STEERING AND SUSPENSION REPAIRS & SERVICING
IS YOUR STEERING A LITTLE LOOSE OR DOES YOUR CAR ROLL LIKE A BOAT ON THE HIGH SEAS?
It is important to keep your steering and suspension in good working order for obvious reasons. If you notice that your steering is a little loose, or you turn the wheel a small amount and the wheels don’t turn then you may have some issues, which could be anything from worn bushes, to power steering or electric assisted steering issues. Make sure you check your power steering fluid regularly as fluid loss is a sign of leaking hoses or pump seals.
Your struts and shock absorbers are the most important parts when it comes to stability and play an important part in steering and stopping your car. Any defects will cause your vehicle to sag which will make it more difficult to control and your wheel alignment may need adjusting to compensate. In any case it is always best to have your vehicle maintained in top condition to reduce wear and tear on all systems and have the vehicle perform at its peak safety specification. Please note that a single worn shock absorber can add up to 2m to your stopping distance at only 50km/h!
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR VEHICLE NEEDS IT’S SUSPENSION & STEERING LOOKED AT?
- Fluid leaking from hoses, power steering pump or shock absorbers
This means there’s a leak which needs looking at. The pressure in the system may be affected and performance will not be optimal. Shocks will tend to be spongy and steering may be heavier than usual.
- The steering feels loose or unresponsive
This could be from a number of things, although the most likely culprit is going to be worn joints and bushes. If there isn’t any play in the joints etc, then the issue could be the steering box or linkages from the steering wheel.
- The car feels like it is floating on the road, swaying like a boat or continues to bounce after a bump
If your car continues to bounce then you have an issue with your shock absorbers. They will either need regassing, an overhaul or replacement depending on what type you have.
- The vehicle nose dives when the brakes are applied
The reason your car nose dives is that the shocks are either wearing out or in need of repair. They cannot handle the weight change in the vehicle when the brakes are applied. It may also be a good idea to check your front springs as well.
- Your tyres are wearing quickly & unevenly
Getting a wheel alignment is the first step here. The uneven wear is from either a camber or steering alignment issue which will become apparent when you get an alignment. Usually this is due to worn, bent or misaligned steering components, most likely struts, control arms or even ball joints.
- The steering rattles or knocks when you hit a bump
The noise is coming from a system that under ideal condition is solid without any loose movement. So a clunk, rattle or knock is telling you that something that shouldn’t be moving…is. The most likely areas are going to be worn bushes and joints and perhaps struts or a loose spring.
OUR THOROUGH STEERING AND SUSPENSION CHECK
- A full steering check
Whether you have power steering, electric assisted steering or good old fashioned linkage only steering we will check it thoroughly and look for any leaks, rattles and looseness or play. We start at the steering wheel and systematically work our way down to the wheels, covering hoses, fluid reservoirs, worm drive, tie rods and ball joints.
- Suspension components
Your shocks, struts, springs, torsion bars and control arms are all very important components. We check them all for wear and tear, stress, damage and leakage, ensuring that your vehicle maintains it’s peak performance.
- Joints & bushes
Joints need to maintain their integrity and as such require plenty of the right kind of grease. We check and replenish all your greaseable joints and replace any worn bushes with high quality Super Pro polyurethane bushes which are cheaper and quite often last much longer than the OEM standard ones.
- Upgrades
If we notice any excessive wear we will make a note of it and ascertain why the components are under so much stress. This may involve a discussion with you as to what kind of use your car normally undergoes. If the apparent wear is not from a defective part we may suggest an upgrade to the component/s to ensure greater longevity and performance in the future. We are also able to discuss and implement any upgrades to your suspension you may wish for your own performance preferences.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Costs for suspension repairs can be relatively inexpensive if caught in time. However replacing a full set of shocks can be costly and the effect of worn shocks on other components can become quite expensive, especially if you leave it until things are well past their replacement period. However, the earlier you check and keep on top of them the cheaper they are in the long run. Suspension and steering checks are included with every service, but replacement of worn parts etc are not. Our pricing is simply our hourly rate plus parts. We will give you a quote before we start any work so you know your costs up front.
