Your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s suspension does more than keep your ride smooth. This critical automotive system is what helps you control your vehicle. You can easily lose control of your automobile if there is something wrong with the suspension. That’s the bad news. The good news is that Tri Valley Auto Repair & Diesel services and repairs all vehicle suspension types. Here are ways you can tell that your vehicle is experiencing suspension problems.
Drifting to the Right or Left
Pulling or drifting to the right or left when you are driving straight is the number one sign that your wheels are not properly aligned. Wheel alignment helps you control your automobile and ensures that your tire tread is flat on the road to boost the tires’ grips. Anytime you have to fight to go straight, there is a suspension problem because your suspension is designed to go straight unless you turn the steering wheel.
Extremely Bumpy Ride
The number one sign that your struts and shocks are worn is feeling every bump in the road as you drive over them. This can happen gradually over time, so you might not notice at first that your ride is getting bumpier and bumpier. You can test your shocks by pressing down on your vehicle’s trunk a few times to see if it stops bouncing right away. Test the struts by doing this on the hood.
Momentum Motion That Isn’t Controlled
Another sign that your shocks and struts are worn is momentum motion. This is the motion that your vehicle’s body makes when you accelerate, stop, and turn around corners. You should never feel this motion. If you do, you need new shocks and struts. When you accelerate your vehicle will tip backward, when you stop it will lurch forward, and when you turn a corner it will lean to that side.
Resting Low on One Corner
If you have a broken suspension spring, your vehicle will sit lower on that wheel. You may notice this if you’re heading to your car when it is parked in a parking lot. Your car should sit evenly on all four wheels. If it’s leaning to one wheel or to one side, you probably have a broken suspension spring or other suspension problem. You may also hear clunking noises when you go over bumps.
Steering Control Difficulties
Finally, as we said above, your vehicle’s suspension helps you control your automobile. As such, the steering system is part of the suspension. Problems with your steering can include difficulty turning your car or an inability to turn your car at all. This can be caused by worn parts in your steering system or low power steering fluid.
Tri Valley Auto Repair & Diesel is the best auto service shop in Limon, CO. If you suspect your vehicle has suspension problems, call us today to schedule an appointment.
