If you are feeling every bump in the road, it’s likely your suspension needs to be serviced. If the vibration is severe, you may have broken an axle. Tri Valley Auto Repair & Diesel advises that your vehicle’s suspension needs maintenance just like the rest of your car does. Here are signs that you have a problem going on with your vehicle’s suspension.
Bumpy Ride
A bumpy ride is a sign that the shocks and struts are worn out and need to be replaced. Your vehicle will either have a combination of shocks and struts, shocks only, or struts only, although shocks only is very rare with today’s automobiles. The shocks and struts are responsible for absorbing the bumpiness in the roads so you don’t feel it inside the passenger cabin. A bumpy ride suggests that they cannot do their job anymore.
Drifting
If your vehicle drifts to the right or left, your wheel alignment is off. You may be driving straight, but you find yourself constantly correcting your steering. Pulling to either side can be corrected by realigning the wheels. If your wheels haven’t been aligned in two years or your vehicle started drifting after you hit a curb or drive too fast over a bump or pothole, they are likely out of alignment.
Nose Dives
The struts and shocks also help prevent your vehicle from nosediving when you stop. They don’t allow it to lean backward when you start. They also keep it from tilting to the side when you turn corners. If you are feeling this momentum motion, you need to replace your shocks and struts. They have gone bad.
Oily Shocks
Oily shocks are definitely a sign that the shock absorbers need to be replaced. They are old and leaking their internal fluid. If you shine a flashlight on the shocks and they appear to be slick, or if you touch them and end up with oil on your fingers, they are leaking.
Sitting Low
A broken suspension spring will make your vehicle sit low on one wheel. You will also hear a clunk from that wheel whenever you drive over a bump or through a pothole. You will need to replace the suspension spring as soon as possible to avoid damaging your suspension further.
Uneven Tread Wear
Finally, uneven tire tread wear is a sign that your suspension needs to be serviced. Not only can misaligned and unbalanced wheels chew up your tires, but problems with the shocks and struts can also make the tire tread wear down unevenly.
Tri Valley Auto Repair & Diesel in Limon, CO, can help you help your suspension. Call us today for an appointment.
