| $ DIY parts replacement: $100 - $600+ | $ $ Parts professional replacement: $200 - $2,200+ | $ $ $ Suspension system total replacement: $1,000 - $5,000+ |
All drivers can agree that there is no perfect road, street, or highway that’s completely smooth in this world.
Even the newest highway has its details, and bumps and holes are always unexpected obstacles the vehicles can encounter in any ride, and that’s where the suspension system of a car shows its importance.
The reason why you can drive smoothly and in comfort without feeling most imperfections on the road it’s thanks to the suspension system working properly.
Table of Contents
What’s The Job Of The Suspension System Of A Car?
The suspension system plays a crucial role in how you drive and feel the vehicle; when this system works properly, you can have a comfortable experience while driving and be safe while on the road.
The suspension of a car is in charge of keeping your vehicle’s tires in touch with the road surface; this provides stability to the steering wheels, and lets drivers have a good handling of the car, ensuring the passengers’ comfort and safe driving.
Suspensions achieve this by absorbing the vertical acceleration created when the vehicle passes through a bump or any other obstacle on the road; here’s a video that shows you how suspensions work.
What Parts Form Part Of The Car Suspension System?
The suspension system of a vehicle is located underneath it, and it consists of different parts that work together, which are:
- Springs: They are the key components of the suspension system, and they help support the vehicle weight, absorb impacts, and keep the wheels on the road.
- Shock absorbers or struts: Both are different, but they absorb and disperse the energy caused by the wheels hitting any bump or obstacle. They connect the wheels and springs.
- Linkages: They connect the vehicle to its wheels, like the ball joints and the control arm.
If any of these parts get damaged, the performance of the suspension system of any vehicle would be compromised.
What Types Of Car Suspension Exist?
Although the most common suspension systems known by everyone are the dependent and independent suspension systems, there are many more types like:
- Multi-Link Suspension.
- Rigid Axle Suspension.
- Macpherson Suspension.
- Double Wishbone Suspension.
- Rigid suspension – Leaf Spring.
- Trailing Arm Suspension.
- Air Suspension.
This article by Wuling explains the different types of car suspension systems in detail.
Even when there exist many types of different car suspensions that work in different ways, their goal of providing comfort and safety is the same; here’s a video made by The Engineers Post that shows how different car suspensions work.
What Are The Signs Of A Bad Suspension System?
A suspension system can get damaged by things like the weather and driving conditions or become worn with time.
These signs are indicators that show your car’s suspension system could be damaged and it requires a checkup:
- Pulling to one side when driving.
- Feeling every bump.
- One corner sits low.
- Diving, rolling and/or squatting.
- Difficulty when steering.
- Oily shock absorbers.
Check out this article made by Moog, which explains them in detail.
What Will Affect The Costs Of A Car’s Suspension System Repair Or Replacing?
The final costs of repairing or replacing a car suspension will depend on many factors like the year, make and model of the vehicle, the suspension system type, the level of damage, the brand and quality of the replacing parts, and where the repairs are done.
The complete replacement of a suspension system can cost $1,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the modifying factor mentioned before.
But just replacing some parts of it will make the repairing prices much less.
Professionally replacing the shock absorbers or the struts of the suspension system can cost $200 to $1,500, but for luxury vehicles or heavy rust, replacing parts typically cost more, from $2,000 to $5,000.
Ball joints replacement can cost $350 or $2,200 or more, and replacing the springs can cost $550 to $700.
People knowledgeable in car repairs and DIY can save money by doing the replacement themselves; DIY costs for replacing the shocks absorbers or struts can cost up to $300, and DIY costs for replacing the ball joints can cost $125 to $600.
Top Companies
You can get your vehicle’s suspension system checked up and repaired at auto repair shops, car dealerships, or automotive shops like Meineke, Midas, Big O Tires, and Sears.
And you can buy just parts of the suspension system at retailers like AutoZone, O’Reilly Auto Parts, and Amazon.
Things To Consider
Before Buying:
- First, after feeling the signs of a bad suspension system, you have to get your suspension checked up to see the level of damage and the parts that need to be replaced. Here’s a video made by ChrisFix that shows you how to check your vehicle’s suspension system.
- You have to make sure the replacement parts match your vehicle’s type, year, make, and model.
When Buying:
- Usually, both sides of a suspension system should be replaced simultaneously, as they should have the same wear, but that’s not always the case, like when just a part of one side is damaged, and it’s the only one that needs to be replaced.
- Depending on the level of damage and the work that needs to be done, repairing a suspension system will take 2 to 4 hours.
- If you want to do DIY and replace the parts yourself, online retailers are a great option to find parts at lower costs. Here’s a video that shows how to replace front struts on any vehicle made by 1A Auto.
After Buying:
- It’s recommended to perform a wheel alignment after the suspension is repaired or replaced, even if it’s just one part or if it’s completely replaced. Usually, a wheel alignment service costs $20 to $200 for a two-wheel alignment.
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