What Are Shocks And Struts?
Automobile suspension is a multi-faceted system designed for isolating vibrations and road noise, thereby maintaining handling and braking performance in a vehicle. The system constitutes several components and among them shock absorbers and struts are the most important parts. Both shocks and struts demands regular check-up to be in proper shape for the proper performance of a vehicle.
A shock absorber is basically a cylinder that contains a piston and it is filled with either gas or fluid. The gas or fluid inside the cylinder expands and compresses according to bumps and various other irregularities on the road, absorbing the energy and preventing the spring from oscillating continuously. While the shock absorbers absorb energy they work to reduce oscillation amplitude and this phenomenon is called damping. If the suspension settings are rigid, a vehicle experiences over-damping. This is when the suspension system takes longer to return to zero. And when the suspension settings are too loose, under-damping occurs when oscillations progress naturally and die out over time. Normally, all shock absorbers should be critically-damped, so that the oscillations converge to zero as fast as possible with minimal impact felt by the driver while driving.
Struts are basically an alternative to shock absorbers, with a very small difference. Struts are combination units containing shock absorbers and sometimes the spring assembly as well. Since they are a constitution of lesser number of parts, struts are often smaller and more lightweight as compared to shock configurations.
How to check a car’s shocks and struts?
In order to test if your car’s shocks and struts are in proper condition or not, you should consider a test drive of your car on the road. While driving if you notice changes like excess bounce and reduced control, then there is nothing wrong in assuming that there must be some problems in the suspension system. Rattling, clicking and popping noises can also be the signs of a worn suspension system. If you do not take proper care of the suspension system immediately, it can result in greater braking distances and uneven tire wear.
