Mazda Shock Absorber and Strut Assembly

Your Mazda shock absorber and strut assembly is a part of the vehicle's suspension system. It is responsible in keeping the tires in contact with the ground so that your ride will have greater stability. It is also designed to make sure that you and your passenger will have a smooth ride. The shocks and struts that made up the assembly are designed to last. However, like other automotive parts, they are prone to everyday wear and tear. Hence, it is necessary to keep them properly maintained and have any damage repaired immediately. Below are some of the problems that you will experience with the shocks and struts assembly:

Unstable and bumpy ride

When your Mazda shock absorber and strut assembly is old and worn down, you can feel a bumpy ride effect when driving. The bumps are usually more pronounced when you are traveling over rough road surfaces. Worn shocks and struts will not have the strength to prevent more than one or two gyrations when the vehicle encounters some bumps on the road. When the shocks and struts are not working properly, even the slightest vibrations can be felt throughout the interior of the vehicle while it's in motion-and the result is a bumpy and unstable ride. If this happens, you will need to get a new assembly and replace the worn sets of shocks and struts. You can check for early signs of weakness in your strut assembly by doing a bounce test. Even if your shocks and struts can still soak up some bounce, you will probably need replacement just to get like-new handling and ride control.

Bottoming out

When your vehicle reacts to a bump, don't panic because it's normal. However, when the tire is allowed to over-react and you notice that the vehicle moves upward too aggressively, this is an indication that your vehicle is operating beyond its normal ability. Now, this could mean that your ride is just over-loaded or being driven harshly. But, most of the time this means that your Mazda shock absorber and strut assembly is worn and can no longer resist wheel movement as adequately as intended. Bottoming out is a common sign that your rear shocks and struts are experiencing problems. If you notice that the rear end of your Mazda dips far enough down in the back end to hit pavement, you need to have your shocks and struts checked. It may be time for replacement.

Nose dives or rear end squats

No matter what type of acceleration you apply to your vehicle, its weight and force should be held up with the strength of the shocks and struts. The suspension and all its parts are designed to help keep your vehicle steady and stable at all times-whether you are accelerating, turning, and braking. When you brake and the front end of your vehicle dives, it is an indication that you need to have the shocks and struts evaluated. In most cases, you should be looking at replacements. Another sign that it's time for a new assembly is when the rear end of the vehicle “squats” as you accelerate.

Tire cupping

Another sign that your shocks and struts are bad is when you notice excessive wear on the tires. Bad shocks and struts allow for excessive up and down movement of the tire, and each time the tires hit the ground, some bits of rubber are getting scraped off. This rhythmic movement will cause an evenly-spaced wear pattern on the tires known as cupping or scalloping. As the condition of the tire worsens, you'll eventually hear tire noise and start to lose traction.