‘tho sh AUTO _ A MacPherson strut ts nota scottish jig THE shock absorbers are there to absorb shock, right? Seems obvious. Actually, it’s the springs in your suspension system chat absorb the shocks from bumps on the road. The shock absorbers act as dampers to stop the car from bouncing. And what is a MacPhenon strut, anyway? fn the 1980s, while cars were getting smaller, lighter, and more fuel ¢iti- cient, there was less and fess room tor the traditional short and long arm (SEA) suspension systems, especially with the increasing number of tront wheel drive cars. “The MacPherson strut is a single integrated unit that incorporates both a shock absorber and 2 coil spring. It is the most common front end suspension. Most pes le think of their suspension system, if they think _ about it at all, as a way of providing a smooth ride over a bumpy road. In fact, that’s only half the story, and probably the less important half. Suspension systems are engineered into a car. ‘Their main Purpose is to keep all tour wheels on the road, with an even distribution of weight. The objective is steering and ride con- trol. Withour that control, vour car would roll from side to side on cornering, would be all over the place on bumpy roads, and would lose braking and steering control. When we say suspension system, we mean “system.” Ail the parts work together with each other and with the steering and braking systems of your vehicle. If the suspension system is worn, it could cost you plenty in seemingly unrelated repairs to: tires, steering linkage, springs, ball joints, constant veloci- ty (CV) joints, and various underbody parts. New that you're concerned about vour suspension, how do you know without putting your car on the hoist and ask- ing an expert? The first thing vou should do is pur your car on a hoist and ask an expert. This is referred to as “preventive maintenance,” or as that old commercial Jing goes, “You can pay me (a fittle) now, or pay me (much more) later.” Having said that, there are some things to watch for in your everyday driving: @ excessive roti or sway on turns; B front end dives on braking; UW rear end sags on acceleration; @ bouncing or chattering on bumpy reads or washboard; @ bottoming out with a thump on a bump. Or ery this simple cest. Walk around your car, and push down sharply cn cach corner. Does it rebound smoothly, or does it bounce two or three times? If it bounces, your shacks and struts probably need replacement. If you plan to tow boats or trailers, don’t be afraid to upzrade. Replacement systems are available with air adjust- ments, so thar you can vary the stiffness of the suspension when you’re towing, and keep your headlights (and your wheels) on the road. = 1 Leaking red fluid? 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