You don't want ever to drive your car when it has a suspension problem. You're literally going to have a bumpy ride!
When suspensions become defective, some drivers shrug off the early warnings. They think, "It's just the suspension" or "It's no biggie." They assume suspension repair isn’t as important as other maintenance issues like oil changes or brakes. If you think along those lines, you’re misinformed!
A faulty suspension prevents you from having full control of your vehicle and affects your ability to stop or turn. That sounds like a “biggie” to me!
Is it the suspension repair cost that’s giving you a scare? If that’s what holds you back, then allow me to inform you about how important it is to promptly fix a bad suspension and how to determine if your vehicle is due for a suspension repair. Let's have it!
What Makes Up a Car Suspension System?
Your vehicle's suspension system is a critical but often neglected car part. Its primary task is to keep your vehicle’s tyres hugging the road. It dampens vibrations when you go over potholes, helps balance the vehicle when you navigate sharp road bends or curves, and makes your journey as smooth as possible.
Suspension systems generally consist of three main parts, namely:
- Springs - they absorb shock from the tyres.
- Dampers – these are dampening devices, e.g., shock absorbers and struts. Shock absorbers decrease the compression and rebound of the spring and suspension; struts support the vehicle's weight, provide structural support, and dampen the spring's movement as it reacts to the road surface.
- Sway bars – they keep your car from spinning.
You may also want to read our article on suspension parts that are prone to failing.
How Do You Know If Your Car Needs a Suspension Repair?
An experienced driver can tell if a car has suspension problems just by driving it or even without driving it! A car always gives you telltale signs that it needs a suspension repair, but not everyone listens to the signals.
Want to know how to detect a defective suspension? These five tips will help you do just that.
1. Do a Bounce Test
A simple bounce test is a highly effective way to diagnose suspension problems. Even mechanics use this. This is how you do it:
With the car in "park," press down on the front of the vehicle. Make sure to apply a considerable amount of pressure. "Bounce" it a few times, then release. Repeat the process on the rear of the vehicle. If the car continues to rock or bounces more than 2-3 times after you've released it, then the suspension is wearing out.
2. Rough Rides and Difficulty Navigating Bends
Riding in your car shouldn't feel like jumping on a spring bed. If you notice that your car oscillates or bounces continuously, especially after going over a speed bump or through a pothole, something is probably wrong with your suspensions. Also, when you feel the vehicle drift or pull when you’re turning, that’s a sign of suspension issues.
3. Funny Car Movements When Brake is Engaged
For worn-out shocks, you're likely to feel the vehicle body lurching nose-first forward and downward when you apply the brakes firmly. A bad suspension can make it difficult to stop your car.
4. Uneven Tyre Treads
Uneven wearing of tread on your tyres is often an indication that the car's weight isn't well balanced on the suspension, and therefore putting uneven amounts of pressure on the tyres.
5. Damaged Shocks
If your shocks look greasy or oily, there’s a good chance that they are leaking fluid and aren’t working properly. It’s time to get those shocks replaced.
Is a Suspension System Expensive to Fix?
Suspension repair costs vary depending on what needs to be replaced. Shock absorber replacement can start at $150 and go all the way up to $600+. Some luxury cars have electronically controlled shock absorbers, which can cost up to $1000+ to replace. Suspension bush replacement can start from $100 up to $350+, depending on the component location.
An easy way to determine the cost of repairing a suspension in your location would be to take quotes from two or more reputable technicians in your area. The average of the price quotes you receive will guide you in determining how much is fair to pay for your particular vehicle type and model.
Should I ask for a suspension inspection first before getting it repaired?
The cost of suspension repair will depend on your car’s make and model, the extent of damage on the suspension parts, the brand of parts used for the replacement, and the particular auto-mechanic you’re using.
As you would imagine, a luxury car owner is likely going to spend more on suspension repair since his car's replacement parts will be costlier. Keep in mind that when dealing with a suspension repair, the parts almost always need to be replaced in pairs. This is done to keep the alignment the same. And that kicks up repair costs some more.
To know what your suspension repair will cost exactly, you’ll need to drive it to a mechanic for a suspension inspection. It’s about the only way. The mechanic's inspection will involve:
- Checking for uneven tyres or wear on the treads.
- Checking for unbalanced tyres to determine if the frame is lopsided.
- Examining all the nuts and bolts for the needed tightness.
- Checking the level of the fluid that is necessary for steering.
- Checking for any ruined power steering belts.
- Checking for any wheel alignment issues.
- And examining the shocks to see how they are doing.
Until a mechanic does this detailed evaluation, he can't give you a near-accurate suspension repair cost estimate.
Wrap-up
No doubt, a fully-functional suspension system is more important when driving through rough terrains with potholes and whatnots. However, since no road is perfectly flat or straight, having a good suspension is also very important when driving through tarred roads. So whatever your driving conditions are, ensure you don’t drive with a bad suspension.
Find the Cheapest Quality Auto Parts
By the way, CarPartAU’s marketplace is where you go if you need a plug for low-cost replacement parts for your suspension repair. You may browse the ads for an extensive list of new and used spare parts. What's more, if you can't find the part you're looking for in the listing, you can fill out a request-a-part form and sit back as offers from Australia's leading part sellers troop in. Finding car parts doesn't get any easier!
For helpful car maintenance tips, visit our blog.
By Damilare Olasinde