Steering gear out of See POWER STEERING GEAR
adjustment article
Sticking or plugged See POWER STEERING PUMP
spool valve article
Improper front end See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
alignment article
Wheel bearings worn or See FRONT SUSPENSION
loose article
Ties rods or ball joints Check and replace if
binding necessary
Intermediate shaft joints See STEERING COLUMN
binding article
Kinked pressure hoses Correct or replace if
necessary
Loose housing head See POWER STEERING GEAR
spanner nut article
Damaged valve lever See POWER STEERING GEAR
article
Sector shaft adjusted See ADJUSTMENTS in POWER
too tight STEERING GEAR article
Worm thrust bearing See ADJUSTMENTS in POWER
adjusted too tight STEERING GEAR article
Reaction ring sticking See POWER STEERING GEAR
in cylinder article

Reaction ring sticking See POWER STEERING GEAR
in housing head article
Steering pump internal See POWER STEERING PUMP
leakage article
Steering gear-to-column See STEERING COLUMN
misalignment article
Lack of lubrication in Service front suspension
linkage
Lack of lubrication in Service front suspension
ball joints









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Increased Effort High internal pump leakage See POWER STEERING PUMP
When Turning article
Wheel Fast Power steering pump belt Adjust or replace if
Foaming, Milky slipping necessary
Power Steering
Fluid, Low Fluid Low fluid level Check and fill to
Level or Low proper level
Pressure
Engine idle speed to low Adjust to correct
setting
Air in pump fluid system See POWER STEERING PUMP
article
Pump output low See POWER STEERING PUMP
article
Steering gear See POWER STEERING GEAR
malfunctioning article









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Wheel Surges Low fluid level Check and fill to proper
or Jerks level
Loose fan belt Adjust or replace if
necessary
Insufficient pump See POWER STEERING PUMP
pressure article
Sticky flow control valve See POWER STEERING PUMP
article
Linkage hitting oil pan Replace bent components
at full turn









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Kick Back or Air in pump fluid system See POWER STEERING PUMP
Free Play article
Worn poppet valve in See POWER STEERING PUMP
steering gear article
Excessive over center See POWER STEERING GEAR
lash article
Thrust bearing out of See POWER STEERING GEAR
adjustment article

Improper gate plate See STEERING COLUMN
adjustment article









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Excess Play in Instrument panel bracket Tighten bolts and check
Column bolts loose bracket
Broken weld nut on jacket See STEERING COLUMN
article
Instrument bracket capsule See STEERING COLUMN
sheared article
Column bracket/jacket Tighten bolts and check
bolts loose bracket









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Steering Locks Release lever mechanism See STEERING COLUMN
in Gear article









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SUSPENSION TROUBLE SHOOTING
NOTE: This is GENERAL information. This article is not intended
to be specific to any unique situation or individual vehicle
configuration. The purpose of this Trouble Shooting
information is to provide a list of common causes to
problem symptoms. For model-specific Trouble Shooting,
refer to SUBJECT, DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available
in the section(s) you are accessing.
BASIC SUSPENSION TROUBLE SHOOTING CHART









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CONDITION POSSIBLE CAUSE CORRECTION








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Front End Noise Loose or worn wheel See Wheel Bearing
Adjustment in
SUSPENSION
Worn shocks or shock Replace struts or strut
mountings mountings
Worn struts or strut Replace struts or strut
mountings mountings
Loose or worn lower control See SUSPENSION
arm
Loose steering gear-to- See STEERING
frame bolts
Worn control arm bushings See SUSPENSION
Ball joints not lubricated Lubricate ball joints &
see Ball Joint Checking
in SUSPENSION









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Front Wheel Tires or wheels out of Check tire balance
Shake, Shimmy, balance
or Vibration
Incorrect wheel alignment See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Drive shaft unbalanced Check drive shaft
balance

Loose or worn wheel See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
bearings
Loose or worn tie rod ends See SUSPENSION
Worn upper ball joints See Ball Joint Checking
in SUSPENSION
Worn shock absorbers Replace shock absorbers
Worn strut bushings Replace strut bushings









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Car Pulls to Mismatched or uneven tires Check tire condition
One Side
Broken or sagging springs See SUSPENSION
Loose or worn strut See SUSPENSION
bushings
Improper wheel alignment See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Improper rear axle Check rear axle
alignment alignment
Power steering gear See STEERING
unbalanced
Front brakes dragging See BRAKES









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Abnormal Tire Unbalanced tires Check tire balance &
Wear rotation
Sagging or broken springs See SUSPENSION
Incorrect front end See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
alignment
Faulty shock absorbers Replace chock absorbers









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Scuffed Tires Toe-In incorrect See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Suspension arm bent or See appropriate
twisted SUSPENSION article









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Springs Bottom Bent or broken springs See SUSPENSION
or Sag
Leaking or worn shock Replace shock absorbers
absorbers
Frame misalignment Check frame for damage









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Spring Noises Loose "U" Bolts See SUSPENSION
Loose or worn bushings See SUSPENSION
Worn or missing interliners See SUSPENSION









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Shock Absorber Loose shock mountings Check & tighten
Noise mountings
Worn bushings Replace bushings

Mismatched tires See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Broken or sagging spring See SUSPENSION section
Broken torsion bar See SUSPENSION section
Power steering valve not See STEERING section
centered
Front alignment out of See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
tolerance section
Defective wheel bearing See WHEEL BEARINGS in
SUSPENSION section
Uneven sway bar links See SUSPENSION section
Frame bent Check for frame damage
Steering system bushing See STEERING section
worn









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Hard Steering Idler arm bushing too tight See STEERING LINKAGE
in STEERING section
Ball joint tight or seized See SUSPENSION section
Steering linkage too tight See STEERING LINKAGE in
STEERING section
Power steering fluid low Add proper amount of
fluid
Power steering drive belt See STEERING section
loose
Power steering pump See STEERING section
defective
Steering gear out of See STEERING section
adjustment
Incorrect wheel alignment See WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Damaged steering gear See STEERING section
Damaged suspension See SUSPENSION section
Bent steering knuckle or See SUSPENSION section
supports









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Vehicle Strut rod or control arm See SUSPENSION section
"Wanders" bushing worn
Loose or worn wheel See WHEEL BEARINGS in
bearings SUSPENSION section
Improper tire inflation Check tire pressure
Stabilizer bar missing or See SUSPENSION section
defective

WHEEL ALIGNMENT THEORY/OPERATION
1998 Mitsubishi Montero
GENERAL INFORMATION
Wheel Alignment Theory & Operation
ALL MODELS
* PLEASE READ THIS FIRST *
NOTE: This article is intended for general information purposes
only. This information may not apply to all makes and models.
PRE-ALIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
GENERAL ALIGNMENT CHECKS
Before adjusting wheel alignment, check the following:
* Each axle uses tires of same construction and tread style,
equal in tread wear and overall diameter. Verify that radial
and axial runout is not excessive. Inflation should be at
manufacturer's specifications.
* Steering linkage and suspension must not have excessive play.
Check for wear in tie rod ends and ball joints. Springs must
not be sagging. Control arm and strut rod bushings must not
have excessive play. See Fig. 1.
Fig. 1: Checking Steering Linkage
* Vehicle must be on level floor with full fuel tank, no
passenger load, spare tire in place and no load in trunk.
Bounce front and rear end of vehicle several times. Confirm