Ford Galaxy / Ford S-MAX. Manual — part 50

Wheels and Tires - Wheels and Tires

S-MAX/Galaxy 2006.5 (02/2006-)

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Diagnosis and Testing

Inspection and Verification

Visual Inspection Chart

To maximize tire performance, inspect the tires for signs of incorrect inflation and uneven
wear which may indicate a need for balancing, rotation or suspension alignment. Tires
should also be checked frequently for cuts, stone bruises, abrasions, blisters and for objects
that may have become embedded in the tread. More frequent inspections are
recommended when rapid or extreme temperature changes occur or when road surfaces
are rough or occasionally littered with foreign material.

As a further visible check of tire condition, tread wear indicators are molded into the bottom
of the tread grooves. When these indicator bands become visible, new tires must be
installed.

Tire Wear Diagnosis

Uneven wear is usually caused by either excessive camber or excessive toe on tires.

Sometimes incorrect toe settings or worn struts will cause severe `cupping' or `scalloped'
tire wear on non-driven wheels.

Severely incorrect toe settings will also cause other unusual wear patterns.

Tire Vibration Diagnosis

A tire vibration diagnostic procedure always begins with a road test. The road test and
customer interview (if available) will provide much of the information needed to find the
source of a vibration.

During the road test, drive the vehicle on a road that is smooth and free of undulations. If
vibration is apparent, note and record the following:

the speed at which the vibration occurs.
what type of vibration occurs in each speed range.

mechanical or audible

how the vibration is affected by changes in the following:

engine torque
vehicle speed
engine speed

type of vibration - sensitivity:

torque sensitive
vehicle speed sensitive
engine speed sensitive

The following explanations help isolate the source of the vibration.

Torque Sensitive

This means that the condition can be improved or made worse by accelerating,
decelerating, coasting, maintaining a steady vehicle speed or applying engine torque.

Mechanical

Wheel(s)

Tire(s)

Tire pressure(s) *

Wheel nuts

Wheel studs

* Vehicles equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system must be inspected for correct

operation using the diagnostic tool.

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-
-

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Vehicle Speed Sensitive

This means that the vibration always occurs at the same vehicle speed and is not affected
by engine torque, engine speed or the transmission gear selected.

Engine Speed Sensitive

This means that the vibration occurs at varying vehicle speeds when a different
transmission gear is selected. It can sometimes be isolated by increasing or decreasing
engine speed with the transmission in NEUTRAL or by stall testing with the transmission in
gear. If the condition is engine speed sensitive, the cause is probably not related to the
tires.

If the road test indicates that there is tire whine, but no shake or vibration, the noise
originates with the contact between the tire and the road surface.

A thumping noise usually means that the tire is flat or has soft spots making a noise as
they slap the roadway. Tire whine can be distinguished from axle noise. Tire whine remains
the same over a range of speeds.

A complete road test procedure is described in Section 100-04. REFER to:

Noise, Vibration

and Harshness (NVH)

(100-04 Noise, Vibration and Harshness, Diagnosis and Testing).

Symptom Chart

Symptom

Possible Sources

Action

Tire(s) show
excess wear on
edge of tread

Tire(s) under-

inflated.

*

ADJUST the tire pressure(s).

*

Vehicle

overloaded.

*

CORRECT as necessary.

*

Incorrect wheel

alignment.

*

ADJUST the wheel alignment. REFER to: (204-00

Suspension System - General Information)

Specifications

(Specifications),

Front Toe Adjustment

(General Procedures).

*

Tire(s) show
excess wear in
center of tread

Tire(s) over-

inflated.

*

ADJUST the tire pressure(s).

*

Other
excessive tire
wear concerns

Incorrect tire

pressure(s).

*

ADJUST the tire pressure(s).

*

Wheel and tire

assemblies need
rotating.

*

ROTATE the wheel and tire assemblies.

*

Incorrect wheel

alignment.

*

ADJUST the wheel alignment. REFER to: (204-00

Suspension System - General Information)

Specifications

(Specifications),

Front Toe Adjustment

(General Procedures).

*

Vehicle

overloaded.

*

CORRECT as necessary.

*

Loose or leaking

front strut and
spring assembly.

*

TIGHTEN or INSTALL new suspension components as

necessary. REFER to:

Shock Absorber and Spring

Assembly

(204-01 Front Suspension, Removal and

Installation).

