The Role of Car Suspension and How to Maintain It

Your car’s suspension system is an often-overlooked yet vital part of your vehicle’s operation. Car suspension is more than just about comfort and having a less bumpy ride. The suspension system contributes significantly to the overall safety and performance of the vehicle.

Discover more details about car suspension, why it’s essential, and suspension maintenance to make sure it performs as it should on Oviedo roads. This comprehensive guide from Greenway Dodge in %%di_city explains.

Understanding Your Car Suspension

Car suspension comprises a system of springs, shock absorbers, and linkages that connect your vehicle to its wheels. These parts allow relative motion between the two. The main goal of car suspension is to absorb the impact of bumps and potholes. It keeps the tires in contact with the road surface in Winter Springs and beyond. The suspension system also keeps your vehicle balanced and upright.

Types of car suspension systems vary, including dependent, independent, and semi-independent suspensions. Each kind of car suspension offers unique advantages in terms of handling, load capacity, and cost.

For example, independent suspensions allow for better handling and ride comfort because each wheel performs independently of the others. You’ll find independent suspensions on off-road vehicles. Dependent suspensions, commonly found in larger vehicles, are known for their durability and load-bearing capacity.

The Role of Car Suspension

Your car suspension performs crucial roles in your vehicle’s operation and safety. Firstly, it maintains consistent contact between the tires and the road surface, enhancing grip and handling while preventing the car from skidding or tipping over in less-than-ideal conditions. This tire-road contact is vital to maintaining control of your vehicle during a turn and when applying the brakes.

Secondly, car suspension absorbs shocks from bumps in the road, much like your shoes do when you walk, reducing the amount of road noise, vibration, and harshness passengers feel.

Thirdly, car suspension protects the vehicle and its components, like the chassis, from wear and tear, helping to prolong the vehicle’s lifespan. A suspension system can keep vibrations from damaging the engine, frame, or doors.

Car Suspension Maintenance Guide

Suspension maintenance is often overlooked. You probably focus more on tire rotations, oil changes, brakes, transmission service, and battery replacement. However, we inspect the car suspension system every year or every 12,000 miles, whichever comes first, as part of regular vehicle maintenance at our service center.

Regular suspension maintenance is vital for optimal performance. When we perform suspension maintenance on your vehicle near Lake Mary, we will inspect the system every 12,000 miles, add lubricant if needed, and recommend parts replacement if we see worn parts at some point.

Signs You Need Car Suspension Maintenance

Having your car suspension inspected by factory-trained technicians should be part of your regular car maintenance routine. We’ll check it once a year. But you can look out for the signs your car, truck, or SUV needs suspension maintenance in between check-ups.

• Uneven tire wear
• Shallow tread depth
• Leaking fluids
• Unusual noises like banging, scraping, grinding, or scratching when the vehicle is moving

Regular wheel alignment and tire rotation can also help maintain the condition of your suspension system. By rotating tires, they will wear evenly and lead to balanced handling and reduced stress on suspension components.

Consistent tread depth across all tires enhances traction, stability, and suspension performance. Proper tire maintenance helps minimize excessive strain on the suspension, prolonging its lifespan. Make sure you have proper tire inflation, too. The optimal air pressure in your tires will ease the strain on your car suspension because the rubber contacts the road in the right way.

Ultimately, these practices contribute to improved handling, comfort, and longevity of both tires and the suspension system.

Proactive Suspension Maintenance

One of the most effective strategies for keeping your car suspension in good shape is to be proactive about maintenance. This includes regularly checking the shock absorbers and struts for signs of physical damage, like dents, leaks, or corrosion.

If these parts are damaged, it’s best to replace them immediately, as they are crucial to your car’s stability and overall performance. Our service department is happy to help!

The condition of the springs, which support the vehicle’s weight and absorb shock, should also be monitored closely. Broken or worn-out springs can negatively affect your car’s handling and could cause potential damage to other parts of the suspension system.

Bushings, the rubber components that help cushion the car suspension parts, should also be checked and replaced to prevent excess noise or vibration. We can show you what these parts look like. If you want us to examine your car suspension, we’d be happy to!

Professional Suspension Maintenance

While any car owner can perform basic maintenance tasks, some car suspension components are best left to professionals. The complexity of the system and the expertise required to diagnose and fix problems mean that professional mechanics are best suited to handle any severe suspension issues.

Most importantly, professional mechanics have the tools and know-how to perform detailed inspections and repairs safely and efficiently.

Taking your vehicle to a trusted mechanic, like our factory-trained technicians, for regular inspections is a good practice to head off car suspension problems before they become major repairs.

As we stated, car suspension inspections should ideally be done once a year or every 12,000 miles. More frequent checks may be necessary for older vehicles or those regularly driven on rough roads and gravel roads, or if you love off-roading in your Jeep.

Spotting Car Suspension Trouble Early

One of the keys to maintaining your car suspension is identifying potential problems early. If your suspension system has a major breakdown, it can cause a much more expensive repair. Symptoms of car suspension problems can include:

• A rough or bumpy ride
• Drifting or pulling during turns
• Uneven tire wear
• The vehicle “nose diving” or dipping forward when the brakes are applied

If you notice any of these signs, it’s essential to have your vehicle checked out by a professional as soon as possible. The earlier a problem is detected, the easier and cheaper it typically is to fix. You do not want suspension maintenance to cause other problems like a broken axle, bent wheel rim, or a punctured engine.

Understanding and Responding to Suspension Wear

Every part of your car’s suspension system has a lifespan. Over time, through regular use, these components will inevitably wear down. Factors like your driving habits, the type of roads you frequent, and the weather can affect your wear rate.

When parts like shock absorbers, springs, and bushings wear down, they can’t perform their job effectively, leading to decreased performance, a less comfortable ride, and potentially a less safe vehicle.

Understanding that this wear is expected can help you respond appropriately. Regular maintenance is your first defense against wear, but ultimately, parts must be replaced.

When replacement becomes necessary, it’s vital to choose quality components. While saving money with cheaper parts may be tempting, this can lead to decreased performance and may cost more in the long run. Investing in quality parts ensures that your car’s suspension system can continue to perform its vital roles effectively, contributing to your vehicle’s longevity, safety, and comfort.

Contact Greenway Dodge for Suspension Maintenance

If you think it’s time for suspension maintenance, or you need your car suspension inspected, call 407-232-9289, or schedule service with our team. We’re happy to help in any way we can! Look over our service specials to see if you could save some money on your maintenance and repairs.