Suspension Repair

The three fundamental components of a vehicle’s suspension are the springs, dampers, and antisway bars. Within these components, there are numerous parts called struts, shocks, axles, and the control arm. The sprung mass in a vehicle is the mass of the vehicle supported by springs, and the unstrung mass is the mass that is not supported by springs. The stiffness of the springs determines how the sprung mass responds to the car as you drive. Loosely sprung cars, like luxury cars from Toyota or Honda, can absorb bumps and produce a smooth ride, but those cars are more prone to body sway and are not great at cornering. Tightly sprung cars, like sports cars by Ford and Hyundai, are less forgiving on the road but can be driven more aggressively. Effectively aligned steering, as well as suspension, can provide a smooth and controlled cruising in Arlington, TX.

Springs alone are not enough to absorb the vertical acceleration produced by your car’s wheels. The spring will continue to bounce until it runs out of energy, causing a very bumpy ride. To prevent this, your vehicle has shock absorbers that slow the springs down through a process called dampening. Shock absorbers slow down and reduce the magnitude of vibratory motions by turning the kinetic energy of suspension movement into heat energy that can be dissipated through hydraulic fluid. Anti-sway bars are used with shock absorbers and springs to stabilize vehicles as they move. An anti-sway bar is a metal rod that joins each side of the suspension together.