Car Suspension & Shocks

A correctly functioning suspension system is key to your car’s performance and your safety. Improperly adjusted or maintained car suspensions can lead to expensive repairs later down the road. Here are some suspension components that commonly fail:

• Shock Absorbers
  Gas and fluid-filled dampers are responsible for soaking up the vibration caused by rough road surfaces.

• Strut Assemblies
  A combination of a coil spring and a shock absorber. This comprises your auto’s entire damping system.

• Active Suspension Systems (e.g. Porsche Active Suspension Management)
  Found on more modern vehicles. These replace the strut assembly with an electronically controlled damper system.

Let’s look at some warning signs your car gives when the suspension has a fault:

1. Creaking or Groaning Sounds
   Originating from the front of the vehicle, these sounds are apparent when going over a bump or rough patch of road. These are usually indicative of a suspension bushing fault.

2. Clattering or Clunking Noises
   These suspension sounds happen when you drive over uneven surfaces and indicate serious suspension wear. They can also be related to worn-out or blown shock absorbers.

3. Squeaking or Whining Sounds
   If these occur when the steering wheel is moved, you have a fault with the power-assisted steering system and not the suspension of shock absorbers.

4. Nose Diving
   If your auto nose dives when you brake hard, your struts are most likely failing. An easy test for this is to physically bounce the vehicle up and down by pressing on a reinforced area of the hood or standing on the tow hitch. When you stop bouncing the car, it should come to rest after a maximum of two more oscillations. Vehicles that don’t are textbook cases for failing shocks.

5. Uneven Tire Wear
   So, you’re meticulous about your wheels, but your tires keep getting worn wrong. While this could be an alignment issue, it is often linked to badly adjusted or worn suspension components.

If you are experiencing one or more of the above problems, it is most likely that your suspension needs some attention. At Foreign Affairs Motorwerks, we offer the following suspension services:

1. Strut and Shock Tests
   A detailed test of the vehicle’s shock absorber system, including a lift inspection to determine whether your shocks are failing.

2. Strut Replacement/Rebuilding
   Depending on your vehicle it can be better to replace your struts outright. Let our ASE-certified team give you a quote.

3. Suspension Test
   This involves testing suspension bushings and actuators for play/failure.

4. Suspension Rebuilds/Overhauls
   If the bushings/rubber stops or other components are worn, we can rebuild the entire suspension system.

5. Lifting/Lowering
   OEM vehicle designs must cater to a variety of road surfaces and passenger comfort expectations. If you’d like to tune your suspension for the track or make it stiffer, we are the go-to shop. We are a registered dealer for performance suspension components such as Bilstein and JRZ.

6. Active Suspension Diagnostics and Repair
   We use cutting-edge vehicle diagnostics systems to interface with your auto’s active suspension system. Using information from the computers we can tune or replace failed components.

A properly functioning suspension system is critical to your peace of mind as a driver. If you suspect that you might have a suspension fault, why not pop into our Pompano Beach shop? With over 40 years of experience, we are comfortable working on any marque.