ASE Entry-Level Suspension & Steering — practice test
The Entry-Level Suspension and Steering test is one of five ASE Entry-Level Medium/Heavy Truck tests. Students in ASE-accredited diesel programs sit it. It covers steering, suspension, alignment, wheels and tires, and frame and coupling devices. Students miss questions by mixing up the three alignment angles and by guessing which part does which job. They also miss them by skipping the order of a repair, like what to do before pulling a steering wheel.
Studying for ASE Entry-Level Suspension & Steering? Overhaul Prep has 101 verified ETS questions written to the current task list — in the same formats the real exam uses (direct, Technician A/B, EXCEPT and most-likely-cause). Every answer comes with a written explanation, so you learn why instead of memorising a letter.
What's on the ASE Entry-Level Suspension & Steering test
The test has 40 scored questions, and you need 20 correct to pass. ASE says a test may also include extra questions used only for statistics, and those do not count. Wheel Alignment Diagnosis, Adjustment, and Repair has 12 questions. Steering Systems has 10 and Suspension Systems has 10. Wheel and Tires has 5, and Frame and Coupling Devices has 3. ASE's task list has 43 tasks across those five areas.
ASE Entry-Level task list: Suspension and Steering
ASE builds the Entry-Level test on the Test Specifications and Task List in its ASE Test Specifications and Task Lists, M/H Truck Series (2024). In ASE's words: “Every question on the test represents one or more of these tasks, although some tasks may not appear on the version of the test that you see.” This is that list: its 5 content areas, how many questions each one gets, and the 43 tasks the questions are drawn from.
The real test, in ASE's Entry-Level specifications: 40 questions, 20 correct to pass. It may include extra unscored questions.
Test specifications
| Content area | Questions in test |
|---|---|
| A Steering Systems | 10 |
| B Suspension Systems | 10 |
| C Wheel Alignment Diagnosis, Adjustment, and Repair | 12 |
| D Wheel and Tires | 5 |
| E Frame and Coupling Devices | 3 |
| Total | 40 |
The task list, area by area
ASteering Systems10 questions · 16 tasks
1.General
- 1.Research vehicle service information, including fluid type, vehicle service history, service precautions, and technical service bulletins.
- 2.Disable and enable supplemental restraint system (SRS); verify indicator lamp operation.
- 3.Identify steering system components and configurations.
- 4.Use appropriate electronic service tool(s) and procedures to diagnose problems; check, record, and clear diagnostic codes; interpret digital multimeter (DMM) readings.
2.Steering Column
- 1.Check steering wheel for free play, binding, and proper centering; inspect and service steering shaft U-joint(s), slip joint(s), bearings, bushings, and seals; phase steering shaft.
- 2.Diagnose causes of fixed and driver adjustable steering column and shaft noise, looseness, and binding problems.
- 3.Check cab mounting and adjust cab ride height.
- 4.Remove the steering wheel (includes steering wheels equipped with electrical/electronic controls and components); install and center the steering wheel.
- 5.Inspect, test, replace, and calibrate steering angle sensor.
3.Steering Pump and Gear Units
- 1.Check power steering pump and gear operation, mountings, lines, and hoses; check fluid level and condition; service filter; inspect system for leaks.
- 2.Flush and refill power steering system; purge air from system.
- 3.Diagnose causes of power steering system noise, binding, darting/oversteer, reduced wheel cut, steering wheel kick, pulling, non-recovery, turning effort, looseness, hard steering, overheating, fluid leakage, and fluid aeration problems.
- 4.Inspect, service, and/or replace power steering reservoir, seals, and gaskets.
- 5.Inspect and/or replace power steering system cooler, lines, hoses, clamps, mountings, and fittings.
- 6.Inspect and/or replace power steering gear(s) (single and/or dual) and mountings.
4.Steering Linkage
- 1.Inspect, service, repair, and/or replace tie rod ends, ball joints, kingpins, pitman arms, idler arms, and other steering linkage components.
BSuspension Systems10 questions · 10 tasks
- 1.Inspect, service, repair, and/or replace shock absorbers, bushings, brackets, and mounts.
- 2.Inspect, repair, and/or replace leaf springs, center bolts, clips, pins, bushings, shackles, U-bolts, insulators, brackets, and mounts.
- 3.Inspect, repair, and/or replace axle and axle aligning devices such as: radius rods, track bars, stabilizer bars, and torque arms; inspect related bushings, mounts, shims and attaching hardware; determine needed action.
- 4.Inspect, repair, and/or replace tandem suspension equalizer components; determine needed action.
- 5.Inspect, repair, and/or replace air springs, mounting plates, springs, suspension arms, and bushings.
- 6.Inspect, test, repair, and/or replace air suspension pressure regulator and height control valves, lines, hoses, dump valves, and fittings; check and record ride height.
- 7.Inspect and service kingpins, steering knuckle bushings, locks, bearings, seals, and covers.
- 8.Measure, record and adjust ride height; determine needed action.
- 9.Diagnose rough ride problems; determine needed action.
- 10.Identify suspension system components and configurations.
CWheel Alignment Diagnosis, Adjustment, and Repair12 questions · 8 tasks
- 1.Demonstrate understanding of alignment angles.
- 2.Diagnose causes of vehicle wandering, pulling, shimmy, hard steering, and off-center steering wheel problems.
- 3.Check, record, and adjust camber.
- 4.Check, record, and adjust caster.
- 5.Check, record, and adjust toe settings.
