The comfort of the smooth stable ride you experience when driving your car, truck or SUV is the responsibility of the shocks and struts that make up part of the suspension system. Though there are other components that support your vehicle’s suspension, these two are the most common to require maintenance or attention for your continued comfort and safety.
The repeated impact of countless bumps, dips, and rough road surfaces is the main cause of the wear that automotive shocks and struts develop over time. As a result of this wear, these components no longer dampen the impact of irregularities in driving surfaces, and you begin to sense more up and down motion as “a rougher ride”.
Comfort is not the only item compromised as shocks and struts begin to fail. With the increased up and down motion that happens, stress is added and wear increases on other suspension components such as,
- ball joints
- bushings
- control arms
This additional motion will even create additional wear and tear on some of your car’s steering components.
Like a chain reaction, the wear in suspension and steering systems transfers to your tires. The result is increased and uneven reduction of tire tread. This translates directly into financial stress as you are faced with the prospect of having to replace both or all of your car’s tires.
A final consequence worth mentioning relates to the tire bounce that can occur during a hard stop or skid when suspension wear is significant. As tires bounce, they lose contact with the road surface. This means you need more braking time in order to bring your vehicle to a full and complete stop. As your ability to stop is compromised, so is your safety.
As you can see, the condition of your vehicle’s shocks and struts can affect not only your comfort, but your checkbook and your safety as well. For most of us, any one of those should motivate us to make sure our vehicle suspension is properly serviced and maintained.
Call to schedule or request an appointment online if you’ve been noticing a more bounce than usual as you are driving. We’ve been serving the community for over 54 years at our Boise auto repair location. Let us be your one-stop automotive repair and maintenance facility.
Advantages of auto repair service at Dale’s Auto Care:
- Napa AutoCare Center
- Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed
- Over 470 SureCritic Customer Reviews
- ASE Certified Technicians and Mechanics
- 24 month / 24,000 Mile National Warranty
- Accepted by Most Extended Warranty Providers
- Conveniently Located in Boise Near the Airport