Drifting
If your suspension needs to be fixed, you may notice that when you’re trying to drive in a straight line that your vehicle actually pulls more on the right or left side and it may drift. You may believe that this is because of issues with your steering, tyres or even brakes and these are all possibilities.
That said, when you don’t have full control over your car, this is extremely dangerous. So, it is best to look at all the possibilities and eliminate each one until you find the true cause of the issue that has to be fixed.
Another reason why you may experience pulling to one side is if the wheels aren’t aligned. Remember that the wheels of your car typically go through a lot on a daily basis since they have to deal with potholes, bumps on the road, rough roads etc. So, if your vehicle is pulling to one side or drifting, then the chances are high that this is due to poor alignment. This can lead to further wear and tear on your tyres.
Once you’ve had your tyres and wheel checked and they are fine but you’re still having problems, then it may potentially be because of a broken control arm, tie rod, spring etc. If this is the case then it can potentially lead to even more serious issues than drifting and you will have even less control over the car and even lose control. At this point, you will have to do maintenance on your vehicle’s suspension. If you are looking for new springs for your car then I recommened seeing apex springs.
A vehicle sitting lower than usual
When your vehicle is parked and you realise that it is actually sitting a bit lower than it typically does, then this is an indicator that you may have a broken spring. When you drive the vehicle over a bump or turn and you hear a clunking noise, then this is another sign that you may have a broken or damaged suspension spring. Basically, it is unable to hold up the weight of your vehicle.
If you don’t fix this issue, then it will lead to more pressure being placed on your shock absorber which will experience even more wear and tear at a faster pace.
Next, when you press your brakes and you experience a hard jerking onto your dashboard, this is another sign. Basically, when you apply brakes, the weight of the vehicle is placed onto its front. When this happens, the struts and shocks are there to prevent the vehicle from nose-diving. However, if your struts are in need of repair or worn out, then you’ll notice a lot more intense jerks and nose-diving when you apply brakes. This is also noticeable when you accelerate the vehicle and you are pushed back into your seat. This is because the weight of your vehicle is moved to the back of your vehicle and this isn’t controlled.
Oily/Damaged shocks
This is a quick way that you can easily figure out if you have suspension problems. Simply look under the vehicle so that you can see your struts and shocks. If they appear to be oily or even greasy, then the chances are high that there is a leak. As a result of this, they won’ work as they should. It is essential that you take your vehicle to your mechanic for repair.
Bounce test
If you want to see if your suspension is going bad, you should do the bounce test. Basically, park our vehicle and stand in front of it. Lean on the hood so that all of your weight is placed on it and then push it a couple of times so that it can bounce. Then release and look at your car. If you see that it is bouncing about two or three times upon release, then this indicates that your suspension needs to be repaired as it is failing.
Make sure to also do this same test on the rear end of your vehicle.
