Shocks reduce and slow down the magnitude of vibrations. The kinetic energy changes into heat removed through the hydraulic fluid in the shocks. Shock absorbers on your car minimize the vibrational energy that reaches your vehicle and its occupants. Both leaf and coil springs also generate oscillations and other movements that need dampening.
Your car manufacturer installs shock absorbers in excellent condition, but you need to perform regular maintenance. Your maintenance can be predictive based on vehicle usage or regular schedules. You may also have your technician inspect shocks and struts during standard vehicle service. Here are three reasons to maintain functional shock absorbers.
Improve Handling
If you buy a car, you likely prioritize issues such as engine power, trunk space, durability, or the availability of spare parts in your locale. However, you do not need an expensive, fast car that is difficult to control. Manufacturers design the suspension system to ensure that you can control the vehicle. Proper handling ensures that the car is stable and safe, even when driving at high speeds on rough roads.
The concept of handling implies that your car has enough friction between its tires and the road. Another definition of your vehicle’s handling is the ease with which a driver can steer it safely without impeding the comfort of passengers. Your shocks are a huge part of the handling process, ensuring that the car appropriately reacts to the driver’s inputs.
Shocks must be functional to ensure your car handles properly. For example, the shocks handle the vertical acceleration of your wheels after hitting a bump. They also allow your wheel to follow the ridge instead of floating mid-air. By maintaining the contact between wheels and the pavement, shocks ensure that you can control the vehicle even in rough places.
Extend Longevity
All machines that experience vibration from the outside or inside require vibration dumping. Vibration dumping expels the dangerous energy and preserves the machine’s structure. Vehicles experience a lot of vibrations, especially when cruising on uneven surfaces. During loading, the car also experiences vibrations, especially when putting heavy loads in the tub or trunk.
Your car’s chassis already carries the vehicle’s weight. Such loaded beams near their yield stress when subjected to constant vibrations. For example, driving on uneven roads for a long time might bend or break the chassis. Shocks are thereby your sacrificial parts, shielding the expensive and challenging-to-replace chassis from dangerous vibrations.
The car’s chassis, mounting brackets, engine, and other parts can last longer if the shocks dampen vibrations. Your vehicle also maintains its value when shielding valuable components from vibrations that cause wear and tear. Therefore, replacing worn-out shock absorbers can help extend the useful life of your car.
Ensure Safety
Functional shocks ensure that your car is safe to drive in various ways. For example, the shocks prevent uneven tire wear. Tires with unevenly worn treads have a minimal grip on the road, and the vehicle may be difficult to control. Shocks ensure that the tires touch the ground and wear out at the same rate.
Another crucial role of shocks is ensuring the safety of passengers. Dangerous vibrations cause fatigue in drivers, discomfort, and other health impacts. Promptly replacing your shocks can prevent these health problems and ensure that you enjoy driving your car.
Replace the shocks and struts when you experience instability at high speeds, uneven tire wear, unnecessary bouncing of tires, leakage on the shock absorbers, or excessive diving of your car’s front when braking.
At Evans Tire & Service Centers, we diagnose, repair, and replace shocks and other suspension components. Contact our team today for suspension upgrades and replacements at a reasonable price.
