[Daily Knowledge] How to maintain the shock absorber and daily inspection precautions
🚗 Daily maintenance tips for shock absorbers
1. Keep the car body clean
- Clean the chassis regularly to prevent sand, mud and salt from accumulating around the shock absorber springs and piston rods, which will accelerate rust or wear.
2. Reduce driving on bad roads
- Try to avoid driving over large holes, curbs or bad roads at high speed to reduce excessive impact on the shock absorbers and extend their lifespan.
3. Check tire pressure regularly
- Too high or too low tire pressure will increase the burden on the shock absorber, so it is recommended to check it once a month.
4. Balanced load
- Avoid carrying loads on one side for a long time to reduce the unilateral force on the shock absorber.
🔍 Daily inspection precautions for shock absorbers
1. Visual inspection
- After parking the car, check whether the shock absorber is leaking oil (the presence of oil stains means that the shock absorber seal has failed and needs to be repaired/replaced).
- Check the shock absorbers and springs for obvious rust, damage or cracks.
2. Hand pressure test
- Press the front or rear of the car down hard, then release it. The car body should bounce up and down only once or twice and then come to a standstill . If it bounces more than twice, it means that the shock absorption performance has decreased.
3. Driving experience
- If the following situations occur while driving, it means that the shock absorber may have problems:
- There is a "bang bang" sound or excessive vibration when passing through the hole
- The side tilt on the curve is obvious and unstable
- The front of the car nods and "rocks" when braking
- Uneven tire wear
4. Check the shock absorber fixing screws and rubber pads (Bush)
- Check if it is loose or aged, as aging can cause unusual noises.
🛠️ When do I need to replace my shock absorbers?
- It is generally recommended to check the shock absorber performance every 80,000 to 100,000 kilometers . The actual lifespan depends on driving conditions and driving habits.
- If there is oil leakage, abnormal bouncing, unusual noise or unstable driving, it should be replaced as soon as possible .
⚠️Maintenance precautions
- Shock absorbers are consumables and cannot be "repaired" but can only be replaced.
- It is best to replace all four shock absorbers at the same time (or replace the front/rear axles in pairs) to ensure the balance of the vehicle body.
- After changing the shock absorbers, check the four-wheel alignment to ensure that the vehicle is straight and stable.
⭐ Summary
Regularly check for oil leaks, abnormal bouncing, and unusual noises, keep the vehicle body clean, drive carefully on bad roads, and pay attention to driving conditions to extend the life of the shock absorber and ensure driving safety!
