Checking the condition of the suspension
When the driver feels the car wobbling after overcoming another pothole, and the suspension squeaks and knocks suspiciously, its condition should be checked at a workshop. They'll diagnose the suspension and determine why it's not working properly. However, there are a few simple ways to assess the overall condition of the suspension yourself before visiting a workshop.
Suspension Diagnostics
- Rubber covers and dust covers.
Inspect their condition at the beginning of the suspension diagnosis. If wear is detected, – replace worn components with new ones.
- Shock absorbers.
When the shock absorbers are in good working order, they work quietly to absorb body vibrations when travelling over uneven road surfaces. If, on the contrary, you hear a grinding noise, the vehicle sways and leaves a wet trail, the shock absorber struts need to be diagnosed, repaired or replaced.
- Springs.
Pay attention to body position. If you haven't done any tuning and the camber values are normal, a low body position indicates that the springs are worn. Cracked, deformed coils in the spring mechanism are also faults.
- The steering rack.
The breakdown of this steering unit is not frequent, but it happens and requires an immediate reaction in favour of repair at a car repair shop. You'll recognise a faulty rack by steering wheel play, skidding sideways while driving, knocking and grinding.
- Steering lugs and tie rods.
The presence or absence of play is determined by manually turning the front wheel left to right.
- The steering gear.
This suspension part can have two faults: backlash and difficult rotation, which can also be detected manually.
- Stabiliser rods and supports.
These suspension mechanisms are checked visually and by rocking the car by hand. If they are loose, they need to be repaired/replaced.
- Rubber-metal joints.
If on inspection you find rubber bulging, tears or abrasions on the outer face, the parts must be replaced.
- Hub bearings.
The condition of these bearings can be determined by two signs: wobbling or humming when the jacked-up wheel is cranked – a signal to replace the hubs.
- Pinion joints.
A malfunction of the CV joint will be indicated by a specific crunch when the car is cornering with slight acceleration.
We've looked at the main elements of the front suspension that can be detected by yourself.
Thorough diagnosis of your car's suspension is only possible with professional workshop equipment, so to avoid hidden breakdowns, trust the professionals to do the job.
