Potholes, speed humps and kerbs all take their toll on suspension and steering, and worn parts affect far more than comfort. NRH Autoworks inspects and repairs both at our garage on Windsor Road in Bray, looking after cars from Maidenhead, Windsor and the surrounding villages.
Faults here usually announce themselves with a noise or a change in how the car feels. Enter your registration on the enquiry form and describe what you've noticed and when it happens: over bumps, when turning, under braking. We'll get back to you by phone or email to arrange an inspection.
What we can help with
- Coil springs, shock absorbers and strut top mounts
- Control arms, trailing arms and bushes
- Ball joints and anti-roll bar links
- Track rod ends and steering racks
- Power steering pumps and fluid leaks
- Wheel bearings and hub assemblies
Signs of a suspension or steering problem
- Knocking or clunking over bumps and potholes
- The car bouncing or wallowing after a bump
- One corner sitting lower than the others
- Uneven or rapid tyre wear
- Vague steering or the car wandering on the road
- Heavy steering, or a whine when you turn the wheel
- A droning or humming noise that rises with road speed
Springs, shock absorbers and top mounts
Springs carry the weight of the car and shock absorbers control how the springs move. Shock absorbers lose their damping gradually or start to leak, leaving the car bouncing after a bump and the tyres skipping over rough surfaces, which can lengthen braking distances. Coil springs corrode and snap, often at the very end of the coil where it isn't obvious until the car is lifted. Strut top mounts, which let the front struts turn with the steering, wear and cause knocks or creaks.
Arms, bushes and joints
A set of control arms at the front, and trailing arms at the rear on many cars, holds each wheel in position while letting it move up and down. They pivot on rubber bushes and ball joints. The rubber perishes and splits, the joints develop play, and the result is a knock over bumps, vague handling and tyres that wear unevenly. Anti-roll bar drop links are another very common source of knocks.
Suspension noises can be difficult to pin down from the driver's seat, because sound travels through the body and a knock that seems to come from one corner may originate elsewhere. We inspect the car on a ramp, checking each joint and bush for play, looking for leaks and broken springs, and road test it where that helps. We'll then show or explain what we've found and what needs replacing before any work is done.
Steering
Track rod ends connect the steering rack to the wheels, and play in them makes the steering feel loose and wears the front tyres. The rack itself can develop play or leak fluid from its seals. On cars with hydraulic power steering, a failing pump typically whines when you turn the wheel and the steering goes heavy, often because the fluid is low from a leak elsewhere.
One thing to be upfront about: replacing track rod ends, arms and some other components disturbs the wheel alignment, and it should be checked afterwards. Wheel alignment isn't something we carry out on site. We'll tell you when a repair means the alignment needs checking, and we'll advise on getting that done so your new parts and your tyres aren't spoiled.
Wheel bearings and hubs
Each wheel turns on a bearing, and on many cars the bearing comes as part of a complete hub assembly. A worn bearing makes a droning or rumbling noise that rises with road speed and often changes as you steer one way or the other, because cornering loads and unloads it. It's easy to mistake for tyre noise. Left alone it gets louder and eventually develops play. We confirm which bearing is at fault on the ramp and on a road test before replacing it.
Suspension & Steering: common questions
What causes a knocking noise over bumps?
The most frequent culprits are worn anti-roll bar drop links, tired bushes, worn ball joints, top mounts and broken coil springs. Several of these sound very similar from inside the car, so an inspection on a ramp is the only reliable way to identify which part is responsible.
Is it safe to drive with a broken coil spring?
We'd advise against it. A broken spring can shift in its seat and, in some cases, come into contact with the tyre. It also upsets the car's ride height and handling. If a corner of the car suddenly sits low or you heard a loud bang, get advice before driving it any distance.
What does a worn wheel bearing sound like?
A low drone, hum or rumble that gets louder with road speed and doesn't change with engine revs. It often gets louder or quieter as you steer gently left or right at speed, which helps identify the side. Tyre noise tends to change with the road surface instead. We'll confirm it on inspection.
Why are my tyres wearing unevenly?
Uneven wear can come from incorrect tyre pressures, worn suspension or steering components, or the wheel alignment being out. Worn bushes and joints are a common cause on older cars. Tell us which tyres are affected and which edge is wearing, and we'll check the suspension and steering for play. We don't carry out alignment here, but we'll advise if that's what's needed.
Can pothole damage be repaired?
Usually. A heavy pothole strike can break a spring, bend a suspension arm or damage a shock absorber, as well as the tyre and wheel. If the car feels different afterwards (pulling, knocking or sitting unevenly), send us an enquiry describing what happened and we'll arrange to inspect it.