The average driver doesn’t know a lot about their steering or suspension system, but that doesn’t make it any less important to maintain. Not keeping your shocks and struts operating properly might not hinder your day-to-day driving or create a noticeably different driving experience, but it could negatively impact you in an emergency situation. Part three of our three-part series on the safety triangle discusses what you need to know about maintaining your steering and suspension system.
How Do You Know If You Need New Shocks Or Struts?
This is a question we often get from customers and the answer is it’s difficult for you to tell as a driver. Your ride will slowly diminish over the years that you own your vehicle, and the subtle changes are hardly noticeable. In general, a five-year-old vehicle will lose roughly 20% of its handling during that time. This five-year mark is a good time to be aware of your suspension and steering system and get it evaluated to determine whether new shocks or struts are needed.
Why Worn Out Shocks And Struts Can Be Dangerous
Worn-out shocks and struts can result in longer stopping distances. Weak shocks can put excess load on the front of your vehicle whether you’re stopping slowly or have to make a panic stop. And this also keeps the vehicle from stopping the way it should. Worn out shocks and struts can also wear out other systems in your vehicle like the ABS, traction control, or the electronic stability system
Ensure Your Vehicle Works Properly When You Need It Most
One of the main things you want with your vehicle is to maximize the tire-to-road contact and minimize the weight transfer to the front of the vehicle during a panic stop. You might have to swerve to miss an object or an animal on the road unexpectedly, so you need your vehicle to be working properly to make that the safest situation possible.
DeBoer’s Auto is here to help ensure your vehicle is in the safest possible working order at all times. We hope you enjoyed our three-part series on the safety triangle and learned a few things from it. If you have any questions or are ready to schedule a vehicle maintenance appointment, contact us at any time.
