Suspension systems function effectively for many years and tens of thousands of miles. Eventually, however, sedan suspension components do wear out, but how long that takes depends a lot on how you drive around Ankeny and Johnston.
As you can imagine, if most of your driving is on smooth Iowa highways, your shock absorbers will last a lot longer than if you do most of your driving on bumpy Ankeny roads or haul heavy loads. In addition to just wearing out, sedan suspension components can be damaged in an accident or by a hard impact – like a pothole, hitting a curb or a rock in the road. Because the life span of shocks can vary so widely, sedan manufacturers recommend periodic inspections.
During an inspection at All Pro Servicenter, your honest automotive service technician will check for worn, broken, or missing parts.
Here’s a quick rundown of suspension system components:
First, there are the springs that hold the weight of your sedan. There are several varieties of springs. Springs are obviously heavy duty parts that rarely break or wear out. Shock absorbers work in conjunction with springs to smooth out the ride and help keep the tires on the road. Good shocks are essential for handling performance and ride comfort.
You’ve probably heard of struts. They combine a shock absorber and a coil spring in one unit. Shocks and struts will wear out over time. If your tires develop a cupped wear pattern, your shocks or struts may be wearing out. This is from the shocks bouncing unevenly. You may notice a floaty or drifting sensation when cornering. If the front of your sedan dives excessively when stopping, or rocks back and forth after you’ve stopped, your shocks may be worn out. And if they are leaking fluid, it’s definitely time to replace them at All Pro Servicenter.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, visit All Pro Servicenter for a suspension inspection. Same if you’ve been in an accident that involved one of your wheels. If your sedan suspension actually fails, it could lead to a serious accident, so don’t put it off.
When you replace your shocks, it’s usually a good idea to replace all four at the same time. That’ll give you more even handling. Talk with your All Pro Servicenter technician because you don’t want a big difference between the performance of your shocks from wheel to wheel, and replacing all may be the safest bet.
There are different grades of shocks and struts. You always want to use a replacement shock or strut that equals the one that came as original equipment when your sedan was new. But remember, they were designed to meet the expected needs of the broad range of Johnston people who buy that particular vehicle. Your needs may be more specialized.
For example, if you want increased handling performance, your honest All Pro Servicenter advisor can recommend an upgraded shock or strut specially designed for improved handling. If you haul heavy loads or trailers, we can recommend some heavy-duty shock absorbers.
