This Richmond winter is hard on shocks and struts

You know that curve on Route 12 east of Richmond? Does it seem as though the car is leaning more as you hold your car between the white and yellow lines? That’s one indication that your shocks or struts are suffering. And, with the winter that hit Richmond this year, there’s a good chance your shocks and struts are not quite in as good of shape as they were last fall before the snow flew.

Some of the roads in the Richmond area look like lunar landscapes. These days, you’re probably trying to dodge through the potholes as though you were coming down the slopes in Sochi on skis. But, try as you may, you just can’t miss them all, can you?

Of course, not all potholes are equal. Some are wider and/or longer. Some are shallow while others are deep. Some are wide, long and deep. Whatever the pothole, you can feel the pounding your car is taking when you hit those potholes, can’t you?

The first to feel a pothole is your tire and then the rim. Some potholes are so bad drivers have been known to damage their rims. At the very least, it’s easy to see that driving through potholes will throw tires out of balance and the car’s alignment out of whack. From there, the abuse travels through the shocks and struts to the rest of the car and, eventually, to you and other passengers.

If the shocks and struts are not up to the job, a Richmond winter can do significant damage to other parts of the car. When the shocks and struts are in good repair, they absorb much of the abuse – not all of the abuse but much of it. In other words, making sure your shocks and struts have the right stuff will help to extend the life of your car in general, all the while making travel more comfortable even here in Richmond.

Noticing that the car is leaning more when you turn is one way to notice that your shocks and struts are suffering. Another way is to get out of the car when it’s parked and press down on the fender at the corners of the car. Press the car down and then suddenly release. The car should take a couple seconds to return to its prior position and then stop. If the fender jumps back up and does some additional jumping, there’s a good chance the shocks and struts have had it.

Don’t be too made at them. It’s not their fault. With all these potholes around, shocks and struts can use a little compassion.

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