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Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

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Shocks and Struts: More Than a Comfortable Ride

December 6, 2010 by Denver Express Car Care Leave a Comment

Shocks and struts serve the same purpose,their main function is to keep your car from bouncing.  A car has front and rear springs to cushion it over rough road conditions.  Shocks and struts are designed to help keep your tires on the road.  There is a slight difference between a shock and a strut.

Shocks and Struts:  More Than a Comfortable Ride

Installed Shock

Shocks are usually used to depress leaf springs and are usually a single cylinder in the open and a strut is normally surrounded by the coil spring and is bigger and more complicated.  Because of that, it usually costs more to replace a strut than a shock.

Shocks and Struts:  More Than a Comfortable Ride

Installed Strut

Shocks are normally used in the rear suspension on a car and struts are on the front.  Some trucks have shocks on both the front and rear.  But they both achieve the same thing.  They control the action of the spring to resist bottoming out, like when you hit a pothole, and keep the movement of the springs under control as they rebound.  Since we have so much road construction going on in our area, potholes are in abundance and if your car continues to bounce long after you’ve hit one, you should have your car inspected for possible shock or strut replacement.

Worn shocks and struts not only affect the comfort of your ride and control of your car, but they affect its braking effectiveness too.  Here is a checklist for the signs of worn shocks or struts:

  • Do you experience excessive bounce ( 3 or more bounces) when crossing an intersection or dip?
  • When stopping quickly, does your car rock back and forth several times?
  • While applying your brakes firmly at higher speeds, does your vehicle have a tendency to drift left or right?
  • When changing lanes quickly does your car rock or sway from side to side?
  • On a tight curve like a freeway ramp, does your car lean and sway giving it an uneasy and disconnected feeling?

If you experience any of these signs you should have your car inspected by a trusted service technician, (like us)!  They can help you correct the problems , prevent further damage to your car, and restore that comfortable ride we are all looking for!

Filed Under: Suspension Tagged With: Shocks and Struts

Shocks and Struts-How You Know When They Need Replacing

June 18, 2010 by Denver Express Car Care Leave a Comment

Have an older car? Want to keep it in the best shape possible?

It’s time to purchase new shocks and struts if your original shocks and struts are worn out, damaged or leaking. Leaking is easy enough to see – just look for oil or wetness on the outside of the shock or strut. Damage is also fairly easy to see – look for a broken mount, badly dented housing, etc. But wear is often more of a subjective thing to judge. There are also instances where the original equipment shocks may not be worn, damaged or leaking, but may not be adequate for the job they’re being asked to do. In such cases, upgrading the suspension with stronger, stiffer or some type of special shock and strut may be recommended to improve handling (for trailer towing, hauling overloads or other special uses).

Shocks and struts do not require replacing at specific mileage intervals like filters or spark plugs, but they do wear out and eventually have to be replaced. How long a set of original equipment shocks and struts will last depends on many factors. Some original equipment shocks may be getting weak after only 30,000 or 40,000 miles. Struts usually last upwards of 50,000 or 60,000 miles.

Because the damping characteristics of shocks and struts deteriorate gradually over time, the decline in ride control often passes unnoticed. If you begin to notice the need for shocks and struts, it’s usually way past the point when they should have been replaced.

One way to evaluate your need for new shocks or struts is to consider how your vehicle has been handling and riding. Does it bounce excessively when driving on rough roads or after hitting a bump? Does the nose dip when braking? Does the body roll or sway excessively when cornering or driving in crosswinds? Does the suspension bottom out when backing out of the driveway or when hauling extra passengers or weight?

A “bounce test” is still a valid means of checking the dampening ability of shocks and struts. If the suspension continues to gyrate more than one or two times after rocking and releasing the bumper or body, your shocks or struts are showing their age and need to be replaced.

Filed Under: Suspension Tagged With: Shocks and Struts, When Do Shocks and Struts Need Replacing

How To Determine When It’s Time For Shock Replacement

April 27, 2010 by Denver Express Car Care Leave a Comment

If you are a regular at any car repair shop, chances are you’ve seen the ads for shocks and struts. But without taking your car in for a check up, is there a way for you to determine when it’s time for shock replacement on your car?

Different manufacturers of shocks and struts provide different guidelines for their products. Many mechanics will tell you it’s not as cut and dry as it is with oil changes and spark plugs. Instead, it depends on the circumstances of your driving habits, and the overall characteristics of your car. Instead of relying on mileage as a test, its more important to know the habits of your car.

Start with the “bounce test”. A bounce test is easy to perform: simply apply pressure to the body or bumper of the car to bounce the car. If the car continues to move up and down more than a time or two after release, the parts are showing wear and should be replaced.

You can also notice your cars behavior. When you drive on rough roads or hit a bump, does it bounce excessively? Does the nose dip down when breaking? Is it easy to bottom out the suspension when backing out of the driveway or hauling extra passengers or cargo?

Any of these could be a sign your car is in need of a shock replacement.

And driving on worn out shocks can be a hazard over time. Worn out shocks and struts may cause your stopping distance to increase, especially on rough surfaces. It can have an impact on your driving capabilities, especially in adverse conditions. And they can cause damage to your tires prematurely, meaning you’ll have more expense than is truly necessary.

[Express Care is a family owned auto repair shop in the Denver Colorado area that offers a variety of services, including shock replacement. Conveniently located at Evans and I-25, we look forward to doing business with you.]

Filed Under: Suspension Tagged With: How To Determine When Its Time For Shock Replacement, shock replacement, shocks, struts, Suspension

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Express Car Care
4200 E. Evans Ave. Denver, CO (map)
Phone: (303) 691-2760
Located just southeast of the Colorado Light Rail station

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Monday: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
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Saturday: Closed – A note from the owner
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