You might think that you cannot ruin your vehicle’s suspension but you can. Certain driving habits can damage the suspension over time or immediately. Obviously, you cannot help it if you run over unavoidable road debris, but you can give your suspension a break in other ways. Stringer Auto Repair, LLC, suggests you avoid the following five things to keep your vehicle’s suspension happy and healthy.
Don’t Slam the Brakes
Unless it’s absolutely necessary, do not slam on your brakes constantly. This locks your wheels or engages the anti-lock braking system when it isn’t needed. If you tend to tailgate with your foot resting on the brake pedal, rethink your driving habits. This not only endangers you and angers the driver you’re tailgating; it also damages your vehicle’s suspension over time.
Speed Bumps Aren’t Entertainment
Speed bumps are not for you to fly over while the kids squeal gleefully in the backseat. In fact, if you hit them too hard, you could damage your suspension immediately and blow out a tire or two. Your vehicle’s suspension is designed to absorb the shock of road bumps, including speed bumps, but this does not mean you should drive over them fast. Keep it slow.
Exceeding the Weight Limit Does Damage
Your vehicle’s suspension is engineered to handle a maximum weight limit and nothing more. If you’re tempted to overload your car, truck, or SUV because you’re moving or for some other reason, rethink your strategy. Overloading the vehicle so much so that it exceeds its maximum weight capacity will unnecessarily stress and damage your vehicle.
Your Suspension Needs Preventative Maintenance
We understand that preventative maintenance is inconvenient, but honestly, you’ll extend the life of your vehicle and save money in the end. Your suspension needs maintenance just like every other system in your automobile, and if you pay mind to the preventative maintenance schedule, you’ll likely never face an expensive repair or replacement bill.
Your Vehicle Needs Limited Adventures
Finally, it’s fun to improvise and off-road in your automobile but is your car designed for it? If you follow off-road competitions, you’ll see that the vehicles are equipped with customized suspension designed to, you guessed it, handle the stress of the terrain. Don’t place your vehicle on driving terrain it cannot handle and be careful even on bumpy surface streets and highways.
Located in Johnstown, OH, Stringer Auto Repair, LLC, services and repairs vehicle suspensions. Call us today at 614-472-8037.
