Suspension Repair from Boyd Automotive & Tire in St. Catharines, ON
A car's suspension is responsible for maximizing the friction between your tires and the road's surface, to provide the most steering stability with good handling and to make sure you and your passengers are comfortable during the drive. If the roads in ON were perfectly flat, there would be no need for suspension in your vehicle. However, all roads, even Ontario Province’s highways, have subtle imperfections that come in contact with the wheels of the car and apply force to the wheels. A bump in the road causes your tires to move up and down, perpendicular to the road's surface. Without an intervening system, all of this vertical energy produced by the wheels will transfer to your vehicle's frame, which will move in the same direction. Without your suspension system, even the wheels of your car can bounce off the road and then come back down with gravity. Your suspension is a system that will absorb the energy of the vertically accelerated wheel, allowing the frame and body to ride undisturbed while the wheels follow bumps in the road. Fortunately, we at Boyd Automotive & Tire are experts in diagnosing and repairing Suspension.
How does my vehicle's suspension work?
The three fundamental components of a vehicle's suspension are the springs, dampers, and anti-sway 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 unsprung 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 St. Catharines, ON.
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.
When I am driving down the street in St. Catharines, how do I know something is wrong with my vehicle's suspension?
Before you consider suspension repair services, you have to recognize whether you have an issue with your system. The majority of the time, you. Here are five signs to watch out for that indicate your vehicle needs a steering and suspension service:
- Car rides roughly.
If every bump in the road causes your car to bounce, there is definitely a problem with your vehicle's suspension.
- Drifting or pulling during turns.
If your car is drifting, this means your suspension isn't keeping your vehicle stable when you turn.
- Dips or "nose dives" when stopping.
You may also notice that your vehicle is taking longer to reach a complete stop.
- Uneven tire treads.
- Damaged, "oily" shocks.
If you look under your vehicle and your shocks and/or struts look greasy or oily, they are probably leaking.
If you are experiencing these problems and are in or nearby the L2S 0B3 area, you can come to Boyd Automotive & Tire for a suspension repair today.
Your award-winning local Shop for Suspension Repair
We at Boyd Automotive & Tire in Ontario Province are experts in all things auto repair. We've been fixing cars since 2002 and our owner Stu Boyd and technicians have decades of combined experience. No matter what issue you are having with your vehicle, we have a multitude of services you can take advantage of, such as scheduled maintenance, oil changes, fluid services and tune-ups, tune-ups, and transmission repair.
Here are some reasons why you should choose us:
- Locally owned and operated since 2002
- Only OEM and OEM-approved parts/components
- Shuttle on all services, loaner on major service
- Alternative payment options (see our financing page)
- Our diverse team is sure to have an expert in the make and model of your vehicle
To schedule an appointment with Boyd Automotive & Tire in St. Catharines, give us a call at 905-685-5821 or schedule an appointment online .