Today’s vehicles offer significantly more comfort on all types of road surfaces thanks to modern suspension systems. The core components in your system are the shocks and struts of your vehicle. These are located above each wheel – generally, struts are found in the front and shocks are found in the rear, although the names are largely interchangeable these days.
What Do They Do?
Both shocks and struts serve the same purpose. They are designed to cushion the vehicle during travel by dampening up and down motion. Your shocks are made with two pieces fitted inside a single body. There is a fluid chamber and a piston – as the vehicle travels up and down (hitting bumps in the road for instance), the piston moves with the car, slowing and cushioning the motion. Without struts and shocks, your car would slam down every time you hit a bump, and your ride would be incredibly uncomfortable.
Replacing Shocks and Struts
While they’re designed to take a beating, shocks and struts do wear out eventually. The most common sign of impending failure is fluid leaking around the sides of the strut/shock from under the dust cover. When this happens, it’s important to have a professional Weston, Florida, mechanic replace it quickly. Not replacing a blown shock or strut can lead to further damage to your vehicle.
There’s really no timeline on when you’ll need to replace your shocks and struts – many drivers never have to do so. However, premature failure is still a possibility. It’s highly recommended that you have your basic maintenance done at a service shop in Weston that checks your shocks and struts during each service interval. This ensures that you know as soon as possible when your struts or shocks begin leaking, and eliminates some painful surprises down the road.