What Shocks and Struts Do

Shocks and struts are safety components that maintain vertical loads placed upon the tires. They control spring and suspension movement to keep tires in contact with the road.
 
Under normal conditions on a smooth road, shocks stroke on average 1,750 times for every mile traveled or 7.5 million stabilizing actions on average every 12,000 miles. As a result, shocks and struts do wear out and should be checked every 12,000 miles just to be safe. Worn shocks and struts can also affect vehicle safety.
 
Due to the fact that shocks(and struts)wear out slowly over an extended period of time, it often is not obvious that the performance of the shocks/struts has diminished.
 

Worn Shocks or Struts May Allow:

• Excessive tire bounce
• Poor tire-to-road contact
• Reduced suspension control
• Premature tire wear
• Reduced handling and braking performance
• Noise and suspension vibration