November 21, 2021
If you've ever ridden down a rough road on your bicycle, you know how hard a ride it can be. Yet drive down the same road in your car, truck or SUV and it miraculously will smooth out the ride. That's because it is equipped with shock absorbers. They are built to dampen impacts from road irregularities. But after taking hundreds of hits from potholes, railroad tracks and curbs, your shock absorbers can wear out. Besides the rough ride that can cause, there are other ways your vehicle's performance can be affected.
When it comes to braking for example, you may take a longer distance to stop. That's because shocks help keep your tires in contact with the surface of the road. If the shocks aren't working properly, the tires won't make contact like they should. So when you slam on the brakes, your vehicle will take longer to stop.
Consider what worn out shocks are doing to your tires. Since the bumps aren't being dampened as much, your tires can bounce up and down more. That can produce a problem of uneven wear called cupping.
And when you start out from a stop, your vehicle may not have the traction it should since the shocks aren't keeping them down on the road as you accelerate. If you have front wheel drive, you may lose some steering control on acceleration. Obviously, many of these things involve safety concerns.
Pay attention to any deterioration in your vehicle's ride quality. If your vehicle is starting to bounce up and down and its ride feels bumpier than before, head on over to your vehicle service facility and get your suspension checked out. Do the same if steering response isn't as good as it used to be. Notice that your vehicle nose dives when you brake? Are your tires wearing in an unusual manner? All are signs that your shocks may be on their last legs.
If the last time you replaced your shocks was 50,000 miles/80,000 kilometers ago, a technician should evaluate them. Don't be "shocked" if it's time for new ones.
Tuffy Lorain
1400 Broadway
Lorain, Ohio 44052
440-245-2823
https://www.tuffylorain.com
December 15, 2024
If youve noticed your vehicle is hard to start, stalling, or has lost power, the culprit may be a part with an odd name: the MAF sensor. You may have never even heard of a MAF sensor, but its important that it be working correctly, or you may be experiencing some fairly significant engine issues... More
December 8, 2024
Lorain area residents may remember when the U.S. government's Cash for Clunkers program made a splash on the news scene. People were offered incentives to trade in old vehicles for new, in the interest of better and improved air quality from reduced emissions.But a lot of Lorain drivers want to h... More
December 1, 2024
Of the things you think about most, your tires are probably pretty far down the list. Thats understandable because todays tires are engineered to do their job without needing you to pay too much attention to them. But they DO wear out, and worn tires can contribute to skidding in bad weather, not... More