How much damage am i really putting my poor car through?

If you are familiar with the front end suspension on an automobile, okay i know you are not, so here is an explanation. shock absorbers have two main purposes. to reduce the dramatic shock inside the vehicle, if you hit small holes in road and to support the way your vehicle steers and operates when you apply the brakes. shocks also protect the A frame on each front wheel. shocks also help prevent uneven wear on your tires. shock absorbers are a very important safety feature for your vehicle. i would not go too long without having them replaced. its all about your safety.

ive noticed how it feels when i speed up on the highway, it feels like the steering is very loose and bumps cause me to slightly turn right or left. i know its not safe and JUST got paid so im going to change them soon, i was just wondering how much im damaging my car. thanks

Bigboss….....good for you. new shocks will prevent this swinging and swaying you are experiencing on the open road. once your new shocks are installed, you will really be able to tell the difference. i guarantee it. john

im actually excited its like buying a new toy hhaha…ive made other repairs on the car (catalytic converter) and i can notice the difference. i dont like the unsafe feeling that comes with needing repairs.

You will notice a difference in handling, but it is not “required.”

I used to be crazy about keeping my car maintained until I got a job at uHaul. Those trucks are put through hell everyday and maintained poorly. They drive, decently. They are American too!!

Obviously with worn shocks you are putting more stress on the other parts, but cars can take a lot more than you think. I’de pay for my oil change before doing shocks. For the most part you will just have bad ride quality. Get around to it whenever you want to.

Ohh one more thing. MECHANICS LIE!!!!

@FlutherMe oooooh i know…i hate finding the right mechanic…and prices vary so much for the same service depending on where you go. hmmmm i woooooonder why….thieves.

Get a set of tools and do it yourself. If you need, get a Haynes manual or search online there is plenty of info.

Shocks\Struts are very easy. If you have a strut and need a spring compressor you could always go to your local TireKingdom and pay the guy $5 to compress the springs for you and swap the struts. Then install yourself.

You will spend less money, end up with a set of tools, learn something, and know you did it right. Then go pay for an allignment.

@FlutherMe that sounds VERY beneficial becuase it actually teaches me. but im always iffy about doing things myself becuase it not only involves my saftey but the saftey of others in my car. i dont want to make one little mistake and that affects my driving. ive already been in accident with my girlfriend in my car which i blamed myself for months. i dont want to make any mistakes with anything..but ill look into it. and see how easy it is.

Have confidence. It is a stut.

1) Take bolts off
2) Compress spring and swap struts
3) Put bolts on where they went.

It is not rocket science. You will NOT mess it up. It is really as simple as it sounds. Tighten the hell out of those lower strut bolts. They are VERY hard to strip. You will be getting it aligned after anyway, so a “professional” (Really some guy no smarter than you) will be re-tightening the bolts when he aligns it anyway.

For the uppers tighten them pretty tight. After a few days of driving check if anything losened up. You should be good.

How do you think “professionals” learned? By doing it.

I have litterly had struts break off the upper mount as I was driving…. I am alive and Fluthering :).

siigh…i need a new jack.