5 Sure-Fire Signs You Need Shocks or Struts
Some people never replace their shocks or struts because they honestly don’t realize that they are worn out. How can you tell for certain? The following are 5 sure-fire signs.
Dipping Front End or Droopy Bottom
When you go over a speed bump or if you hit the brakes a bit harder than normal, does the front end of your car dip down like a curtsy before the queen? That’s a typical sign of worn out struts in the front.
Alternately, when you back out of a driveway and the rear wheel hits the dip at the curb, does the rear of the car bottom out? Does it scrape the pavement? These are signs the rear shocks have met the end of their useful life.
Leaks
If you get a flashlight, you can take a look at your shocks and struts. Do you see fluid (usually brown in color) leaking down onto the bottom part of the shock or strut? While you might have a leak elsewhere that is splashing on the shock, this has a different look to it. This fluid leak should come straight down and not have a splash of fluid on one side only.
Be careful about unscrupulous mechanics that squirt some oil around your shocks or struts then bring you over to show you the “leaking” part. Ask them to clean it off with a rag and drive home. If it is leaking, you will see it again within a few miles.
A Bouncy Ride
This is perhaps the most common of all signs, however, it’s easy to miss because most people become accustomed to how their car rides over time.
One way to check is to push or stand on the bumper and bounce up and down a few times, then hop off (be careful not to fall!). The car should bounce once more then stop. If it continues two or more times, it’s time for new shocks or new struts.
A Loss of Control
Another tell-tale sign is when you take a turn or hit a pothole you didn’t see. If you feel the vehicle sway or if it feels as if it just isn’t stable, chances are that the struts are bad.
An old-fashioned way to check for this is for you or someone else to drive the vehicle while you follow behind. When shocks and struts are very worn out, you can see the car bouncing along or swaying from side to side very easily.
Tire Wear and Vibrations
While a vibration felt in the steering wheel is sometimes due to unbalanced wheels, it can also mean worn out struts.
Your tires will also help to tell about the condition of your front struts. Tires that have what is called “cupping” (which look like round cup marks that are bald) frequently get this way from very worn out struts. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen as often with rear shocks, but if you have never changed your struts, chances are that the rear shocks are worn out as well.
