Unless you’ve done modifications to your vehicle, it shouldn’t be bouncing when you’re driving down the road. If you’re noticing a lack of control in steering or turning, or a bouncing sensation when driving, that’s a sign that your vehicle’s shocks and struts have worn down.
Every car has either shocks, struts or a combination of both. There are springs inside each car, which bear its weight, but on their own, springs wouldn’t provide the stability you need. Your car may have shock absorbers, which like the name implies, work together with the springs to absorb the bouncing your car does while driving, to provide you with more control and protect the vehicle’s suspension system. If your car doesn’t have shocks they have struts, which are actually a more compact system that combines the shocks and springs all together in their assembly.
Replacing the shocks and struts on a vehicle is often an afterthought for many people, because they wear down slowly, and it’s also difficult to determine the amount of wear on them in some cases. But there are some signs that the shocks and struts need replacing, like the bouncing, cupping wear on your tires, or even leaking fluid. And even if there isn’t an obvious problem with your shocks and struts, they are recommended for maintenance and replacement by your vehicle’s manufacturer. Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire stands by the manufacturer recommendations on replacing shocks and struts, and we’ll recommend them if your vehicle is over 50,000 miles.
If it is time to replace your shocks and struts, you don’t have to replace them all at once, but we recommend doing so. Having shocks and struts that have the same level of wear is important, because it ensures you have balanced control when you drive, and that your suspension system is also balanced. If only one of the shocks and struts has gone bad, and you only replace that one, you still may some drivability issues and bouncing, because your shocks and struts will be at different levels of wear.
One important thing to keep in mind is that if our technicians replace your shocks and struts, you’re going to need a wheel alignment too. In order to mount and replace the shocks and struts, we’ll need to remove the tires. By removing the tires and changing the suspension in your car, when swapping the shocks and struts, this will throw your car out of alignment. By getting your shocks and struts and a wheel alignment in one service appointment, we’ll be able to ensure that you’re getting a safe and smooth ride.