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5 Signs Your Shocks and Struts Need Replacing

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Don’t you just love the Colorado roads right now? When the snow clears away for a day or two, you still feel like you’re off-roading it down the highway. It’s a game of “how to avoid the potholes”, and all-too-often, the potholes win.

When you hit one, you cringe. You can feel the impact ripple through you and your vehicle. This can take its toll on how well your car handles.

A car’s suspension system is designed to hold up the weight of the vehicle, and absorb the impact of the road while providing the occupants a smooth ride. One of the critical components of the suspension system are shocks and struts.5 Signs Your Shocks and Struts Need Replacing

Both shocks and struts curb a car’s tendency to bounce while moving. Every time you start, stop, turn corners, or hit bumps in the road, it’s shocks and struts that create a smooth riding experience.

What are shocks and struts? What’s the difference?

Before we talk about possible problems with your vehicle’s shocks and struts, it’s important to understand what they are.

In many cases, the terms shocks and struts are used interchangeably, but they do provide two separate functions.

As a part of the suspension system, every vehicle has a combination of springs, and either shocks or struts. Springs are what support the weight of the vehicle to cushion the ride. This prevents the car’s passengers from experiencing harsh jolts as it rides on rough and uneven roads.

Shocks, also known as shock absorbers, do what their name implies: they absorb the shock of the road. Shocks aren’t a crucial piece of the suspension system; you could, in theory, remove them and still be able to drive. However, they are built into a vehicle to provide comfort and stability no matter what the conditions of the road are like.

Struts are an integral part of a vehicle’s suspension system. They play a key role in absorbing the roughness of the road. MacPherson struts are the most common struts on today’s vehicles. They combine the spring and strut together into one serviceable part. However, depending on the vehicle you drive, the two might be separate. In that case, the strut acts as a connecting point between the spring and the vehicle.

How do I know if my shocks and struts are bad?

Like other parts of your vehicle, shocks and struts have warning signs that they are failing. But they aren’t components you’ll replace on a regular basis. They are engineered to last anywhere from 50,000 to 90,000 miles or more, depending on how you drive.

Still, you can’t miss the signs that your shocks and struts are starting to fail. Have you experienced any of these signs?

Nose diving – this is probably one of the easiest signs to recognize; you’ll see this portrayed on television a lot. Cars stay level because of shocks and struts. If they aren’t working the way they are designed, every time you step on the brake pedal, your car will dip forward, with the nose diving towards the pavement in the process. There is also the possibility of the rear of your car bouncing down when you accelerate; this is known as squats.

Bouncing – the shocks and struts absorb the roughness of the road. However, if you notice your car bouncing up and down with each bump and you can feel it in the way you move up and down in your seat, your shocks and struts have a problem that should be serviced as soon as possible.

Tire bouncing – if the shocks and struts aren’t absorbing the impact of the road, the tires can take on the stress. If they aren’t connecting with the pavement as designed, they can wear before their time.

Fluid leaks – shocks and struts contain hydraulic fluid. As they wear, they can start leaking. If you notice what looks like a leak by your tires, bring it in to be serviced as soon as you can.

Handling problems – pay attention to the way your car handles no matter what the road conditions are. This will help you determine when things start to go wrong. Problems with shocks and struts can make your car shift from side to side even when the weather isn’t there to affect it. You should never feel a swaying motion as you drive.

Can I test for bad shocks and struts?

Still not sure if it’s your shocks and struts going bad? Luckily, there is a test you can perform to determine if your shocks and struts are in good working condition. It’s called the bounce test, and it works like this.

Move to the front or rear of your car. Push down as hard as you can, and then pull your hands away. If your car doesn’t bounce, your shocks and struts are fine. A bounce suggests that the shocks and struts are starting to wear, or a problem already exists. This is your sign that it’s time to get your vehicle serviced and have your shocks and struts replaced.

Your suspension system needs regular maintenance too

As a frequent driver, you’re probably in the habit of basic maintenance items. You bring it in for an oil change every few months or 5,000 miles, whichever comes first. You wash it and add windshield washer fluid seasonally.  You get new tires as the tread wears down.

Even if your vehicle isn’t showing any signs that the shocks and struts are going bad, it’s a good idea to have one of our mechanics evaluate your suspension system on an annual basis. This of it as cheap insurance to ensure your car is in good working order, and will keep you and your car’s occupants safe and secure, ready to enjoy the ride.

Shocks and struts are not the same, and are not interchangeable components of your vehicle. Whether they are structurally integrated together or are separate parts, it’s important to have both in good working condition to have a safe ride.

Are your shocks and struts in good condition?

Shocks and Struts

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Shock and StrutsLet’s talk shocks and struts.

Shock absorbers and struts last a long time and wear out pretty slowly for most cars and trucks in the Denver area.  They’re easy to take for granted, but your shocks and struts do a very important job so you need to pay attention to them.  They keep your tires on the road; and your tires are what connect your vehicle to the road and allow you to safely handle your car through turns, over bumps and even stop in time.

When your shocks and struts are worn, your tires bounce excessively over bumps in our city streets.  Your vehicle will wallow through corners; your front-end will dive when you stop; and your rear-end will squat when you accelerate.  All this hurts your ability to control your vehicle.  And your ride just isn’t as comfortable.

Worn shocks or struts cause excessive tire wear so you’ll have to replace your tires sooner than you should.  Worn shocks and struts also stresses other suspension and steering parts causing them to wear prematurely.  Struts are actually a major structural component of the suspension system; there’s a lot riding on them.

Replacing worn shocks and struts saves money in the long run for our local drivers – and of course you can’t really put a price on your safety and that of your passengers.  We generally recommend replacing shocks and struts at 50,000 miles.

When it is time for new shocks or struts, we’ve got you covered.  We can give you back the ride and handling of a new vehicle.  And if you have special needs we can help you there too.  We have premium shocks and struts that will improve your performance.  We can even help you with upgraded, heavy-duty shocks that will give you the confidence you need to handle those big towing or hauling jobs.

Experts recommend replacing all four shocks at the same time so that handling is even at each wheel.  If you need new shocks or struts, let us help you take care of this important safety service.  You’ll feel better, and you’ll save money on tires and other suspension repairs down the road.

Shocks and Struts: More Than a Comfortable Ride

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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!

Shocks and Struts-How You Know When They Need Replacing

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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.

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