How Your Car’s Suspension Works

The Basics of Vehicle Suspension

If you own a car or truck, you likely know that your vehicle has suspension. You probably also know that your suspension helps make your ride smoother. However, most drivers know little more than this. Understanding what your suspension is doing and how it works can help you treat your suspension better, maintain it, and identify when you need to bring your car to Austin's Pro Max for a suspension repair.

What Your Suspension Is Doing

Your suspension does a lot more than just help you go over bumps smoothly. There are three major benefits and roles of suspension:

• Isolation: This is the ability of your suspension to absorb shocks from the road. For example, if you go over a bump, the suspension will dampen the movement, so you aren’t jolted by it. The suspension isn’t perfect, but it helps greatly reduce how much the vehicle is affected by bumps.
• Contact: The suspension also helps ensure that your wheels are always on the road. Without this, your tires could lose traction. In other words, your suspension helps you stay safe on the road.
• Cornering: As you go around a corner, your vehicle’s inertia moves it in a way other than the turn. Your suspension helps to soften that inertia and ensure you can turn effectively.

Major Parts

Suspensions can be quite complex. However, they all have three essential components.

• Springs: These springs absorb the energy from bumps. They are primarily focused on isolating you from the road.
• Dampers: Your struts, shocks, or other dampers help dissipate the energy absorbed by the spring. They keep your wheels on the road and prevent your vehicle from bouncing.
• Control Arms: This component helps to keep everything together. It connects your wheels to the frame and forces the wheels to only move vertically on the suspension.

How It Works

As you go over a bump, the springs compress then expand. The dampers slow and smoothen that movement to create a gentler and more comfortable ride. You may not realize it, but these processes are constantly happening while you drive. Your suspension ensures that you are always in control.

Get Suspension Repairs and Services

If you need to have your suspension worked on in the Puyallup area, come to Austin’s Pro Max. We are conveniently located on Canyon Road East. You can also call us to schedule an appointment.