Shocks and Struts Maintenance
Shocks and struts are relatively slow to wear, however, your shocks and struts are important for your vehicles steering performance, and the safety of your passengers. At Granite Reef Service Center want to help you keep your car in better condition by arming you with the knowledge of how shocks and struts work, and what kind of suspension maintenance your vehicle requires.
The suspension system in your vehicle covers a range of functions, from helping you steer, facilitating full control of your vehicle, even in rough driving conditions. The most basic form of this is apparent in absorbing the many bumps of the road in everyday driving. We all know how bad some of our roads are in the Phoenix area.
Your front end suspension is very important because most vehicles on the road today are front wheel drive. If your vehicle is front wheel drive, maintaining your front end suspension is of special importance, because your car is controlled almost entirely from the front. Degradations in front end suspension can have a great impact in your ability to control your car.
Because your suspension is so important to the proper control of your vehicle, it is important to note some of the most common side effects of worn out shocks. Like most things, these effects will come on slowly over time, so you may not notice them right away. However, they are quite easy to recognize, if you know what you are looking for.
- Excessive Bounce when Driving – If your vehicle bounces at even the smallest variations in the road, it is a sure fire sign that your shocks and struts are wearing down.
- Dipping or Squatting – if your front end dips when you brake, or pulls up when you accelerate, it may be time for suspension repairs
- Premature tire wear – Premature tire wear signifies a safety risk to you and the drivers around you. Nothing is more frightening than a tire blow out on the freeway, and few things are more dangerous to you and your passengers.
Most vehicle manufacturers suggest that your shocks and struts require maintenance once every 50,000 miles. However, if you begin to notice these effects on your vehicle, then its time to get your suspension checked out. Ultimately you will want to get a full suspension inspection to ensure that no other portions of the suspension have become damaged due to neglect.
