Q: How can I make my suspension last as long as possible?

There are many ways to be able to make your vehicle’s suspension system last longer than average, depending on where you live and its climate. If you’re living in the city versus the suburbs, or if you do a lot of stop-and-go driving instead of highway driving, these things all factor into having your suspension wear out faster than normal. Cold climates or hot climates will also play a part in how long suspension components last. Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I hit a lot of potholes?
• Do I do a lot of city stop-and-go driving?
• Is my vehicle always in the hot sun or in the bitter cold?

I bring this up because where you live and how you drive makes all the difference in the world on how long your vehicle suspension will last. If you live in a cold climate, rubber bushings tend to wear out faster so you should make sure they get lubricated more often. If you are living in a hotter climate, try to keep the vehicle in the shade as much as possible. If you do a lot of city driving with lots of potholes, or if you do mostly stop-and-go driving, try to avoid hitting as many potholes as possible and keep at least one car length in front of you at all times. If you like to stop short a lot, you will definitely wear your suspension out faster due to the car dipping so much under heavy braking. There are many suspension components that if they wear out will cause other things to wear out as well and vice versa.

For example, if your front struts (shocks) wear out and you keep driving the vehicle, this could lead to your brakes getting ruined prematurely. Most vehicles on the road today have height sensors on the rear suspension to tell the computer if you have a lot of weight in the trunk or not, so if your front suspension is worn out, this may make the computer think you have more weight in the back of the vehicle then you really do and cause the rear brakes to apply faster than the front brakes. This will cause premature failure of your rear brakes pads or shoes.

Everything works together in your vehicle simultaneously like a well-orchestrated dance routine, keeping you and your family safe while still having a comfortable driving experience. If people drove like they were taking their license test and obeyed what they learned in driver’s education, then not only would our vehicles last longer, there would be less accidents and fatalities on the road. Being a courteous and defensive driver always helps to keep your vehicle lasting longer since you are not stressing out all the suspension and brake components.