SHOCKS, STRUTS & SPRINGS REPLACEMENT

SHOCKS & STRUTS REPLACEMENT WARNING SIGNS

Signs For Shock Absorber Replacement

• Excessive bouncing: especially over bumps or uneven roads could be a sign to replace your shocks. Worn out shock cannot effectively absorb the impact of bumps, leading to a bouncy ride.

• Poor handling and stability: will result when the shock absorbers are worn out, You may notice that your car sways or leans excessively when turning or changing lanes. This can be dangerous, as it affects your ability to control the vehicle.

• Uneven tire wear: Worn-out shock absorbers can cause your tires to wear unevenly. This is because the bouncing and instability caused by worn shock absorbers can put uneven pressure on your tires, causing them to wear out faster on certain areas.

• Suspension Noise: If you hear clunking or banging noises coming from your car's suspension system, it could be a sign that your shock absorbers need to be replaced. Worn-out shock absorbers can cause the suspension system to become loose, leading to noisy clunks and bangs.

• Longer stopping distance: Worn-out shock absorbers can also affect your car's braking performance. If your car takes longer to stop than usual, it could be a sign that your shock absorbers are not working effectively. This can be dangerous, as it can increase your stopping distance and make it harder to avoid accidents.

How To Know If Your Struts Need Replacement?

It is important to note that strut replacement symptoms may also be indicative of other issues with your vehicle. It's best to have an inspection to determine if it's struts or something else entirely. In addition to suspension noise while driving, excessive vehicle bouncing, and uneven tire wear, symptoms that are specific to strut replacement may include:

• Vehicle leaning to one side: When a strut is worn out or damaged, it may cause the vehicle to lean to one side.

• Bottoming out: If you notice that your vehicle is bouncing excessively or bottoming out over bumps, it may be a sign that the struts need to be replaced.

• Steering problems: Worn out or damaged struts can cause problems with steering, such as a loss of responsiveness or difficulty in turning the wheel.

• Poor handling: Worn out or damaged struts can affect the handling of the vehicle, making it more difficult to control, especially on corners or curves.

SCHEDULE A STRUT INSPECTION SERVICE HERE

Signs Specific To Springs Replacement

Identifying and addressing symptoms for spring replacement promptly is crucial to ensure the proper functioning of your vehicle's suspension system, maintain ride comfort, and enhance overall safety on the road. Signs For Spring Replacement:

• Sagging or uneven ride height: If you notice that one side of your vehicle sits lower than the other, or if your car appears to sag lower to the ground than usual, it could be a sign that the springs have become weak or broken. Weak or broken springs can lead to an imbalance in the vehicle's suspension system, affecting its overall ride height and stability.

• Excessive bottoming out: When driving over bumps or rough terrain, if you experience your vehicle excessively "bottoming out" – hitting the suspension stops or the tires rubbing against the wheel wells – it may indicate worn or broken springs. Properly functioning springs help absorb impacts and maintain the vehicle's ride height, preventing excessive bottoming out.

• Harsh or rough ride: Worn-out or damaged springs can result in a harsh or rough ride quality, characterized by increased vibration, jolts, or discomfort while driving. As springs lose their ability to absorb shocks and bumps, they transmit more road imperfections directly to the vehicle's chassis, diminishing ride comfort.

• Vehicle nose dives during braking: Weak or damaged springs can cause the front end of the vehicle to dive forward excessively when braking, shifting the weight of the vehicle forward abruptly. This can negatively impact braking performance, stability, and control, posing a safety risk on the road.

• Unusual noises from the suspension: If you hear clunking, squeaking, or creaking noises coming from the suspension system, particularly when driving over bumps or rough roads, it could indicate worn or broken springs. Damaged springs may produce audible signs of stress or rubbing against other components as they lose their ability to support the vehicle's weight evenly.

What's The Difference Between a Shock & Strut Replacement?

• What is a shock absorber replacement: Shock absorbers help to absorb the bumps and vibrations of the road. Over time, they can wear out, leak fluid or become damaged, resulting in a bumpy or unstable ride.

• What is a strut replacement: Struts are a type of shock absorber that also provides structural support for the vehicle's suspension system. Like shock absorbers, struts can wear out and fail over time, leading to a harsh ride and poor handling.

How Many Shocks, Struts Or Springs Need Replacing?

A common question from customers is "do I need to replace both shock absorbers or struts if only one is bad? And the short answer is no. However, if one shock or strut has become worn the other will probably need replacement soon. Depending on the age of your vehicle, changing only one shock or strut may create an uneven ride or bounce while you drive. If you'd like to keep both sides of your suspension firm, consider replacing both front struts and shocks or both rear shocks and struts.

• Replacing one shock or strut: If you don't plan on owning your vehicle for a long period of time, the most cost effective solution for shock and strut repair is to replace only one.

• Replacing both shocks or struts: If ride comfort and even suspension grip on the road is important to you, replacing both front shocks and struts or both rear shocks and struts is also a cost effective option versus replacing all four. This will create the comfortable ride you're used to while saving on not replacing all four shocks and struts.

• Replacing all four shocks or struts: Should you replace all four struts/shock absorbers at the same time? Again, it's not necessary unless all four need to be replaced. If your car, truck or SUV has four old shock absorbers and inexpensive to replace and you prefer a smooth an even ride replace all four shocks and/or struts.

Should You Replace One Spring Or Both Sides?

Ideally, it's recommended to replace both springs on the same axle (either both front or both rear) at the same time, even if only one spring is showing signs of wear or damage. Here's why: