rear shock absorber

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Considering DIY Auto Maintenance? Start with your Suspension!

Your car’s suspension is the unsung hero of your entire driving experience. While it isn’t as directly important as the engine or the transmission, the suspension does so much of the dirty work. When most people think of their suspension systems, they associate it with a smooth and uneventful ride. They are at least partly right, however there are three different main functions of your vehicle’s suspension. 

The first function is to keep the ride smooth. And while they are designed to keep your ride comfortable, your suspension is also keeping you safe. Your comfort makes you a more rested and less distracted driver. That makes you, everyone who rides in your car, and everyone else on the road around you safer. Think about that the next time you consider your struts or a shock absorber. Car suspensions are passively keeping you safe by providing you with a comfortable ride, but they are also actively keeping you safe.

The other two potentially less glamorous functions of an automobile suspension have to do with control and safety. Of the two, the suspension’s role of taking the brunt of the punishment from the road is the most important. If you think about it this way, you’ll appreciate what each front and rear shock absorber is doing for you. Your suspension system is effectively your car’s first line of defense. The suspension absorbs all the energy and shock from things like potholes and other bumps in the road.

The shock and vibrations that are absorbed by the various joints and struts in your suspension could very well destroy your car. If you didn’t have a suspension, your vital operational parts would take much more wear and tear. Jarring blows to your engine, transmission and other systems could shorten the life of your vehicle or cause you to put out excessive amounts of money in repairs. This is why it’s so important to make sure each front and rear shock absorber is working properly. 

Lastly, your suspension plays a big part in the overall control of your car. Like all systems in an automobile, your suspension works together with all the others in the machine. The suspension system has a very tight relationship with your steering. Some engineers and mechanics even consider them parts of the same system. The fact is, if your suspension is messed up it’s going to affect the level of control you have over the whole unit. Your suspension allows for movement of the wheels, which is crucial to vehicle turning. Keeping your suspension up to date helps your car last longer and keeps you safer. 

While your shocks are part of a complex system, replacing them is actually easy. In fact, your suspension system is probably the safest of any of your car’s intricate systems for you to tinker with. If you have a decent knowledge of your vehicle and the right set of tools, you might want to try taking on the maintenance and repair of your suspension parts yourself. There are a few reasons why keeping tabs on your own suspension is a good idea.

First, no one knows your car better than you do. You don’t have to wait until something goes so wrong that it requires a trip to your mechanic. Preventative maintenance is much preferred to fixing something when it breaks. Routine checks of your various suspension components could save you a lot of trouble. Why not get ahead of a potential problem like a bad CV joint or a failing shock absorber? Car parts have never been easier to find and purchase online. If you see something is getting a little worn out, or the recommended time has passed for a replacement, order it from an online retailer and set aside a weekend to do the job right. 

Secondly, this approach will undoubtedly save you money. The price of auto related parts and service is always going to be expensive. It pays to try and save money where you can by avoiding costly trips to the auto mechanic. Of course, you shouldn’t take on everything that goes wrong with your ride. Stick to the problems that you know you can handle. Start small with manageable projects such as keeping tabs on your suspension system. If something goes wrong, there isn’t much risk of you doing something that will really hurt your vehicle. For anything that seems too daunting, make sure to call in a professional. 

Finally, the sense of accomplishment in doing these sorts of things yourself is a great confidence booster. Once you demonstrate to yourself that you are capable of replacing something like a strut or a front-end assembly, you might get addicted to DIY auto repair