*

Wheel bearings

worn.

*

INSTALL new wheel bearings as necessary. REFER to:

Front Wheel Bearing

(204-01 Front Suspension,

Removal and Installation),

Rear Wheel Bearing

(204-02 Rear Suspension,

Removal and Installation).

*

Suspension

components,
bushings and ball
joints.

*

CHECK or INSTALL new suspension components as

necessary.

*

Excessive lateral

*

BALANCE the wheel and tire assemblies. Using a

*

or radial runout of
wheel or tire.

suitable dial indicator gauge and holding fixture,
CHECK lateral and radial runout of the wheel and tire
assemblies. INSTALL new wheel and tire assemblies as
necessary. REFER to: (204-04 Wheels and Tires)

Wheel and Tire

(Removal and Installation).

Wobble or
shimmy
affecting wheel
runout

Damaged wheel.

*

INSPECT the wheel rims for damage. BALANCE the

wheel and tire assemblies. Using a suitable dial
indicator gauge and holding fixture, CHECK lateral and
radial runout of the wheel and tire assemblies.
INSTALL new wheel and tire assemblies as necessary.
REFER to: (204-04 Wheels and Tires)

Wheel and Tire

(Removal and Installation).

*

Front wheel

bearing.

*

CHECK or INSTALL new wheel bearings as necessary.

REFER to:

Front Wheel Bearing

(204-01 Front

Suspension, Removal and Installation).

*

Excessive
vehicle
vibration,
rough steering

Suspension

components.

*

CHECK or INSTALL new suspension components as

necessary.

*

Vehicle
vibrations from
wheels and
tires

Incorrect tire

pressure(s).

*

ADJUST the tire pressure(s).

*

Wheel or tire

imbalance.

*

BALANCE the wheel and tire assemblies.

*

Uneven tire wear.

*

INSTALL a new tire(s) as necessary. REFER to:

Wheel

and Tire

(204-04 Wheels and Tires, Removal and

Installation).

*

Brake disc

imbalance.

*

CHECK the brake disc for foreign material.

*

Water in tire(s).

*

REMOVE the water.

*

Bent wheel.

*

INSTALL a new wheel and tire assembly. REFER to:

Wheel and Tire

(204-04 Wheels and Tires, Removal

and Installation).

*

Incorrectly seated

tire bead.

*

SPIN the wheel on the vehicle. EXAMINE the area

where the tire and the wheel meet. If that section of
the tire appears to waver while being rotated, the tire
bead may not be correctly seated on the wheel.
REMOVE the tire and CLEAN the bead seat areas on
both wheel and tire.

*

Excessive lateral

or radial runout of
wheel or tire.

*

BALANCE the wheel and tire assemblies. Using a

suitable dial indicator gauge and holding fixture,
CHECK the lateral and radial runout of the wheel and
tire assemblies. INSTALL new wheel and tire
assemblies as necessary. REFER to: (204-04 Wheels
and Tires)

Wheel and Tire

(Removal and Installation).

*

Foreign material

between wheel
mounting face and
hub mounting
surface.

*

CLEAN mounting surfaces.

*

Front wheel

bearing.

*

CHECK or INSTALL new wheel bearings as necessary.

REFER to:

Front Wheel Bearing

(204-01 Front

Suspension, Removal and Installation).

*

Rust streaks
from the wheel
stud holes in
the wheel

Wheel nuts.

*

REMOVE the wheel and tire assembly. Inspect the

wheel nuts and wheel and tire assembly for damage.
INSTALL new wheel nuts and wheel and tire
assemblies as necessary. REFER to: (204-04 Wheels
and Tires)

Wheel and Tire

(Removal and Installation).

*

Seized wheel
nuts

Corrosion.

*

CAUTION: Do not permit lubricant to get on cone sets

of stud holes or on cone angle of wheel nuts. If
corrosion is slight, wire brush away. If corrosion is
excessive, INSTALL new wheel studs and nuts. REFER
to: (204-04 Wheels and Tires)

Wheel and Tire

(Removal and Installation).

If the condition persists, LUBRICATE the first three
threads of each wheel stud with a graphite-based
lubricant.

*

Vehicle overloaded

*

CORRECT as necessary.

*