With the topics of horsepower, fuel mileage, or even tire wear coming to the forefront of many discussions about car performance, it’s easy for many to forget the significance of a car’s suspension. While getting a quality auto repair on your engine and running on strong tires is important, you need a reliable suspension system to help these components function. Below is a quick rundown of car suspensions and why they are so critical to your vehicle’s performance.

What Is the Suspension System?

A car’s suspension is a combination of struts and shock absorbers that stabilize the vehicle while driving. Compressed oil or gas shock absorbers mitigate damage from impacts between your tires and uneven terrain, while the struts hold everything together. The suspension has to maintain constant surface friction between the tires and the road. Otherwise, all of the work your engine puts into turning the wheels will backfire and result in the need for auto repair.  

How Does a Suspension Work?

A suspension helps your tires remain in contact with the road. Dependent suspensions work as shock absorption for solid beam axles. This economic approach is cheaper to manufacture, but it sacrifices effectiveness. Independent suspensions support each tire, so even if one is higher or lower than the rest, all components will be in contact with the road.

It’s important that any properly functioning suspension keeps the tires on the road and evenly distributes the weight of the car. Doing so while the car is moving depends on how the suspension is arranged in a given car. To better understand how your suspension accomplishes this, consider how the weight of your car is carried under typical driving performance.

Turning left or right causes the weight to shift against the direction you are turning. When accelerating, the weight is predominately on the rear axle, particularly in rear-wheel drive vehicles. The braking system, however, forces the front axle to support the weight of the car as it slows or comes to a stop.

The suspension balances the shift by supporting that weight on various leaf or coil type springs. This gives the chassis some slack by mitigating the shock through the suspension component rather than forcing one solid component to support it all.

If you need auto repair for your car, you want the best professionals working on your vehicle’s most critical components. That’s why you should turn to the experts at Hayworth Auto Repair Inc. in High Point, NC. With over 45 years of service, this shop has a proven track record with auto body repairs, engine work, transmissions, and electrical services. Call (336) 869-3056 to speak with a technician or visit their website for more information.