When you go over a bump, pothole or just a bad bit of road, rather than bouncing around your car, the shock absorbers make sure you stay comfortable. They play a massive role in ensuring you make it around corners and come to a stop. They control the weight transfer of the car and are a critical part of the suspension. 

What is a front shock absorber?

Your shock absorber comes in a long round container with a metal rod sticking out of one end. It is this rod that travels up and down through the shock absorber and manages the travel of the suspension. 

When your car goes around a corner or a wheel encounters a bump in the road, the piston attached to the rod compresses the liquid or gas inside the cylinder. The resistance of the gas or liquid ‘absorbs’ the shock. The pressure then pushes the rod back to its resting place and leaves the car prepared for the next shock. 

How do you know when it is time to replace your front shock absorber?

An easy, at-home way to test your shock absorbers, is to push down hard on a corner of your car. If the car either does not spring back at all or continues to bounce, then it may be time for a new shock absorber on that corner. If you notice your car bounces around or is unstable around corners as well as not absorbing bumps, then those are clear indicators too. If your stopping distance is longer than usual, this can also come from the shock absorbers failing. 

However, all shock absorbers are replaced at the same time as the other. This makes sure the right and left of the car will remain stable. 

What happens during a front shock absorber replacement?

The wheels on your car are loosened and the car is hoisted into the air. The wheels are then removed for each corner that is getting a new absorber and the absorber is unbolted from the suspension and removed. The new absorber is installed and the wheels put back on. The car is then tested to make sure the spring rate is perfect and the car is test driven. 

How much does a front shock absorber cost?

They are a relatively cheap part and not too hard to replace unless the car is high tech or performance orientated. Expect prices to be between $375 to over $1200 for the high end stuff. 

Is driving with a broken front shock absorber unsafe?

They can be very unsafe, they play a massive role in steering, stopping and comfort. Anything that impacts your cars’ ability to get down the road is something that should be sorted as soon as possible. 

You can find a mechanic near me with My Auto Shop