Maintaining your vehicle’s steering and suspension sounds like a wise practice—and it is, especially for Maine drivers. Mainers recognize that our extremes in weather make it essential to have complete control of our vehicles.
We’ve discussed the importance of vehicle maintenance in previous blogs. However, sometimes steering and suspension maintenance gets overlooked. Drivers know the importance of both systems but they may be unaware of their components and/or how to spot trouble signs.
What Does the Steering Do?
Steering systems contain several parts that help make for easier control of your vehicle. These parts include axial rods, tie rod ends, drag links, center arms, steering rack gaiter kits, tie rod assemblies, and wheel end bearings.
What Does the Suspension Do?
There are several parts that all contribute to stabilizing and controlling your vehicle. This system is made up of several key components including coil springs, shock absorbers, struts, control arms, and ball joints.
When your suspension works well, it provides a more comfortable ride and allows you to better control your vehicle, particularly through bumpy roads and around curves.
How to Spot Problems with Your Vehicle’s Steering Suspension
While it’s important to get routine maintenance on your vehicle, you may encounter warning signs that you need to bring your vehicle to your local mechanic.
Warning signs include:
- Difficulty turning the steering wheel
- Your vehicle pulls to one side
- Your steering wheel feels loose or has too much play
- You experience a less comfortable ride such as an increase in bumpiness
- You notice irregular wear on your tires
- You hear irregular noises such as clunking when you hit a bump in the road or vibrations coming from your steering wheel
- You hear noises when you turn the steering wheel
- A corner of your car sits lower to the ground
Routine Maintenance for Your Vehicle’s Steering and Suspension
Preventative maintenance is much more cost-efficient than letting things go until they break down. It doesn’t matter if you perform the maintenance yourself or leave it to a professional. The following preventative maintenance can help reduce or eliminate steering or suspension problems.
- Rotating your tires
- Lubing your vehicle’s chassis
- Front-end alignments
- Ball joint inspection
- Replacing shock absorbers
- Cleaning and repacking front-end bearings and replacing the seal
- Rear-end suspension inspections
- Checking your tire’s air pressure and tire wear
- Inspecting the steering linkage
- Checking the bellows on the rack-and-pinion system
If you’re in the Lewiston area, Berube’s Auto Care is here to answer any questions you have if you’re unsure of when to have your vehicle maintenance performed.
The Importance of Maintaining Your Vehicle’s Steering and Suspension
Whether it’s basic maintenance like putting on the proper wiper blades, motor vehicle tune-ups, or brake service, preventative service can save you money by avoiding costly bills. This applies to maintaining your vehicle’s steering and suspension systems.
If you find yourself in the Lewiston, Maine area, bring your vehicle to Berube’s Complete Auto Care for preventative maintenance or servicing of your vehicle. We can answer all your questions about your auto repair needs and provide you with quality service from our highly-trained team of technicians.