 Noises: Squeeks, Rattles And Crunches
Posted by carsandtrucks on Wednesday, February 20 @ 06:25:43 PST
Whether or not you maintain road control of your car or truck may come down to the components that make up your vehicle’s suspension. When you hear a squeak, rattle or crunching noise when driving, don’t dismiss it as just an annoying sound. Those noises may mean your suspension is in need of some repair service. There really isn’t any preventative maintenance that can be performed to your springs, struts, or shocks, so it is important that you have these things checked regularly. The springs, whether leaf or coil, are the backbone that maintains your vehicle over the wheels. The springs also
soften the blow when you hit bumps in the road. The life of a spring varies with geographical location, road conditions, and loads that you place on your car or truck. If you live in an area where salt is used routinely to battle snow and ice you may find you need springs more often then someone living in Arizona. The shock absorbers on your car or truck are the component that keeps your tires in touch with the surface of the road. Shocks work by absorbing energy through hydraulic fluid sealed inside the cylinder that makes up the shock. If you see fluid leaking from the shock that is a good indication it is time to replace them. In states where motor vehicle safety inspections are mandatory, a leaking shock will keep the vehicle from passing inspection. Another way to test your shocks is to place your knee on the bumper of your vehicle at the corners and push down with your weight. When you remove your weight your vehicle should rise up and stop moving. If it bounces like a ball, you have bad shocks. The life span of a shock varies with the driving demands you put on them. Shocks are essential to your safety, so don’t ignore the need to replace them. A strut is a combination of shocks and struts in one. Struts need the same attention as your shocks. Struts tend to be more expensive than shocks but, generally speaking, they last longer so there is a trade off. These are just three of the components that make up your car or trucks suspension. As I stated earlier there isn’t any maintenance you can do to extend the life of these components, so pay attention to the noises. If you hear that squeak, rattle or crunching noise it just might be your suspension telling you it needs some attention.
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