How To Troubleshoot a Faulty Suspension System

The suspension system performs to vital role in your truck. It will give you smooth driving over bumpy roads and helps in keeping the wheels of your truck on the road to facilitate proper handling and control. As the suspension performs its roles, it wears out with time, and a worn-out suspension interferes with the performance of your truck. Here is how to troubleshoot a faulty suspension system.

How To Troubleshoot a Faulty Suspension System

Shocks and Struts

The shocks and struts are two components of the suspension system which perform a similar role in limiting your suspension travel. They convert the spring movement into heat energy which the hydraulic fluid absorbs.

How to Troubleshoot Shocks and Struts

The following signs warn you that your shocks and struts are faulty.

  • Increase in the braking distance.
  • When the front part of your truck moves towards the ground when braking.
  • When your steering wheel is unstable.
  • Fluid leaks from the shocks.
  • Your truck starts to bounce a lot when in motion.

It would help if you replace your shocks and struts after covering 30,000 miles, but the frequency of replacing them depends on the nature of the road you regularly drive on. 

Wheels and Wheel Bearings

The wheel bearings are in the wheel hub, and they take the entire weight of your truck and reduce friction, which allows the wheel to turn freely in its axle. 

How To Troubleshoot Wheels and Wheel Bearings

Failing wheel bearings produce noise which changes as your truck speeds. The noise’s persistence indicates that the bearing is not functioning correctly. An average wheel bearing lifespan is 10,000 miles, but some cash serves 150,000 miles. Proper greasing increases the lifespan of your bearings. Consider checking and greasing your bearings after clocking 30,000 miles. 

Worn-out wheel bearings cause uneven tire wear. Perform a regular check on the tread depth of your tires and consider changing them as soon as they reach the unsafe limit.

Coil Springs

Coil springs have several configurations to absorb road shock and restore energy.

How To Troubleshoot Coil Springs

If your springs start to sag or handle poorly, consider replacing them. When fixing new coil springs, you should also replace the shocks. 

When working on the coil springs, be cautious because they can cause damage when suddenly unleashed. 

The Tie Rod Ends And Ball Joints

The tie rod ends are the last area where the steering linkage and wheels connect. The ball joint makes it easy for the suspension to move up and downward. 

Troubleshooting Tie Rod Ends and Ball Joints

When your tie rod ends and ball joints are old, you will have an erratic steering and a clunking sound when driving on rough surfaces. If you feel these signs, consider replacing the tie rod ends and ball joints.

Conclusion

The suspension system has various parts which wear out independently. It is not easy to troubleshoot the system as a whole. You need to know the multiple aspects of this system and the signs they show when faulty. Knowing such signs will help to troubleshoot them separately. 

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