Much like a suspension bridge, no one wants to experience the failure of their vehicle’s suspension, as it is key to getting you from one point to another. Your suspension keeps you safely and stably on the road and is a very important part of your car, truck, or SUV. Keeping your suspension in good condition not only makes for a more comfortable ride, but it is important for you and your passengers’ safety and keeping the car in control. So, what are the different parts of a vehicle’s suspension? Let’s review.
What are the Different Parts of a Vehicle’s Suspension?
A vehicle’s suspension is the system of tires, tire air, springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between the two. Suspension systems support both road holding/handling and ride quality.
Your vehicle’s suspension is important because, a good suspension system helps to control spring and suspension movement, provides consistent handling and braking, prevents premature tire wear, helps to keep the tires in contact with the road, controls the vehicle’s bounce, roll and sway, reduces the wear on other vehicle components, promotes even and balanced tire and brake wear, and more.
Let’s look further into some of the different parts of a vehicle’s suspension.
- Springs: Springs help absorb the impact when you drive your vehicle over bumpy roads, potholes, or other irregular surfaces. These metal coils bend, so neither the driver nor passengers feel the force of the impact when driving over rough areas. The springs also have a function to help increase the wheels’ traction on the road. If the vehicle does not have springs, or there are issues with them, the car will not drive stably. There are different types of spring systems a vehicle may have and they all can impact the ride differently.
- Shock Absorbers or Struts: Without shock absorbers (also just called, “shocks”) or struts, both the vehicle and passengers would be bouncing up and down each time you drive over rough terrain. These essential components work with the springs to absorb the shock of driving on the road. Some vehicles have shock absorbers and others have with struts. A strut is similar to a shock absorber, as it provides support for the suspension as well as the coil springs.
- Tires: While you may not realize this, tires are one of the most important parts of your vehicle’s suspension system. The wheels and tires on your vehicle are the only part of the suspension that touches the ground. Not only are they responsible for moving your vehicle, but they also work in conjunction with the suspension system to give you a smooth ride.
- Rods: These components work together to link different parts of the suspension system together. Rods are metal links that connect all the different parts of the suspension system. There are different rods throughout your suspension system designed to connect all of the key components.
- Joints, Bearings, and Bushings: These parts allow certain components of the suspension system to make sliding actions. The various joints, bearings, and bushings connect the rods to the rest of the suspension components. These crucial elements allow for sliding and twisting actions that are necessary for the suspension system to work properly.
You likely aren’t looking to be an expert when it comes to your vehicle’s suspension; however, knowing the different parts of a vehicle’s suspension can help you stay aware of if your suspension system is having issues. If you start to notice your car riding funny, bouncing more than usual, having unstable steering, leaning in corners, making noises when you drive over bumps, or just in general not feeling right, there could be an issue with your suspension system.
At Advanced Transmissions & Emissions we are your Phoenix, AZ shop for suspension repairs. Advanced Transmissions & Emissions works on all types of vehicle suspensions for our customers. Our expertise allows us to locate the source of the problem to make only the needed repairs.
Sometimes, we can replace a single piece of the suspension and solve your issues. Often times, it is not that simple and may require multiple items to be replaced. Regardless, after we inspect your vehicle we will recommend replacing worn out or broken parts and let you know about any other issues we find. You can rely on us to recommend affordable solutions to fix your vehicle’s suspension issues.
Call today to schedule your vehicle’s suspension diagnostic examination at our Phoenix, AZ location.