Suspension System
A car's suspension system is in place to maximise the comfort whilst driving your vehicle on the road. The system is in place to maximise the contact between the vehicle's wheels and the road surface. Suspension components including springs, dampers and anti-roll bars work together by absorbing the force or pressures exerted on the vehicle during driving and preventing forces taking the wheels away from the road surface.
Shock Absorbers
Traditional vehicles will have four shock absorbers that will absorb the forces exerted onto the vehicle chassis. They do this by compressing and then extending once or twice, ensuring that the wheels maintain their grip on the road. If the shock absorbers are defective, the tyres will not make adequate contact with the road, meaning that the brakes will be less effective and it will be harder to control the steering.
Driving on poor shock absorbers affects the following areas:
• The whole suspension system would wear prematurely compromising your safety.
• The greater the wear to your shock absorbers, the greater the car’s braking distance. At 30mph, worn shock absorbers add 2 metres to the braking distance.
• Tyre grip also affects how your car holds the road and the ability to steer out of trouble,
• If at night the shock absorbers make your car bounce up and down, this dazzles the drivers of oncoming vehicles and makes it harder for you to see properly to.
• Defective shock absorbers make the risk of losing control of your car skidding or aquaplaning a lot higher.
• Your car tyres are worn down more quickly, because the tyres come into more frequent contact with the road surface. The same goes for your brakes pads, because they are needed more often for you to brake properly.
You can tell that your shock absorbers are worn out if your car tends to pitch forward when you are driving, veers to the left or right for no apparent reason or leans to one side or if you notice any oil loss from the suspension.
Anti-Roll Bars
These bars connect each side of the car's suspension together. Their job is to provide greater stability and drivability of a vehicle, especially when driving around corners. The bars transfer weight and pressure from one wheel to the other when forces are applied to one side of the vehicle. The control it provides prevents vehicle sway.