When you drive on a highway, a potholed city street, or a dirt road, your car's suspension system keeps the ride smooth. It supports the weight, absorbs and dampens shock and helps maintain contact with the tire.
The associated components are springs, struts, shocks and control arms.
There are also additional chassis components (body frame) that enable steering and improve handling in corners. All of these parts under your vehicle are constantly subject to movement and can wear out and fail.
The following components are what we at My Mechanic look for when we perform our 60-point vehicle report inspection on every vehicle that comes into the shop.
Amendment
An Alignment is a service that consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they correspond to the car manufacturer's specification.
Wheel alignments ensure that your tires last longer, your vehicle drives smoother, and ultimately, your wheels stay pointed in the right direction. Adjustments are recommended after replacing the tire.
Some misalignment problems you can avoid:
- Remove clutter from your trunk that may be cluttering your rear end and interfering with your alignment.
- Make sure you have the correct air pressure in your tires.
Ball joints
These are ball joints that connect the steering system to the front wheels, allowing up and down movement and side-to-side rotation while supporting the weight of the vehicle. After replacing the ball joint, an adjustment is necessary.
Some symptoms of worn ball joints include:
- Loose or erratic steering or wandering on the road.
- A rattling sound, especially when turning.
The bus
These are generally made of rubber materials found in the front and rear suspension systems. Their goal is to help create a smooth, quiet ride. They will wear over time and harden or even crack, creating holes that lead to rattling or rattling.
Spiral feathers
Coil springs compress and expand to absorb wheel movement and are located in the front and rear suspension. They are used with struts or shock absorbers to ensure a smooth ride.
Control arms
Control arms connect the vehicle's front suspension to the vehicle's chassis (frame). Some systems have upper and lower control arms with coil springs and shocks in between. Other systems have lower control arms with a strut assembly that uses a combined coil spring/strut assembly. The ball joints are attached to the ends of the control arms. After replacing the control arm, an adjustment is required.
CV guided (Constant Velocity Joints)
CV joints are flexible couplings between two axles that ensure that each axle can maintain the same driving speed regardless of the angle. The joints are greased and each is covered with a protective boot. When the trunk is damaged, grease seeps out, causing moisture and dirt to damage the whole.
Damaged boots cause:
- A rattling or clicking sound as you turn and move, such as when pulling into a parking space.
Shock absorbers / struts
The shock absorber is mounted close to the spring. Their main job is to absorb bumps in the road and prevent the vehicle from bouncing along the road.
With the springs, the spring is integrated into the shock absorber unit. Struts keep the car's body off the ground and affect the car's steering and alignment, and they provide support for the suspension springs. Their main job is to act as shock absorbers to support the weight of the vehicle and ensure a smooth ride. After replacing shock absorbers/struts, an adjustment is necessary.
Automakers recommend replacing shock absorbers/struts every 60,000 to 100,000 miles.
Signs that shock absorbers/struts need to be replaced:
- Hydraulic fluid is leaking from the strut. Leaks are usually discovered by an auto mechanic during an inspection.
- If the vehicle continues to bounce or even bottoms out after hitting a bump.
- Tire wear or uneven wear.
- Rear tire cupping, where there will be high and low spot patterns on the tire caused by the wheels bouncing on the road.
Stabilisatorstang/svingstangslee
A stabilizer bar is connected to the vehicle frame via rubber bushings in the middle. The stabilizer bar is part of a vehicle's suspension and helps reduce a vehicle's roll when going around a bend or driving over bumps in the road. It connects the left and right wheels via short link arms connected to a torsion spring.
The ends of the stabilizer bar are connected to struts or control arms. The part that connects the ends of the sway bar to the suspension part is called a sway bar link. The tie rod connections should fit incredibly tight, with no play or movement.
Common symptoms of failed sway bar links:
- Knocking or rattling noises from the tire area.
- Poor driving behavior or a loose steering wheel.
Tie rods (inside and outside)
Tie rods are part of a vehicle's steering mechanism. It consists of an inner and an outer end. The tie rod transmits power from the center link of the steering rod or rack and pinion gear to the steering knuckle. This causes the steering wheel to turn as you steer your vehicle.
Tie rod ends should be inspected regularly at every oil change. They are a wearing part of your vehicle's steering and suspension system. As the tie rod ends wear, they become loose and may become slack or loose. They can affect the front end alignment of a vehicle and cause excessive tire wear and front suspension problems. An alignment service is required to replace the tie rod.
Signs of Failing Tie Rods:
- The vehicle may pull to one side, may have shaking, vibration, squeaking noises or uneven tie wear.
- When a tie rod fails completely, the driver loses the ability to steer and control the vehicle.
Identifying worn parts before they fail can help prevent a major or potentially more expensive repair. At My Mechanic, we offer a FREE 60-point vehicle inspection report that checks every item on the report card. The customer is consulted about the goods that fail (F) or are close to failure (D). There is also level a (C), where the customer is informed that on each visit to My Mechanic we will check the part for wear that could eventually lead to a mechanical or safety problem.
Tracy Moore
Assistant Service Writer
My mechanic
