Have you ever heard the phrase, “put the rubber to the road”? When you boil it down, the only thing that keeps your vehicle connected to the road is the contact patch of your four tires. The more the tires stay in contact with the road, the more traction your vehicle has.
Every vehicle has a spring of some kind, coil, leaf, torsion, etc. The shock or strut (a type of shock) are really dampers, they control the rate the spring compresses or decompresses. When the damper wears, the spring is not controlled (we have all seen the vehicle with the wheel that keeps on hopping.) When a spring isn’t controlled properly, the tire contact patch isn’t consistent and you have a loss of traction. Shocks and struts make sure the rubber stays on the roads. They are crucial to both your safety and your engine life.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU REPLACE THEM?
According to Motorist Assurance Program Standards, your shocks should be replaced every 50,000 miles. Unfortunately, most people don’t know this and jeopardize their safety while putting unnecessary strain on their car. Many times shocks and struts do not show signs of being bad, just like that pair of shoes you wear, but when you replace them, OMG. To put that number in perspective, when you reach 50,000 miles your shocks will have cycled approximately 87,500,000 times. Who wouldn’t need a break after that? Speaking of taking a break, you should also know that worn front shocks and struts is the #1 cause of premature front brake wear.
Luckily, Etscorns has ASE-certified suspension experts to explain the importance of shocks and struts, detect any problems in your suspension and recommend the next steps if necessary.
Signs it may be time to replace your shocks & struts:
- Vehicle sways or leans on turns
- Excessive vehicle bouncing
- The bushings are broken or damaged
- Fluid leaks from the strut
- Vehicle “wallows” down the road (doesn’t feel crisp