You don’t want to cause damage to your vehicle’s suspension nor do you want someone else to damage it. There are things you can avoid and things you can’t avoid that spell trouble for your automobile and the suspension underneath. Maintain your vehicle’s suspension to ensure all of its parts, and there are a lot of them, are always in like-new condition. Also, consider the things below and what you can do to prevent them from damaging your suspension, as well.
Accidents
The reason why automobile accidents are unavoidable is that someone is at fault. You can do the best you can to avoid them by driving defensively and carefully, but this doesn’t someone won’t hit you at some point. We hope that never happens, but even a fender-bender can damage the suspension. It depends on the accident type and how fast all vehicles involved were driving. It also depends on how your car, truck, or SUV was hit. It’s best to have your suspension inspected after an accident.
Road Bumps, Especially Speed Bumps
No road is perfectly smooth unless you get the chance to drive on it right after it’s been paved. Bumps can cause a lot of damage to your suspension because of how your tires, struts, and shocks react to them. When you drive over a bump, especially too fast, your tires compress and stretch in ways they shouldn’t and your struts and shocks take the brunt of the bump’s blow. Speed bumps are particularly troublesome because they’re designed to have a maximum speed limit of 5 miles-per-hour.
Potholes
Finally, potholes do much of the same thing to your suspension that bumps do. As you enter the pothole, your tires stretch and compress and the struts and shocks must absorb additional, unexpected movement. Your suspension receives a second jolt when your wheels exit the pothole. This all happens in a split-second, and if you hit the pothole fast enough, you can blow out a tire or blow a strut or shock. Approach the pothole slowly and don’t pick up speed until you’ve cleared it completely.
Sidewalks and Curbs
When you turn corners or parallel park, it’s important to avoid hitting the curb. This sends the wheel that hit it and that part of your suspension in the opposite direction. You should never drive over curbs, on sidewalks, or over parking space markers. If you accidentally do, bring your vehicle in for a suspension check. At a minimum, you may have knocked your wheels out of alignment, but you could also do some serious suspension damage, including busting a spring.
You don’t need to look any further than Willoughby Hills Auto Repair in Willoughby Hills, OH, for your automotive needs. We’re here for you.
