San Diego Car Service Saving Squirrels by Replacing Worn-Out Shocks
Last month shocks and struts brand, Monroe, announced its “Shocktober” promo in which customers can buy four shock absorbers for the price of three. Besides the having a great name for the promotion, old shocks and struts is nothing to smile about. A general rule of thumb is to replace your car’s shocks every 50,000 miles. Replacing shocks at a car service in San Diego doesn’t just save the life of an innocent squirrel, it can save your life as well.
Squirrels and other critters regularly dash across busy roads, and often meet their demise as road kill. In case you didn’t know, England has a road safety mascot named Tufty Fluffytail, while this isn’t as clever as “Shocktober”, Monroe’s shock replacement campaign to save squirrels—and lives—makes sense. What good will your brakes be if your car’s suspension is not performing properly?
Shocks save squirrels
Shock absorbers are essential to a car’s suspension, and are one of the components responsible in maintaining your tires positive contact with the road, instead of harshly bouncing the car over every bump. When you hit a bump in the road the springs compress to absorb the impact allowing your car to maintain control. Energy from the spring motion is transferred to the shock absorber (by the piston in the cylinder), which extends and compresses a gas to slow down the motion. Think of them as little trampolines breaking your fall. With good brakes and suspension, you may be saving a whole lot more than just squirrels.
Monroe’s Safety Triangle
Shocks form a part of Monroe’s trademark Safety Triangle, which is composed of the three S’s: steering, stopping, and stability. If you need to steer around a squirrel on the road, a San Diego mechanic will recommend that you ensure the quality of your shocks. If you need to hit the brakes and stop on a dime, fresh shocks will make your brakes count.
Experts say shocks that operate at half their total efficiency can add more than a meter to your braking distance. When on the road and in emergencies, every meter counts. The moment you hit the brakes, you want assurance that you will be able to stop as soon as possible. After all, in moments like these the difference between life and death is measured in meters not miles.
If you can’t pay attention to your odometer, be vigilant for signs of worn-out shocks. If your car takes a nosedive every time it comes to a stop, it may mean that your suspension needs work, or your shocks need replacing. Still can’t determine if you need new shocks and struts? Stop by any of our Evans Tire service centers and let us take a quick look. You won’t regret it.
