CarAdvice.com.au
Shock Absorbers shocks provide resistance by forcing hydraulic fluid (oil) through valves in the piston as it moves up and down. Because the oil cannot be compressed, only a certain amount of fluid can be forced through these valves, which creates...
Shock Absorber Struts A strut is a structural piece designed to resist pressure in the direction of its length. On typical "McPherson Strut" use, the shock absorber is built into the strut. Most shock absorber struts are hydraulic units. Like the hy...
Power steering is a system for reducing the steering effort on cars by using an external power source to assist in turning the wheels. All modern cars come with power steering. Although they take the "feel" out of driving, for many driving without po...
Rotary Valve The "rotary valve" is the key to the operation of power steering. It directs the power steering fluid under pressure to either side of the rack piston, which converts hydraulic power to mechanical force. Friction from the wheel causes...
Rotary Engine | Wankel Engine The rotary engine applies power directly to the transmission. Its construction allows it to provide the power of a conventional engine that is twice its size and weight and that has twice as many parts. A large combus...
Radiator Shroud The radiator shroud prevents the recirculation of air around the fan. It is usually a plastic hood that encloses the fan to guide the air through the core, and stop it from coming back around and through the fan again. It also prot...
Radiator Grille The grating that admits cooling air to car's radiator. The radiator grille is the part of the body shell on the front of your car that covers the area where the air enters. The radiator grille can also be part of the bumper on some...
Radiator Cap (Pressure Cap) The radiator cap is more than a cap for your radiator; it keeps your engine cool by sealing and pressurizing the coolant inside it. It is designed to hold the coolant in the radiator under a predetermined amount of pres...
Radial Tyres In radials tyres the ply or ply cords are alligned at 90 degrees to the circumference. While radials improve performance the fact is that they are not very good for bad roads and overloading. The suspension of a vehicle has, also, to...
Rear View Mirror The rear view mirror is a wide rectangular mirror that you (the driver) use to view anything behind the car. You don't have to take your eyes off the road to turn your head around. Modern day cars might have mounted cameras on the...