Things You'll Need:
- Flashlight to see components better if your car sits on the ground
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Step 1
Scoot under your car so that you're next to one of your front wheels. If you have access to a rack, that would be the ideal way to look at the underside of your car to identify components. Otherwise, you're going to have to move under the car.
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Step 2
Check where the metal of the back of your wheel touches metal on the car. This other metal is the front disk brake hub. You want to make certain that no debris lies between to the pieces of metal, otherwise it can risk loosening the nuts that hold your tire to your wheel component.
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Step 3
Identify a larger flatter piece of metal with a few holes in the bottom that goes from your wheel to the car. This is your lower control arm which most of the wheel components surround.
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Step 4
Locate the axle, the bar that goes from one tire to the one directly opposite of it. The axle fits into an axle boot that looks like the end of plunger with ridges. Notice that the axle boot fits into a slightly larger component called the knuckle.
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Step 5
Move more into the base of the wheel, left of the knuckle. A metal component that looks similar to a large grenade is the brake caliper.
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Step 6
Look at the component up from the caliper to find the strut. Front wheel drive vehicles use struts instead of shock absorbers and upper control arms instead of conventional suspension systems. Struts also hold the tires in alignment.
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Step 7
Note the hose in the wheel component. This is your brake hose, but be careful not to tug on it. Those are your main wheel components. You'll may find individual differences in wheel components based on the make, model and type of transmission of your vehicle.
