Tips about a car suspension system

Tips about a car suspension system

A good suspension system on a car enables a comfortable ride even on bad roads with lots of bumps. But what should you do if the suspension is defective or even broken? Here we will provide you with answers and information.

The suspension is part of the chassis and ensures that the wheels adapt to the irregularities of the road to guarantee an even grip. This way the driver, passengers, and vehicle load are protected from unpleasant vibrations and shocks. Without appropriate suspension, this could lead to serious damage to your health, especially to the spine. 

Suspensions for passenger cars are usually spiral or coil-shaped. They absorb kinetic energy and convert it into a reduced vibration. This happens when the spring bends and then moves back to its original position with the help of its spring force. This creates kinetic energy, which is converted into heat through compression and friction. The shock absorber helps with the conversion and shortens the time until the spring returns to its original position.

The most common causes of broken or defective suspension springs are poor road surfaces or driving over high kerbs at high speed. In particular, slightly older suspension springs, which have already experienced the effect of material fatigue, break quickly under such high loads. Frequently driving over high kerbs also puts considerable stress on the chassis springs. This is one of the main reasons why front right springs break most frequently. As soon as a crack develops in the suspension spring due to the high load, this can promote the formation of rust. If the material is weakened so much at some point, the spring may break while driving. This often results in an audible cracking sound or a jolt in the steering wheel. 

You are most likely to notice a broken suspension spring by “spongy” steering and rattling noises. Since the suspension springs are covered by the wheels, this usually makes it difficult to inspect them. The easiest way to check is, of course, on a lifting platform. Common signs of a broken spring are noises such as squeaking and creaking. If a suspension spring is broken, this does not pose an immediate danger. Continuing to drive is therefore quite possible, although the driving comfort is clearly impaired. 

Even if only one spring is broken, we suggest always having both springs replaced in pairs on one axle, as the spring effect changes in the long run, and the new and old springs would have different tensions. Therefore, a one-sided replacement would negatively affect the suspension characteristics and handling. Furthermore, the new springs should match the installed shock absorbers.