Suspension Repairs at West Coast Tire and Service

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

• Car Repairs
• Diagnosis
• Maintenance
• Oil Change
• Tune Up
• Wheel Alignment

The suspension system absorbs shock and vibration from the road so your body doesn't have to. Suspension also plays a critical safety role by working to continuously keep all four tires on the ground for maximum traction, braking, and steering capability.

Independent Suspension
Each individual wheel moves up or down independently without affecting other wheels. There are two main independent suspension designs:

• The double-arm control design uses two triangular control arms, one above and one below each wheel, to attach it to the chassis. The arms move vertically and ball joints with spindles attach both arms to the wheel hub. Between each lower control arm and the underside of the frame is a coil spring wrapped around a shock absorber; the two work together to smooth the car's ride over even the bumpiest of roads.
• The McPherson strut-not to be confused with a dance move-is a design common on European vehicles. It uses a single control arm that is attached to the lower side of the steering knuckle. A weight-bearing strut and coil spring are attached directly to the top of the steering knuckle.

Both double-arm and the McPherson suspensions use sway bars to transfer movement from one side of the car to the other in order to prevent it from flipping over during a turn. The sway bars are attached to the chassis by sway bar end links and sway bar bushings.

Live (Solid) Axle
The second design, a live (solid) axle, moves up and down like a see-saw, affecting the height of the wheel on the opposite side. Although less adept at maintaining traction, this type of suspension is stronger and more common on rear axles, and is especially common on trucks.

Live axle designs commonly use leaf springs rather than coil springs, shocks, or struts. Although this arrangement doesn't effectively provide a comfortable ride, it better distributes loads evenly, which is why this type of suspension is generally found on trucks and larger vehicles.