Bad Car Struts

When struts fail they exhibit a wide range of common symptoms that are easily noticed and identified.

Bad car struts. While driving any vehicle hitting bumps and dips along the way is normal and are absorbed by several suspension components to produce a smooth ride. A bad car strut reduces a vehicle s suspension strength and function considerably. They control the side to side front to back and up and down shifts of the car s weight and maintain optimal tire contact with the road. Due to bad struts your car will shake and jolt.

But recognizing when it s time to replace shocks or struts isn t. Some car repairs can wait but others should be given immediate attention. Most drivers don t realize that driving with bad shocks or struts can actually increase your stopping distances especially on wet or slippery roads says jill trotta senior director at repairpal. If you experience such symptoms you should first have the alignment of your car checked.

Vibration is the enemy of car and its joints. Your tires will have a rough texture and you will start feeling that too while driving your car because the tires will be taking longer to brake and there will be more skidding as well. Another sign of a bad front strut is a floating front end. Even without a single bump on the road you will still experience an uncomfortable ride.

Shocks and struts in good condition help your car handle whatever comes at you on the road bumps debris sudden stops swerving potholes wind gusts or sharp turns. Driving with worn shocks or struts can result in more than just a bad ride there are safety implications to consider. So much of this shaking will cause wear down of joints and in return a very bad ride. Driving with bad suspension worn shocks or struts will not only give you a bad ride it can also be unsafe many drivers do not know that when they drive with bad shocks or struts they increase the stopping distance particularly when the roads are slippery or wet.

Shocks or struts are hard working parts. Car struts like shock absorbers support and stabilize a vehicle s frame and body. The struts keep the tires of the car under excessive tension and a bad strut will affect the tires as well and cause abnormal stability and tire wear. But once your car develops a bad or worn out strut the ride becomes less comfortable and all the bumpier.

Remember that the strut is an assemblage of several other components like the shocks the mounting the bushings and other parts. Bad struts cause your car s joints to break down. The strut assembly for a car truck or suv is a critical member for the suspension family that impacts the overall drivability of the vehicle. Furthermore struts that are well past their prime can cause issues that affect vehicle safety.

At high speeds this can cause problems not only for you but for others as well. Worn out struts can create issues such as a symphony of noises and a harsh ride that make your car extremely uncomfortable. With that in mind you might be wondering how you can tell if you have a bad strut.