In this episode, John discusses the importance of your suspension system in stopping your vehicle. The impact on stopping distances with worn suspension parts. Profound effects of worn out shocks and struts.

Shock absorbers and struts influence the control and handling characteristics of your vehicle. They work together with your springs to dampen the bouncing motion of the vehicle as affected by road conditions. The energy is absorbed as a piston inside the shock pushes against hydraulic fluid. This restricts the rebounding movement of the springs. Your shock absorbers or struts should be replaced every 50,000 miles or immediately if a fluid leak is detected. Driving with old or faulty shocks will lead to premature and uneven tire wear, plus increased wear to other suspension components. This reduces the vehicle’s handling ability and can cause it to become unstable, possibly causing an accident. Replacing shocks and struts on a regular basis and immediately upon indication of a leak will prevent premature tire wear and reduce wear on other vehicle systems. From a safety standpoint, since shocks and struts control vehicle handling, your ride quality will be greatly affected, as well as your stopping distance greatly increased. This could result in an uncomfortable ride and could possibly endanger your life and those of others.

Shock absorbers and struts last a long time and wear out pretty slowly for most vehicles in the New England area. They’re easy to take for granted, but your shocks and struts do a very important job so you need to pay attention to them. They keep your tires on the road; and your tires are what connect your vehicle to the road and allow you to safely handle your car through turns, over bumps and even stop in time.

When your shocks and struts are worn, your tires bounce excessively over bumps in our New England roads. Your vehicle will wallow through corners; your front-end will dive when you stop; and your rear-end will squat when you accelerate. All this hurts your ability to control your vehicle. And your ride just isn’t as comfortable.

Worn shocks or struts cause excessive tire wear so you’ll have to replace your tires sooner than you should. Worn shocks and struts also stresses other suspension and steering parts causing them to wear prematurely. Struts are actually a major structural component of the suspension system; there’s a lot riding on them.

Replacing worn shocks and struts saves money in the long run for our local Wolfeboro drivers – and of course you can’t really put a price on your safety and that of your passengers. We generally recommend replacing shocks and struts at 50,000 miles.

When it’s time for new shocks or struts, Auto Care Plus has got you covered in New England with 7 locations and counting. We can give you back the ride and handling of a new vehicle. And if you have special needs we can help you there too. We have premium shocks and struts that’ll improve your performance. We can even help you with upgraded, heavy-duty shocks that’ll give you the confidence you need to handle those big towing or hauling jobs.

Experts recommend replacing all four shocks at the same time so that handling is even at each wheel.

If you need new shocks or struts, let us help you take care of this important safety service. You’ll feel better, and you’ll save money on tires and other suspension repairs down the road. Schedule service now!