6 of 6

Write now Article Tools

When was the last time you took a good look at your tires? Your tires are really a part of your suspension system. They are actually the main reason you even have a suspension. The suspension system is not there to provide a smooth cushy ride. It is there for one purpose...to keep those tires in contact with the road. A smooth ride is a happy side result, and manufacturers do attempt to improve the ride by using different methodologies..but again, a suspension systems main purpose is to keep your wheels in contact with the ground.

Let us assume that you have kept the tire air pressure at a correct level all this time as we look into what the tires can tell us. Is the tread even across the width of the tire? There should be no low or high spots anywhere. If this is the case..and you have been running the tires for some time...it's a good bet that your suspension system is in good shape.

But let us say you notice the tire is worn more on one side than the other. This is an indication of incorrect wheel alignment. Your wheels can get out of alignment for a variety of reasons..so it's important that you take the vehicle in to a shop to have it checked out. The most common reason for mis-alignment is wear of the steering components. Notice that I said "steering" component..not a suspension component. If you ignore this problem, the tire will continue to wear abnormally until it suddenly deflates because you have worn through the tread and belts. And it can happen far faster than you might think. Abnormal wear..is WEAR ! You must stop it. This is no doubt a dangerous scenario you want to avoid.

Your steering components include the ball joints which allow the wheels to pivot left and right. The tie rods which attach the steering wheel and gear box to the wheels themselves. The ball joint assembly and tie rods are adjustable so that the tires can be positioned correctly for even wear. They should receive lubrication according to your owners manual schedule.

Let's talk about shocks. Bad shocks can cause the tires to develop little indentations. This is called cupping. And it is caused by that wheel actually bouncing and skidding just a tiny bit because the bounce is not being controlled by the shock. And the skidding accelerates wear and you can see what looks like scalloped areas all around the circumference of the tire. When you get right down to it, a shock absorber is rather mis named. A more correct name would be spring bounce eliminator maybe. You can test your shocks

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about DIY automotive repair: How to diagnose suspension problems?
We want to hear your view. Write now!