Signs That You Need To Check Your Shocks & Struts

Your car’s shocks and struts are immensely important components both for your ride comfort and for the overall health of your car’s undercarriage and low riding components. Your shocks and struts are specifically designed to absorb the bumpiness caused by potholes, bumps, and any debris that may be in the road. In many areas around the United States, the infrastructure budget has not been able to keep up with road breakdown, and the result is that more and more cracks and potholes are dotting our roads and highways. If your car has started reacting more violently to pothole collisions or your ride has become more rough and bouncy, come into your local Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers to have your shocks and struts checked by one of our automotive specialists. Taking care of your suspension can help save you thousands of dollars over your car’s lifespan.

Shocks

Shocks on most traditional vehicles operate by pushing fluid through an internal system of seals to help absorb the bumps and debris we encounter on the road. Just like any component of your car that works with seals, over time, your shocks will become less efficient and you will begin to feel more and more bumps as those seals break down. Once your seals start to break down, they will either start to leak fluid externally or leak it internally, allowing the fluid to move across the internal chambers without providing the necessary resistance.  

The first sign that your shocks are starting to fail or deteriorate is that you will start to notice and feel a lot more bumps on the road, making potholes extremely jarring. If you are feeling your ride getting rougher, you need to take your car in for service immediately, as a failing shock can cause you to bottom out your suspension and scrape the ground or do serious damage to your undercarriage and even your tires and rims.

Struts

Your struts are constantly working to hold up the weight of your car, and that stress can take a toll over time. Struts are composed of multiple pieces of your suspension, including coil springs and shock absorbers that affect your car’s alignment, steering, and ride comfort. For many vehicles, struts make up the front suspension while shocks make up the back suspension. If you are driving on old struts, you will notice a serious degradation of your overall ride quality. As your struts age, they become less capable of absorbing impacts and bumps in the road. You know that you need to replace your struts or have them serviced if your ride feels extremely bouncy. It is important to replace or repair your struts before any serious issues arise, as strut failure can lead to some extremely expensive repairs. If you have started to experience any issues in your suspension and ride quality, or are due for any other auto maintenance, you need to take your car into your local Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers today. Our automotive experts will help you keep your car running perfectly and stop potential problems from arising.