A trademan's life

All vehicles rely heavily on the suspension system to absorb impact on the road and dissipate the shock quickly without affecting the car's movements. This helps improve the car's ride and handling. For larger cars such as trucks and trailers, the suspension system is usually under greater stress due to the weight of the vehicle, the weight of loaded cargo and heavy use on the road. The effects of a bad suspension system can therefore have adverse effects. Read on to learn what happens when your suspension system is damaged.  

Worn wheels and damaged rims

With little or no cushioning between your wheels and the total load, your wheels will be under immense pressure whether you're driving the truck or not. This weight from your truck and its cargo will accelerate the wear if your wheel and rims. If moving on rough patches of road where there might be potholes or steep bumps, your wheels will get severe knocks that may lead to cracking or breaking of the rims. The effect of this damage will mostly be based on the weight you have, how far you travel and the degree of wear on your suspension.

Poor speeds due to reduced traction

With trucks, trailers and other heavy commercial vehicles, observing strict timelines is important for business. However, poor suspension offers poor traction when the vehicle is moving. This is because the wheels do not get sufficient contact with the road at all times. A lot of power is lost due to lack of a firm grip on the road.

This reduced traction slows down your movements due to the reduced tyre-road contact. This forces you to also overcompensate on the gas pedal especially in uphill sections of the road. As a result, your truck also consumes more fuel in the process with little performance to show for it.

Poor handling and load balance

However, the most worrisome drawback of a poor suspension system is poor handling. Your truck will be at a risk of losing control anytime you hit rough patches of road. The failing suspension will also cause imbalanced weight distribution. This will tend to pull your truck to one side and make cornering quite trickier than usual. Taking corners will also require more deceleration to reduce chances of rolling and tipping over. If yours is a pick-up truck, attempting off-road driving in such a state will be extremely precarious.

For these reasons, it's highly advisable to seek suspension repairs immediately your heavy vehicle shows signs of wear or damage. Local experts such as Complete Laser Alignment Service can check everything from chassis brackets and shock absorbers to air bag replacements to ensure a smoother, safer ride for the rest of your trip.