Often people underestimate how important their cars suspension system really is.

The suspension in your vehicle is not just there to make your ride smoother like some people believe - the suspension system is a major part of the safety of your vehicle and how well it stops and handles on the road.

The fact is the suspension system needs to maintain both handling and road holding efficiently, a task often at odds with improving ride quality, so it goes without saying it pays to ensure that it is performing as it should. Regular inspection by a qualified mechanic is the best way to ascertain this.

The suspension system is basically made up of four components working in conjunction with each other and are all vital for the overall safety of your vehicle.:

• Struts - provide structural support for the vehicle's suspension as well as some shock dampening
• Shock absorbers - simply put - they control the up-and-down motion of your car and keep your tyres in contact with the ground at all times but really are an important safety feature.
• Springs - support the weight of your car and allow the body of your car to remain stable while the suspension helps the wheels hug the road.
• Tyres - your tyres need to work with the rest of the system correctly to maintain safe driving behaviour of your vehicle

At 50kmh one single worn shock absorber can add 2 metres of stopping difference to a braking vehicle - and that could mean the difference between life and death in an extreme situation.

Where you drive, how you drive, and the loads you carry can all impact on shock absorber life and the condition of the suspension system - so there is no hard and fast answer to the question “when should I have my suspension system checked” It is generally recommend that you have a trained specialist inspect your shock absorbers for signs of wear every 20,000km.

Prime Auto Care are experts at suspension systems for all makes and models, including 4WD's and can diagnose and fix problems of all kinds including the elusive rattles and shakes that other mechanics often just can't seem to find...