Remember The Flintstones and that God awful human powered car that bounced whenever they pulled out of their driveway?

Thankfully, automotive technology has come a long way since the stone ages and we no longer have to suffer through the bouncing and jolting of the car due to the impacts from the road. Loss of control of the wheel has also significantly reduced thanks to modern technology as well. If you’ve driven for a long time you’ll notice that when you make a sudden hard break your car does not swerve from left to right, but stays straight, this is the result of a good suspension system.

Shocks and struts are components of the cars suspension system

The suspension system is a complex structure designed to absorb all of the jolts from bumps, holes, and difficulties on the road. The result of all of this hard work is a safe drive for the passengers as the shocks of a suspension system actually keep the tires firmly on the ground.

Shocks are responsible for absorbing all of the energy from the impacts encountered on the road. A car without shocks would not only feel every imperfection on the road but actually veer off the road as the tires would bounce making the driver lose control.

A strut is an integral part of the suspension system that is home to:

• Coil Spring

• Spring Seats

• Strut Bearing

• Steering Knuckle

• Shock Absorber

However a key difference between shocks and struts is that the strut as weight bearing, meaning that the weight of the car is supported on the strut. The part of the strut which is premiered on the video is the shock absorber which is the part that gets replaced most of the time.

If you’re experiencing a bumpier drive than usual, we recommend having a professional technician check out your suspension system to make sure that there is nothing wrong. Some signs that you should be on the lookout for are dents or bends on your struts or shocks as well as any unusual fluid leaking.

Click on our video below for more information on shocks and struts, or visit MDTA to get your suspension system diagnosed.