Do You Need Suspension Repair?
All across the country today, everyone is complaining about road conditions needing attention by cities, counties, and states. And the Hopewell, New Jersey area isn’t any different. And if you ask mechanic shops around the area, you’ll find that there has been an increase in suspension repair jobs.
What is considered a car’s suspension?
A car’s suspension system consists primarily of these components:
- Tires and Wheels
- Springs
- Shock absorbers
The wheels are connected by linkages to the vehicle that lets the wheels have motion. The suspension system supports road handling and holding along with the ride quality.
Without the suspension team, these components would be fighting each other. This is exactly what happens when the components break or are worn out, leading to suspension repairs, which brings up our next question:
How do the roadways damage a car’s suspension?
The most common problem that leads to suspension repair is potholes. When a car is driven through a pothole, it rocks the suspension system, causing premature wear and tear to the components.
How do you know your car needs suspension repairs?
If you’re noticing any of the following, it may be easy to blame rough roads, and it may well be the cause of the bad road conditions in and around Hopewell, New Jersey. However, when most cars reach 50,000 miles, the suspension starts wearing out and deteriorating. When you consider the condition of the roadways, it is possible your car needs suspension repair.
Four indications that you should have your car’s suspension system inspected include:
- Squeaking When Going Over Bumps
If you’ve noticed loud squeaking noises every time you drive over a speed bump, or go through dips or potholes, the shock absorbers or struts are worn out. The longer you drive without getting suspension repair done, it will become harder to control your car on the roadways.
- Feeling Every Bump
When you can feel every bump as you drive down the road, this is a typical indicator that your car needs suspension repair or even replacement parts. A continuous bumpy, rough ride on smooth roads is never a good sign, and with a poor suspension system, driving over bumps and through potholes or other small furrows can make driving difficult to navigate.
- Weight Distribution Uneven
When a car’s suspension system isn’t making any squeaky sounds, but your car seems to be leaning to one side, in most cases, this is broken springs on the leaning side, thus needing suspension repairs. This can make turning cornering difficult, not to mention the ride becomes uncomfortable.
- Steering Difficulty
Another indication that your car needs suspension repair is when the steering has become difficult, especially at a low speed. Steering difficulty happens with the suspension system is lagging. The suspension repair may be nothing more than greasing the front end or replacing some parts.
How much does suspension repair cost?
The average cost for suspension repair can be under $100 and as much as $5,000. It will depend on the year, make, and model of the car, what the problem is, and if there are components that need replacing or simply greasing the front end.
Is suspension easy to fix?
Some suspension repairs are easy, while others are more complex and require specialized tools to complete the repair. And the complexity or simplicity of the suspension repairs will have an impact on the cost.
Can you drive with suspension damage?
You can, but it isn’t recommended. Driving when your car needs suspension repair can be difficult and dangerous for you, your passengers, and others on the road around you. For example, hitting a pothole when the suspension needs repair can ‘toss’ your car to the side, slamming you into another car or off the road. While you won’t necessarily need to quit driving your car, you should schedule an appointment sooner rather than later for a suspension repair service.
When your car needs suspension repairs, it can be a minor issue that will have a minimal cost. Or it may be a major problem that can be expensive. Whether or not it is worthwhile for you should include not just the safety issues, but the value of your car as well.
Will automotive insurance cover suspension repairs?
If it is normal wear and tear, no, the suspension repairs are not covered by insurance. If you can get a statement that provides exactly that the roadways may have caused the problem, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit, but this usually proves to be a hard case to win. If your suspension is damaged during an accident, it should be covered by auto insurance.
In Closing
If you don’t have a mechanic that you’re familiar with and can trust, before you have any suspension repairs done, you may get two or three inspections and estimates. You can check with family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors about who they use for mechanical work. Sometimes word-of-mouth is the best advertising. Please give us a call at 609-737-7226 for suspension repair in Hopewell and Pennington, NJ!