LearnAboutMyCar.Com
Knowledge To Maintain And Repair Your Car

Struts carry the coil spring together as one assembly. Shocks mount all by themselves and are alot smaller that struts.

Coil springs look like metal rod swirled up in a coil

Leaf springs look like long metal bars bended in a shallow half circle usually mounted in the back of truck or suv. Some 4x4 have leaf springs on the front and the back.

Purpose of springs is to support the suspension of body of the vehical maintain ride height.

Purpose of the struts and shocks are to dampen the ride and keep the tires planted on the road.

Alot of people change struts or shocks thinking it will fix their sagging ride height. Springs only way to fix this problem. When you see a cars backend sagging usually means worn or broken springs.

Cupping on your tires can mean your shocks and struts are worn out. Car industry say 50,000 miles time to change your shocks and struts. When they wear out you experience kinda bouncy ride most people dont notice their worn out suspension because it gradually wears out over time. But when your replace them your car rides like it did new. I had alot of great feedback from customers after replacing their struts and shocks. I dont try to pitch selling them unless they are leaking or high mileage say 75,000 miles or more.

 

 

Newer cars have alot less front parts than the older ones. Means less likely for failure and part replacement also cheaper for manufacturer to build.

Basic components of steering front end. Some older models have more components

 

Rack and Pinion : Is a metal tube that houses a gear and long tooth rack sort of speak in which is connected to your steering wheel assembly

 

Tie rod ends: Your have 4 tierods on you car leftside outer, leftside inner, right side inner,right side outer. these components connect to the rack and pinion provide steering to each left and right front wheels.

 

Ball joints these are joints usually at the bottom of the control arm which the springs are connected to in front of the car. These ball joints absorb the shock from impacts from the road bumps and sort.These balljoints have boots around them that hold grease in which commonly tear. Which leaks the grease out and can lead to pre mature wear of ball joints.

 

To check for wear of these components please use repair manual for reference.