This is part 3 of 106St Tire & Wheel's series on steering and suspension maintenance. Click here for part 1, and click here for part 2.
Repair and maintenance
Power steering system service
You should change your vehicle's power steering fluid at least once every two years. Also ensure that you add a new fluid conditioner regularly. This will prevent the seals from wearing, which usually causes leaks and steering pump failure.
Shock and strut replacement
Worn out shocks and struts lead to a loss of vehicle stability on the road. You need to maintain a working suspension because roads are not absolutely flat; the unevenness applies forces on the wheels. Without the help of struts and shock absorbers, all the uneven forces on the wheels will be transferred to the frame of the vehicle, resulting to swaying and bouncing.
Shocks wear out within the first 50,000 miles and should be replaced soon thereafter. Struts wear out within the first 60 miles and should be replaced before 90,000 miles. Also, damaged and worn out struts adversely affect alignment specifications; be sure to consult technicians (like us) about wheel alignments if that happens to you.
Worn out shocks and struts cannot properly keep the tire in constant contact with the road surface. This causes loss of control to the vehicle from unevenly worn out tires where there are high and low spots.
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