Ride & Handling

 

Ride and Handling System

The ride and handling system supports the vehicle’s weight, keeps the wheels in contact with the road and helps provide a comfortable ride for the passengers.

Service and Maintenance
Regular maintenance plays a major role in the way that your vehicle handles as well as how it steers in an emergency. In addition to a visual inspection and chassis lubrication with every oil change a thorough annual inspection of the suspension is recommended as well.

Regular maintenance also improves tire wear. A car with misaligned wheels and/or worn shocks can cause tires to wear out faster than normal. Consequently, the modest cost of a semiannual tire rotation and alignment check is a solid investment.

Tire pressure and vehicle ride height are two of the most neglected suspension-related items. Lack of attention to these areas can contribute to improper wheel alignment and unnecessary chassis parts wear.

If the ride height of a vehicle falls below the manufacturer’s specifications due to wear (or incorrect loading), the entire suspension system suffers. This in turn reduces your vehicle’s braking, steering and acceleration capabilities and increases tire wear.

Points of Interest

• Ball Joint
• Shock Absorber
• Stabilizer Bar Link
• Lower Control Arm
• Strut Mount/Bearing
• Coil Spring
• MacPherson Strut
• Strut Cushion
• Bushing

---

Ball Joint
The function of a ball joint is to pivot the wheel assembly, allowing the wheels to turn in the direction the vehicle is steered.

Common signs of wear are rough ride, play in steering, slow or stiff wheel return, or excessive tire wear on one side. Ball joints should be visibly inspected every 20,000 miles or according to your owner’s manual.

---

Shock Absorber
The function of a shock absorber is to minimize spring bounce and help keep the wheels in contact with the road.

Typical signs of wear include excessive ball joint play, leaking oil along the shock body, broken mounts or mounting, worn or missing bushings, excessive vehicle bounce, or cupped tire wear. The shock absorbers should be inspected every 30,000 miles or according to your owner’s manual.

---

Stabilizer Bar Link
The function of the stabilizer bar link is to reduce body lean and roll while cornering.

Signs of wear include excessive body lean when cornering.

---

Lower Control Arm
The lower control arm joins the wheel hub to the vehicle frame allowing for a full range of motion while maintaining proper suspension alignment.

Signs of wear include uneven tire wear, suspension noise or misalignment, steering wheel shimmy or vibration.

---

Strut Mount/Bearing
The function of the strut mount is that it improves strut assembly operation by increasing damping and restoring smooth steering. The strut mount bearing allows the strut to turn with the wheels when steering the vehicle.

Signs of wear include suspension noise, uneven tire wear and suspension steering misalignment. Strut mount bearing results in memory steer whereby the steering wheel does not easily return to the center position.

---

Coil Spring
The function of the coil spring is to support the weight of the vehicle and maintain vehicle ride height.

Common signs of wear include rough, unstable or uncontrollable ride (such as excessive bounce), and excessive tire wear on one side.

---

MacPherson Strut
The function of the MacPherson strut is to link the suspension to the chassis and allow the front wheels to turn side-to-side.

Common signs of wear include irregular tire wear, play in steering, wetness on shock body, broken mounting hardware, and worn bushings.

---

Strut Cushion
The strut cushion is a bellow that protects the shock absorber piston by sealing out dirt, moisture and other contaminants.

Common signs of wear include rips, tears or cracks in the cushion itself.

---

Bushing
The function of the bushing is to provide an isolated cushioned link between the control arms and the chassis.

The signs of wear include excessive steering play, hard steering, shimmy, noise, and irregular tire wear.