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Tag Archives: alignment

Does my car have shocks or struts?

Does my car have shocks or struts?

Your vehicle may have shocks, struts, or a combination of the two! The overall function of shock absorbers and struts is the same; to keep the tire firmly planted while driving over varying conditions. A suspension system that is designed with shock absorbers can move and hold weight without the shock in place. On the other hand, a Strut Suspension system relies on the strut assembly to support the upper portion of the suspension. A key visual difference is that a strut will have a coil spring at the upper end to support the weight of the vehicle. Shock suspension systems also use springs to support weight although they are serviced separately from the shock. Speaking of springs, another suspension style more common in older vehicles and trucks is a leaf spring. A leaf spring is a long flat to a slightly curved section of spring steel. If you see leaf springs on your car the attached dampener is a shock absorber.  Struts are very common on the front suspension of late ... read more

Control Arm

What the heck is a Control Arm? You have your car in for a concern that it is pulling to the side when braking. You are informed that you need a new "Control Arm"! But what is that anyway? Control arms are an integral portion of independent suspension. These arms are generally made of iron or aluminum and a wishbone or triangle shape. Depending on the type of suspension system your car may have one or more control arms at each wheel. The metal arm has a combination of bushings and/or ball joints connecting to the adjacent suspension components. What goes wrong with a Control Arm? Outside of accident damage and rot the metal portion of the arm can last an extremely long amount of time. The failure on modern control arms is the joints and bushings that are attaching the arms to the suspension. In some cases we can save some expense by replacing just the end components. Your service advisor can direct you based on your particular situation and vehicle. The pulling describ ... read more