Of all the questions asked by drivers who need power steering repair, the one we hear most often is what is power steering and what does it do? We believe that the more you know about your vehicle, the better you will be able to maintain it. And just the basic knowledge that your steering system will benefit from a power steering fluid change can make a huge difference in your cars long term health.
Your power steering relies to two mechanisms to make it much easier for you to steer your vehicle more easily and keep your vehicle under control. These two pieces of machinery are called the power steering pump and the rack & pinion. Understanding how these two mechanism work together is at the heart of keeping this system healthy for years into the future.
- Power Steering Pump – The power steering pump is run by applying hydraulic pressure through a series of hoses to control the rack and pinion. The key to making sure that the power steering pump is in good health really boils down to keeping an eye out for leaks and maintaining the proper level of power steering fluid.
- Rack and Pinion – this is the system that actually turns the wheels of your car. Without the proper level of hydraulic pressure the rack and pinion will find itself under incredible amounts of strain which will damage it early in its life.
Ultimately, these two components will eventually wear out. But postponing that day long into the future can be easy. There are generally a few side effects that indicate an issues with the power steering system, sometimes the solution can be as easy as a little more fluid, other times it requires a little more maintenance and work. Here are a few indications of a sick power steering system.
Shocks and Struts
For those of you who take advantage of the thrills available from driving of road in QLD, shocks and struts maintenance needs to happen more often. However, for most people shocks and struts maintenance is one of those processes that you don’t often need to worry about. Shocks and struts are relatively slow to wear, however, your shocks and struts are integral your vehicles steering performance, and the safety of your passengers. GCSRC wants to help you keep your car in better condition by arming you with the knowledge of how shocks and struts work, and what kind of suspension maintenance your vehicle requires.
The suspension system in your vehicle covers a range of functions, from helping you steer, facilitating full control of your vehicle, even in rough driving conditions. The most basic form of this is apparent in absorbing the rumble of the road in everyday driving.
Front suspension repairs are one of the most ignored processes in automotive repair. Your front end suspension is massively important because most vehicles on the road today are front wheel driven. This makes your front end suspension of special importance because your car is controlled almost entirely from the front. Degradations in front end suspension can have serious repercussions in your ability to control your car.
Because your suspension is so important to the proper control of your vehicle, it is important to note some of the most common side effects of a worn out shocks. Like most things, these effects will come on slowly over time, so you may not notice them right away. However, they are quite easy to recognize, if you know what you are looking for.
- Excessive Bounce when Driving – If your vehicle bounces at even the smallest variations in the road, it is a sure fire sign that your shocks and struts are wearing down.
- Dipping or Squatting – if your front end dips when you brake, or pulls up when you accelerate, it may be time for suspension repairs
- Premature tire wear – Premature tire wear signifies a safety risk to you and the drivers around you. Nothing is more frightening than a tire blow out on the freeway, and few things are more dangerous to you and your passengers.
Once you begin to notice these effects on your vehicle, then its time to get your suspension checked out. Ultimately you will want to get a full suspension inspection to ensure that no other portions of the suspension have become damaged due to neglect.