When Should You Replace Your Shocks? 5 Noticeable Signs

Are you struggling to answer the question, “When should you replace your shocks?” If so, inspect your vehicle for any one of these five noticeable signs of potential damage or excessive wear.

The Mileage

The easiest way to tell that you might need to replace your shocks and struts is if your vehicle has reached about 50,000 miles of use. If you’ve never replaced the shocks or if your car’s mileage is already over this marker, you should bring it in for service. If you have a used car, you can look up the car’s history online to check its service record. This way, you can determine if someone has already replaced your shocks, when, and where.

Nose-Diving When Breaking

If you notice that your vehicle is nose-diving when you stop, this is a sign of worn-out or damaged suspension. When you slowly brake at a stop sign, your car shouldn’t submarine forward like you’re hard braking at 80 miles an hour. These nose-dives can be potentially dangerous because when the back of the chassis lifts, your back brakes get out of position and become less effective. This loss of braking ability could lead to your car losing almost 50 percent of its braking power, and you won’t be able to hard stop as effectively in an emergency. Following any shock services, you should also get your brakes checked.

Excessive Lean or Sway When Turning

When driving on an uneven surface, your car will lean and sway with the road; this is entirely normal. However, it should only swing back and forth once or twice from a bump. If you notice that your car rocks multiple times after running over a pothole or bump, you have suspension damage. Your shocks control the springs in your suspension, and when they aren’t working, the springs become erratic, which is what causes the sway.

Uneven or Premature Tire Wear

Uneven tire wear can signify a few different problems, but one of them is damaged shocks or struts. When the suspension is damaged, it can make the tires bounce on the road with the car’s rocking, causing uneven or premature tire wear. So, if you notice irregularities on your tread, this may mean that you need to improve your suspension along with installing new tires.

Dents or Cracks to the Shocks

The most obvious sign that you’ll need to replace your shocks is if you notice dents or cracks in them. Cracks could negatively be affecting the hydraulic fluid, causing it to leak or have improper pressure. Such damage will make your shocks ineffective at controlling the springs in your suspension, leading you to replace them. Now that you know the five noticeable signs of when you should replace your shocks, you also know the importance of proper servicing. When you need to service your vehicle, turn to Commercial Tire for all your vehicle needs.