When Should I Replace My Shocks And Struts?
Photo by Clint Patterson on Unsplash
The average person doesn’t know the answer to the question “When should I replace my shocks and struts?” In fact, a lot of people might not even know what they are - or where they are - but that’s OK.
We’ll take a few moments to go over where they are, what they do for your car, what kind of damage they can cause to your car, and when to replace them before they cause that damage.
The shocks and struts are an important part of your suspension and are located behind the wheel and the brake assembly. Their main purpose is to keep your vehicle from bouncing no matter what road conditions you’re driving on.
Now hopefully you know they won’t make a speed bump seem like it’s nonexistent, but for small rocks, potholes, and other road hazards, you should be able to comfortably glide over them if your shocks and struts are in good condition.
How Can You Tell When You Need to Replace Your Shocks and Struts?
There are a few really good indicators as to when your shocks and struts are going bad:
● The body of the vehicle sways or leans when you turn or change lanes at higher speeds.
● Your braking seems to be less effective than usual.
● Your vehicle bounces excessively when driving.
● Your steering wheel performance is stiff and or your steering response or slow or off.
● Tire wear is uneven.
These are all good indicators that your vehicle needs to have its shocks and struts replaced, or at least looked at by a professional. The rule of thumb is that all shocks and struts should be replaced every 50,000 to 100,000 miles.
The type of roads you drive on day to day is probably going to have more to do with when you need to have your shocks and struts replaced moreso than how many miles you have on your vehicle. Like with a lot of parts on vehicles, the less abuse they endure, the longer they will last.
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Don’t Wait Until Your Have Problems with Your Shocks and Struts
Since shocks and struts are bolted onto so many other parts of the suspension, the longer you go with damaged shocks and struts, the more likely they will start to damage other parts of the suspension.
When you have your brakes changed, have your shocks and struts checked as well. They should never have to be replaced as many times as your brakes, but this is a good way to stay updated on when you should start thinking about having them changed.
Visual Check for Shocks and Strut Warning Signs
You can also always do a visual check. Although shocks and strut problems can usually be better felt than seen, you can check for fluid leaks around the suspension area, rotted or corroded bushings, or other signs of noticeable wear and tear or damage.
Should You Try to Change Your Shocks and Struts Yourself?
How confident are you in your automotive repair abilities? These aren’t easy maintenance repairs. This isn’t like changing the oil or an air filter.
Not only can it be dangerous to replace these parts, but you could be in more danger if you replace the parts wrong. You could damage other parts of your vehicle, or you could end up broken down on the side of the road - or worse.
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Trusting Your Auto Technician
As noted above, this is not one of those projects you want your local backyard garage mechanic to take a swing at. That is, of course, you know for sure they know what they’re doing and they can do the job properly. If not, you might end up with more problems than you started with.
First, if you have a warranty on the vehicle, make sure whoever has to honor that warranty takes care of the repair. If that is not possible, then seek out a shop that uses ASE-certified auto technicians.
You may not get any type of warranty on your vehicle’s shocks and struts because they are parts that naturally rare out. But if something goes wrong right away, like a defective part or something wasn’t put together properly, most auto repair shops should fix the problem for you no questions asked.
When Should I Replace My Shocks and Struts?
Unfortunately, these aren’t one of those parts on your vehicle that when they need to be changed, a light on your dashboard will pop up giving you a warning. Even worse, there is no set mileage to when your shocks and struts will start to deteriorate.
Depending on how you drive and where you drive your vehicle, this answer could vary greatly. But if you haven’t had them checked by the 50,000-mile mark, then that’s a good time to have a professional look at them.
Also, keep track of when they are checked and have them checked about every 20,000 - 50,000 miles. If you take your vehicle to a brake specialist only, you can’t trust they can give you an accurate inspection of your shocks and struts. Make sure someone with experience looks at them every 20,000 - 50,000.
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Important Last Words
The best thing you can do is pay attention to the driving characteristics of your vehicle. If your vehicle bounces you around way too much on roads or nose dives, squats, or sways too much during normal driving, then you need to have your shocks and struts inspected, among other things.
It’s common to put car problems off just because they don’t seem like that big of a deal. But just like anything in life, problems usually don’t fix themselves or magically go away; they usually get worse as time goes on and cause you bigger problems down the line.
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