Sign 4: Bouncing or wobbling when turning. You should check your vehicle ride height (see Part 2), and do a visual inspection of all steering and suspension components. This is a sign that the suspension is wearing out and further testing should be done. Often drivers go from a comfortable smooth ride, to feeling every bump and crack in the road. Sign 3: An increased awareness of bumps and cracks in the road. All ball joints should be checked at this point. This typically means you will need to replace the units involved. A full inspection of your shocks and struts should be done at this time to confirm they need replacement.Ĭreaking: If your vehicle sounds like rusted out hinge when going over bumps and cracks, your suspension ball joints are like at fault. This will allow the springs to potentially hit the chassis of your vehicle, or other components around it. If you hear these noises when going over a bump or crack, it is likely that the shock absorber has lost its strength. A full inspection of your steering components should be done at this point.Ĭlunk, thump, or knock: These types of noises are often when you worry about suspension. Since the steering and suspension are so closely related, check the steering gear, idler arm, and pitman arm. Squeaking or grunting noise: A grunt, faint thump, or squeak can all be a sign of failing steering components. This is one of the hardest noises to identify, as it could related to any part, and is dependent on engine vibration. Make sure the rattling you are hearing is coming from the suspension and is not engine noise. Rattling: Typically a sign that something on the suspension is loose or losing its structural ability. Here are some of the most common sounds made and what those noises typically represent: When you can hear the suspension struggling to support the vehicle, there is a good sign something has failed and needs to be replaced. You should also check for proper tire balance, check for any damages to the front end, proper wheel bearing function, and check for any damage to your axle. Check your tire pressure and make sure they are evenly inflated and to the correct PSI. When facing these types of symptoms, look to the tires and wheel hubs before assuming its the suspension. These symptoms are most often related to your tires and wheel assemblies. These symptoms can often feel like the vehicle is bouncing or swaying, and lead you to believe the suspension is going bad. This means forces not compensated for by the suspension can be transferred through the steering wheel and felt by the driver there. The steering wheel is connected to its linkage, which then ties into the suspension beyond the steering box. Sign 1: A gradual increase in shaking of the steering wheel. Part 1 of 2: Common signs something is wrong Although they do have commonalities that make diagnosis a little easier. Other words used to describe bounce are “shimmy,” “vibration,” and “shake.” As a quick reminder, there are many different design setups for suspension, and some of these tips may or may not apply to your vehicle. Struts and shock absorbers are typically the first to be blamed when it comes to a bouncy ride, when in fact the bounce can be from an out of round tire, damaged rim, or unbalanced tire, just to name a few.Īnother fact to keep in mind is that steering and suspension are very closely related, and can be misdiagnosed as one or the other. Here we give you some of the most common issues, and what can be done to resolve them. We will give you some better terminology for different issues, and attempt to give you a better understanding of suspension components. It's important to remember that the term “bouncy” is very broad, and can be used to describe a wide variety of symptoms. Unless intentionally powered by hydraulics, a bouncing vehicle while driving can be stressful and annoying.
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