You may not give much thought to your car’s suspension system, but if it isn’t functioning properly, it’s not only the handling of your vehicle that’ll be affected. Without a working suspension system, you’ll notice a rougher ride in general, drifting when you try to steer, and your brakes can be less responsive too. Thankfully, there are several straightforward ways to check the health of your suspension system, and some simple measures you can take to keep its parts in good condition.
How to Check Your Suspension
When you’re behind the wheel, you might be able to sense that there’s an issue with your suspension, just from the way your car feels to drive. That said, there’s a handful of tricks you can use to check the health of your suspension system.
- Inspect your tyre tread. Your tyres should be worn out pretty evenly across their width, so if you notice the inside or outside is worn on a slope, there could be an issue with your suspension.
- Check if your vehicle is level. Take a few steps back from your vehicle and look at it front-on. If it’s sitting at a slight angle, there are probably worn out suspension parts at fault.
- Pay attention during turns. If you notice a distinctive pulling feeling when you’re making turns, or a knocking, creaking or squealing while you steer, a component in your suspension is likely to be causing this.
- Try sudden braking. When you’re in a safe environment, stop the car quickly using your brakes to see if the nose seems to dip. Faulty front struts or shock absorbers can struggle to keep your car level after abrupt braking.
Maintaining Your Suspension
The lifespan of your suspension system will vary depending on several different factors – including your driving style, mileage, and the types of road surface your regularly encounter. For example, if your car is frequently traversing extremely rough, bumpy terrain, the suspension system will naturally wear out more quickly.
These checks – when carried out regularly – could help to extend the life expectancy of your suspension system:
- Check your tyre pressure. This simple step only takes a few minutes, and can work wonders to help protect the parts in your suspension system, and help them perform to the best of their ability, as well as increasing fuel efficiency.
- Book a wheel alignment. Many drivers consider this an unnecessary expense, but getting your wheels realigned every 30,000 miles or so will reduce tyre wear, and improve the way your car handles overall too.
- Inspect the shock absorbers. Compromised shock absorbers are a common suspension issue; if they start to leak hydraulic fluid or gas, the movement of the piston is impacted. Simply put, this causes them to stop absorbing shock.
- Check your ball joints. If you’re getting your oil changed, the mechanic should also check your ball joints for wear and tear – they might need a little extra lubrication to help maintain their condition and performance.
- Be mindful of your driving style. Suspension systems are designed to be very resilient, but if you consistently approach speed bumps without slowing, you could easily shorten their lifespan. It’s a good idea to avoid potholes wherever possible, and drive carefully wherever terrain is particularly uneven.
Whether it’s new shock absorbers, ball joints or another part altogether you need, you can find affordable components for your suspension system here at Euro Car Parts. With over 130,000 products in stock from a range of reputable brands, we’re sure to have the right parts for your specific make and model. Once you’ve placed your order, you can enjoy free click and collect from your local branch, sometimes on the very same day.
