It is important to understand a vehicle’s undercarriage before you can understand the importance behind car suspension inspections. It is vital to catch a worn vehicle suspension before it’s too late. Not only is it a big safety precaution, it can lead to more complications and costly repairs. If it is not caught early on, the first signs of suspension issues starts with the tires. When tires are showing escalated signs of wear and tear, then it may be your suspension that needs the underlying repair, not just your tires! Also, strange and loud knocking or banging noises coming from underneath a car is another initial warning sign for a bad suspension.
Suspension and Alignment Inspections
If you are a frequent driver, then you are likely to experience quicker wear and tear on your vehicle’s suspension. This also means that your car or truck will need its alignment addressed at some point or another. Testing your alignment can be easy and done on your own, without the help of a licensed professional. Simple approach a stop sign very slowly, applying proper pressure to bring the vehicle to stop; and then right before you reach the stop sign, gently let go of the steering wheel and see which direction the vehicle steers. If it begins to veer off to the right or left, its alignment is off. The degree of which an alignment is offset can only be measured by a licensed mechanic that retains the proper equipment and diagnostic tools. It can also be noticeable that your vehicle’s alignment is off when you try to make a turn and the wheel fights back or feels heavy in one direction.
If you experience strange rattling noises coming from under your car, there could be a loose bolt in the undercarriage of the vehicle. This is another area that can only be corrected following a professional inspection. Sway bars links, bushings, shocks, struts, ball joints, bearings, and more are checked out in an alignment and suspension inspection. Any of these areas and components can become compromised simply by driving through construction zones, rumble strips, or on bad pavement. This can put excessive force and strain on your vehicle’s struts, shocks, and tires.
Additional indications of worn suspension or imbalanced alignment include excessive bouncing and swaying, leaky or cracked shocks, reduced braking time, uneven tire wear, and more. Have a licensed and trusted mechanic facilitate the proper industry inspections if your vehicle is experiencing any of these signs. Be sure to act fast before alignment and suspension problems become complex and costly repairs.