Steering and Suspension

Upper and Lower Ball Joints

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If the suspension ball joints are worn it will cause the spindle to wander causing the steering wheel to shake. Ball joints are a normal service item and need to be inspected regularly. Inspect lower ball joints and tie rod ends for excessive wear. 

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Ask your Begley Auto Repair ASE Certified Technician about the severity of worn tie rods, ball joints and other front-end safety. 

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Our ASE Certified Technicians at Begley Auto Repair can check the idler arm and tie rod ends. The idler arm, pitman arm, and tie rod ends are normal service items and need to be inspected at normal service intervals. To inspect the idler arm, pitman arm, and tie rod ends can be checked by turning the steering wheel slightly (jog) back and forth. If excess movement is observed from any of the steering components then replacement is required.​

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What Common Symptoms Indicate You May Need to Replace the Ball Joints?​

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• Clunking noise from front tires​

• Steering wheel shakes

• Car moves to the right or left, especially going over bumps

• Vehicle tires have abnormal wear

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What Common Symptoms Indicate You May Need to Replace the Tie Rod End?​

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• Excessive tire wear

• Car pulling to the left or right

• Steering wheel shakes

• Vehicle cannot be aligned

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Shocks Absorbers and Struts

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You need new shocks (and/or struts) if your original shocks are worn out, damaged, or leaking. Shocks and struts do not require replacing at specific mileage intervals like filters or spark plugs, but they do wear out and eventually have to be replaced. Some questions to ask regarding how your vehicle is handling:

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• Does your vehicle bounce excessively when driving on rough roads or after hitting a bump?

• Does the nose dip when braking?

• Does the body roll or sway excessively when cornering or driving in crosswinds?

• Does the suspension bottom out when backing out of the driveway or when hauling extra passengers or weight?

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A "bounce test" is still a valid means of checking the dampening ability of shocks and struts. If the suspension continues to gyrate more than one or two times after rocking and releasing the bumper or body, your shocks or struts are showing their age and need to be replaced. 

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Replacement

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Shocks and struts are generally replaced in pairs - though this isn't absolutely necessary if only one shock or strut is leaking or has suffered damage at a low mileage.

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Most struts require a fair amount of suspension disassembly. In addition, the wheels should be realigned after replacing a strut. For this reason, you're probably better off letting a professional replace your struts.