What does a shock absorber do on a car?
The vibration damper, which is another name for the shock absorber, absorbs shocks and vibrations that come from the road and hit the car. The way it is built is not too complicated. The cylinder and piston are inside the cylinder, which is filled with gas or oil. The gas or oil is pushed through small holes or pulled back in as the piston moves up and down. This process makes the vibrations less strong and makes the ride smoother and more stable.
When should you change the vibration damper?
There are a few things that affect how long a shock absorber will last. Driving on bad roads, like potholes, dirt or forest roads, or taking corners too quickly, can make the shock absorber wear out faster than normal.
Shock absorbers are parts that wear out over time, so you should check them every 80,000 to 100,000 kilometers.
Wear usually happens slowly, and drivers often don’t notice when their car’s performance drops. There are, however, some clear signs that a shock absorber is broken. Some of these are tires that wear unevenly, tires that wear out faster, a steering wheel that shakes, or noise while driving. Oil leaking is a clear sign of failure.
It can be hard to change a shock absorber. Sometimes, you have to take off the tire and brake caliper, and sometimes you have to take off the tie rod, which is part of the steering system. Because working on the brakes or steering can be dangerous, only professional shops should do repairs like these. WA Auto Parts also sells parts and pieces that can be used to replace old ones.
The spring strut is the part that holds the front shock absorbers together. You have to take off the whole strut and use a special tool to tighten the spring so that you can take off the shock absorber. Many mechanics have broken bones when they tried to release the huge forces that come from tensioning the spring. Because of this, it is very important to talk to a professional shop. Anyone with technical knowledge can easily take off a shock absorber that isn’t connected to a spring.
How much does it cost to replace a shock absorber?
Of course, the cost of replacing a shock absorber varies depending on the type of car. Shock absorbers for SUVs and sports cars cost a lot more than those for mid-size cars. In fact, they can sometimes cost more than $1,000. A normal shock absorber costs between 50 and 150 euros. But you should remember that it’s best to change the shock absorbers in pairs. That means one axle on the right and one on the left.
Of course, one must not forget about the costs of the workshop. There are also big differences here, so it’s always a good idea to compare prices. Some workshops have prices that include everything, which makes it easy to see how much it will cost to change a shock absorber.
The work on each axle will cost between 150 and 200 euros on average. If we add up the most in each case, you will have to pay about 500 euros per axle to replace the shock absorbers. The least you can spend is about 250 euros.
But your safety and the safety of others should be worth it.