- 6.Check rear axle(s) alignment (thrust line/centerline) and tracking.
- 7.Identify turning/Ackerman angle (toe-out-on-turns) problems.
- 8.Check front axle alignment (centerline).
DWheel and Tires5 questions · 4 tasks
- 1.Inspect tire condition; identify tire wear patterns; measure tread depth; verify tire matching (diameter and tread); inspect valve stem and cap; set tire pressure; determine needed action.
- 2.Diagnose wheel/tire vibration, shimmy, pounding, and hop (tramp) problems; determine needed action.
- 3.Check wheel mounting hardware; check wheel condition; remove and install wheel/tire assemblies (steering and drive axle); torque fasteners to manufacturer’s specification using torque wrench.
- 4.Inspect tire and wheel for proper application (size, load range, position, and tread design); determine needed action.
EFrame and Coupling Devices3 questions · 5 tasks
- 1.Inspect, service, and/or adjust fifth wheel, pivot pins, bushings, locking mechanisms, mounting hardware, air lines, and fittings.
- 2.Inspect frame and frame members for cracks, breaks, corrosion, distortion, elongated holes, looseness, and damage; determine needed action.
- 3.Inspect, install, and/or replace frame hangers, brackets, and cross members; determine needed action.
- 4.Inspect, repair, or replace pintle hooks and draw bars (if applicable).
- 5.Inspect, service, and/or adjust sliding fifth wheel, tracks, stops, locking systems, air cylinders, springs, lines, hoses, and controls.
From the ASE Test Specifications and Task Lists, M/H Truck Series (2024), read October 20, 2026, in ASE's words. ASE's study guides page has the current PDF. Task lists for 43 ASE tests →
High-yield ASE Entry-Level Suspension & Steering topics
The material that shows up year after year. If you're short on time, start here.
- Camber, caster and toe. Camber is the tilt of the top of the tire in or out, seen from the front. Caster is the tilt of the steering axis forward or back, seen from the side. Toe is the difference between the front and rear distance across the tires.
- Pull and wear causes. A truck pulls toward the side with the more positive camber or the less positive caster. Too much positive caster makes steering harder, and positive caster helps the truck track straight. Wrong toe feathers the tread edges.
- Setting toe. On a steer axle, toe is set by changing the length of the tie rod cross tube. Set camber and caster first because changing them can shift toe, and set toe last. After you replace a tie rod end, check and set toe before the truck goes back in service.
- Rear axle and front axle checks. The thrust line is the direction the rear axle points, and thrust angle is measured against the geometric centerline. A bad thrust angle makes a truck dog track. Front axle centerline can be off even when toe is in spec, so check it after collision damage or hanger work.
- Air suspension. The air springs carry the weight, and the height control valve adds or exhausts air to hold ride height. Check ride height on level ground with full air pressure built. A cracked, leaking air spring is replaced, not repaired.
- Steering wheel and power steering service. Disable the SRS before removing a steering wheel with an airbag. Center the wheels and the gear, then install and center the wheel. Purge air by turning the wheel slowly lock to lock with the engine running and the reservoir full.
Where techs lose points on ASE Entry-Level Suspension & Steering
Good technicians miss these — not from lack of skill, but because the question is built to catch them.
- Wrong belief: you can clear codes first so the scan tool is clean. Right answer: record the codes and freeze-frame data before any are cleared.
- Wrong belief: toe-out on turns is fixed with the tie rod. Right answer: tie rod length sets toe. Turning angle (Ackerman) is controlled by the angle of the steering arms, and a bent steering arm causes incorrect toe-out on turns.
- Wrong belief: check kingpin play with the truck sitting on its tires. Right answer: raise the steer axle and support it with the wheels off the ground, then check kingpin and knuckle bushing play.
- Wrong belief: a stabilizer bar holds up the truck, or a track bar controls front-to-rear movement. Right answer: springs or air springs carry the weight. The stabilizer bar reduces body roll in turns, and a track bar does not control front-to-rear axle movement.
A study plan that works for ASE Entry-Level Suspension & Steering
Roughly two weeks of real preparation, in the order that actually builds on itself.
- Day 1: Alignment, the biggest area at 12 questions. Learn camber, caster, toe, thrust line, setback and turning angle, and what each one does to pull and tire wear.
- Day 2: Steering at 10 questions. Cover steering column and shaft service, SRS and airbag safety, steering angle sensor calibration, power steering fluid, purging air, and linkage.
- Day 3: Suspension at 10 questions. Cover shocks, leaf springs, shackles, tandem equalizers, air springs, height control valves, ride height, and kingpins.
- Day 4: Wheels and tires at 5 questions, and frame and coupling at 3. Learn tread depth and wear patterns, wheel torque pattern, fifth wheel checks and frame rail rules, then take a full practice test.
Sample ASE Entry-Level Suspension & Steering questions
Straight from the bank — answers highlighted, with the explanation underneath.
Which source should a technician use to find the correct power steering fluid type for a specific truck?
- The label on any bottle of fluid on the shelf
- The manufacturer's service information for that vehicle
- The fluid color seen in the reservoir
- The fluid type used in the last truck serviced
What is the main job of a shock absorber on a truck suspension?
- Support the weight of the loaded truck frame
- Limit the side-to-side movement of the axle on the springs
- Keep the axle square to the frame rails
- Dampen spring oscillation after bumps
Caster is the forward or rearward tilt of the steering axis. From which view is it seen?
- Front
- Top
- Rear
- Side
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