Suspension and Steering Problems: Clunks, Bounces and Wandering

Crossroad Garage service team · Ellensburg, WA

Your suspension and steering keep the tires on the road, control how the vehicle handles and stops, and make the ride comfortable. Around Ellensburg they deal with potholes, frost heaves, washboard gravel roads, crosswinds on I-90 and, for a lot of trucks, heavy loads and trailers. Parts wear gradually, so the change can be easy to miss until something clunks or the truck starts to wander.

Warning signs

• Clunks or knocks over bumps. Often worn ball joints, sway bar links, control arm bushings or loose components.
• A bouncy or floaty ride. Worn shocks or struts let the vehicle keep bouncing after bumps and dips.
• Nose diving when braking or squatting when accelerating. Another sign of worn shocks or struts.
• Loose or wandering steering. Worn tie rod ends, steering linkage, a worn steering gear or loose parts can make the vehicle hard to keep straight.
• Death wobble. On solid front axle trucks and Jeeps, a violent shake after hitting a bump at speed usually points to worn or loose steering and suspension parts. Slow down safely and have it inspected.
• Uneven tire wear or cupping. Worn suspension parts often show up on the tires first.
• Leaking shocks or struts, or a vehicle that sits lower on one corner.
• Power steering noise or a heavy steering feel, which can point to fluid, pump or rack problems on hydraulic systems.

Why it matters

Worn suspension and steering parts affect more than comfort. They can lengthen stopping distances, reduce control in an emergency maneuver, make the vehicle more affected by crosswinds and wear out tires quickly. A ball joint or tie rod end that fails completely can cause a loss of control, so loose parts should not wait.

What we inspect

• Shocks and struts for leaks, damage and performance.
• Springs, including coil and leaf springs, for breakage or sagging.
• Ball joints, tie rod ends and steering linkage for play.
• Control arms and bushings.
• Sway bars, links and bushings.
• Track bars and steering stabilizers on solid axle trucks.
• The steering gear or rack and power steering system.
• Wheel bearings.
• Tire wear patterns, which tell us a lot about what is going on.

After the inspection, we explain what we found, which items are urgent and which can be planned, and go over options before work is approved. An alignment is usually recommended after steering or suspension repairs.

Towing, hauling and work trucks

Trucks that tow or haul heavy loads wear suspension parts faster and need them in good shape for stability. If your truck sags with a load, sways with a trailer or handles poorly, tell us how you use it so we can check the right parts.

Lifted trucks and off-road vehicles

Lifts and larger tires put more stress on steering and suspension components. If you are thinking about a lift or have a lifted truck that does not drive the way it should, see off-road builds, lifts and suspension, and for axles and gearing, gears and axles.

Shocks and struts wear slowly

Because shocks and struts wear gradually, many drivers get used to a ride that has slowly gotten worse. A simple comparison is how the vehicle feels over a familiar bumpy road or a dip in the highway. If it bounces more than once, floats or bottoms out, have the shocks and struts checked. Fresh shocks can make a noticeable difference in control on rough and wet roads.

When to come in

Have the vehicle checked right away for death wobble, steering that feels very loose, or a loud clunk that came on suddenly. Schedule a visit for a bouncy ride, new noises or uneven tire wear.

See all of our auto and diesel services, off-road builds, lifts and suspension, gears and axles, or browse more tech tips on the Crossroad Garage blog.