Suspension & shock absorbers

The suspension system in your vehicle maximises the friction between the tyres and road surface, this provides steering stability with good handling and to ensure the comfort of the passengers.

Suspension and shock absorber repairs

At Burwood Automotive & Exhaust, we use only the best brands such as Monroe, and have the expertise and equipment to maintain your car's steering responsiveness and stability. 

How does the suspension work?

Your vehicles suspension is built to give you and your passengers a smooth ride while maintaining excellent driving control. When you accelerate, bumps cause forward energy to be converted into vertical energy which then travels through the frame of your vehicle. To absorb this energy, the suspension system has coil and leaf springs. Without these the vertical energy would cause your vehicle to jump of the road, reducing tyre friction and control. As your vehicle comes down, the force would be greater as there is nothing absorbing the energy resulting in an uncomfortable and dangerous ride.

Suspension and shock absorber components

Every suspension system is different though are made up of some common components such as the chassis or frame, coil springs, leaf springs, dampeners including struts and shock absorbers, and anti-sway or torsion bars in various combinations.

The coil and leaf springs are built to absorb up/down forces, keeping the tyres planted firmly on the road and maintaining friction and control. Most of the modern cars that you see today have independent front/rear suspension. Dampeners, namely struts and shock absorbers, dissipate the energy absorbed by the coil springs, allowing the up/down motion to quickly reduce to zero. If these dampeners are in good working condition then the passengers wont be affected by dips or bumps in the road. When the shock absorbers are old, worn out or faulty then once the car starts bouncing, it will continue to bounce for some time. A good test to see if your shock absorbers need to be checked is to push down on the bonnet of your car. If your car continuously bounces then you should call Burwood Automotive and Exhaust on (03) 9888 7000 and ask us to have a look for you.

Mostly found in high-profile vehicles (4WDs) which are considered top heavy and some cars, is a torsion bar (anti-sway or anti-roll bars). These torsion bars span the vehicle's frame and help level out side-to-side motions while corning.

The warning signs

Some of the signs that there are problems with your suspension or shock absorbers could include:

• The car not sitting level when parked.
• A lot of bouncing when you drive.
• Poor handling.
• Excessive body roll on corners.