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Press Release

2020-Oct-14

ZF Aftermarket recommends regular inspection of safety-critical suspension and steering parts

  • Damaged or defective seals on suspension and steering parts pose a serious safety risk
  • Lemförder OE-quality spare parts are highly resistant to salt corrosion
  • Lemförder portfolio expanded to include engine mounts, tie rods and control arms for many current car models

The year 2020 has also been an unusual one so far in terms of car use: despite the increase in home office working, more cars are being driven to maximize social distancing. Experts therefore recommend that routine tests as well as safety-relevant suspension and steering components be inspected during the upcoming winter check. If components need to be replaced, ZF Aftermarket offers its customers an expanded Lemförder spare parts portfolio in the area of suspension and steering for a wide range of popular vehicle models from Audi to Volvo.

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ZF Aftermarket recommends regular inspection of safety-critical suspension and steering parts

The winter car checks usually offered by garages as part of the seasonal tyre change are not only popular but also extremely important for safe driving on winter roads. While the battery is tested and the antifreeze and all fluid levels checked, special attention should also be paid to the installed chassis and steering parts.

For this reason, ZF Aftermarket workshops are recommended to additionally drive every car onto the lifting platform during the winter check - if this is not associated with a tyre change anyway - and to take a close look at the chassis and steering. If a defect is found in the parts used there, for example in the ball joints or rubber bearings, these must be completely replaced with new ones. Damage can occur within days if the sealing protection on a component is inadequate. Salt, moisture and dirt accelerate the process once again, which is why everything in the chassis should be in perfect condition, especially before the cold season starts.

Once dirt or water has penetrated the suspension and steering parts, this is often only manifested by a rattling noise in the chassis, for example in the case of wheel-guiding ball joints. Very quickly, however, the driving behavior becomes unstable and the car rapidly becomes uncontrollable, especially on wet, snow-covered or icy roads. Depending on how far the joint damage has progressed, the affected connection point in the wheel suspension can even break. Leaky steering boots have a similarly critical effect: As a result, the gear rack can corrode, irreparably damaging the hydraulic sealing components in the steering gear. This is a great potential danger, because the steering support can then fail completely while driving. In addition, this results in high costs: Replacement of the complete steering system can no longer be avoided from this point on.

Safe and sound with spare parts in OE quality

Even when replacing defective steering collars in good time, a few basic principles should be carefully observed. Cable ties or universal hose clamps which do not comply with OE specifications should not be used to fix steering collars; as these do not provide sufficient or permanent sealing the risk of steering damage as described above is significantly increased. On the other hand, mechanics put safety first when they select OE quality steering parts and steering collars from the portfolio of the ZF Aftermarket product brand Lemförder.

If it is necessary to replace a component in the suspension and steering system, experts recommend the installation of parts in OEM quality. Under its Lemförder brand, ZF Aftermarket sells a broad product portfolio that must regularly prove its high quality standards in various practical and laboratory tests. For example, in a so-called salt spray test, it was proven that the ball pivot of a Lemförder ball joint shows no corrosion whatsoever even more than 30 days after direct contact with the salt solution, thanks to the special surface protection.

If it is necessary to replace a component in the chassis and steering system, experts recommend the installation of parts in OEM quality. Under its Lemförder brand, ZF Aftermarket sells a broad product portfolio which is regularly tested in various practical and laboratory tests to ensure the highest quality standards are maintained for all parts. For example, in a so-called salt spray test, it was proven that the ball pivot of a Lemförder ball joint shows no corrosion whatsoever, even more than 30 days after direct contact with the salt solution, thanks to the special surface protection.

Comprehensive portfolio expansion in suspension and steering

In order to provide the best possible support to automotive companies for the winter check and any necessary replacement of components, ZF Aftermarket has comprehensively expanded its range of spare parts in the suspension and steering area, including a wide variety of rubber-to-metal parts. Among other things, the following Lemförder products can be ordered with immediate effect for the vehicles mentioned above, including spare parts for brand-new models:

Manufacturer/Model and Sparepart

Audi A6 Avant (4G5, 4GD, C7): Ball joint

Mercedes-Benz GLC (X253): Engine mount

Skoda Kamiq (NW4): Axial tie rod

Toyota Prius PHV (_W52_): Stabiliser link

Volkswagen Golf VII Variant (BA5, BV5): Track control arm

Volvo XC60 II (246): Axle mount

Since these are safety-critical parts, they are subject to the greatest care during design, production and assembly. All Lemförder products in this category are manufactured in original equipment manufacturer quality - for greater road safety.

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CONTACT

Fabiola Wagner

Head of ZF Services Communications

+49 9721 4756-110

fabiola.wagner@zf.com

Patric Roos

ZF Aftermarket External Communications International

+49 9721 4756-516

patric.roos@zf.com