What the suspension and steering do
The suspension holds the tires on the road and the steering points them. Both are made of joints and rubber bushings that wear slowly, so the car gets worse a little at a time and you adapt without noticing.
The parts that wear are shocks and struts, control arms and their bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, sway bar links and wheel bearings. Some of these are comfort items. A ball joint or tie rod end is a safety item: if one separates, you lose control of that wheel.
Signs of worn suspension or steering
- Clunking or knocking over bumps
- The car bounces or floats after a bump
- Steering feels loose, or the car wanders in its lane
- Steering wheel is off-centre driving straight
- Tires wearing on one edge
- Humming that gets louder with speed
How we find the worn part
- 01
Road test
We drive it to hear and feel what you are describing.
- 02
On the hoist
Every joint is checked for play with the wheels unloaded, and shocks and struts are checked for leaks.
- 03
You see the worn part
We show you the play in the joint before quoting it.
- 04
Replace and recheck
Parts fitted and torqued with the suspension at ride height, then road tested again.
Suspension and steering questions
Is it safe to drive with a clunk in the front end?
It depends which part is making it. A sway bar link is an annoyance. A ball joint or tie rod end with play is not safe to leave. The only way to know is to check it on a hoist.
Do I need an alignment after suspension work?
After any part that sets the wheel angles, such as tie rods, control arms or struts, yes. Skipping it wears the new tires and can leave the steering wheel off-centre.
What is the humming noise that changes with speed?
Most often a wheel bearing. It usually gets louder as you go faster and changes pitch when you steer left or right on the highway.
How do I know my shocks are worn?
Oil on the outside of the shock, a nose that dives hard under braking, bouncing after bumps or cupped wear on the tires. Shocks fade slowly, so many drivers notice only after new ones go on.
Where to find us
GTS Auto Repair is at 133 Manville Rd, Unit 32, Scarborough, ON M1L 4J7. We look after drivers from Scarborough and east Toronto.
