Steering and Suspension
Gaithersburg
Steering & Suspension Repair
Steering and suspension are closely related: the suspension affects how precisely you can steer and the steering impacts the wear on suspension. When either one of these systems starts misbehaving, you know who to call—General Automotive Servicenter will get to the bottom of the issue.
Your vehicle’s suspension system is an intricate and fine-tuned mechanism that allows you to enjoy a smooth ride even if the roads are far from perfect (and most of Maryland back roads are). It also helps you maintain continuous contact with the road, which is one of the staples of vehicle safety. Interestingly, suspension problems often lead to reduced ability to steer, such as a slipping steering wheel and excessive vehicle bouncing and swaying during turns. If you feel like you are not in control of your car like you used to be, it could mean that either steering or suspension components have worn out or failed. Once you bring your car to the General Automotive Servicenter, our ASE certified mechanics will be able to determine the exact cause and offer you a few solutions.
Here are some of the steering and suspension repair services we perform:
Differential Repair
A differential system in your car helps you complete turns easily by splitting the engine torque between the opposing wheels, making them rotate at different speeds. This allows the inner and outer wheels to complete a turn simultaneously, despite outer wheels having to cover more distance. Depending on the type of your car’s drive, you may have a single front differential, rear differential or both plus a center differential for all-wheel-drive vehicles. Problems with the differential often happen in vehicles with high mileage and may manifest as loud noises, wheel slippage, drag when coasting and trouble turning.
Power Steering Repair
A power steering system makes it easy for you to turn the wheel. This system includes multiple components, such as power steering pump, belt, gear, hoses and fluid that you need to maintain. There are multiple problems that can cause the power steering ability to decline or completely fail. They include things like a leaking power steering pump, fluid reservoir or hoses. You’ll know you have power steering issues if the wheel becomes difficult to turn or you notice a fluid leak underneath the car. No matter the cause, our mechanics can find the problem and fix it, giving you back the power of steering.
Shocks and Struts Replacement
Shock absorbers are typically located in the back wheels, while strut assembly is in the front. Both help smooth your ride and maintain contact between the tires and the ground. Shocks and struts take a beating on a daily basis, especially if you travel on bumpy roads and don’t slow down for uneven pavement. Both shocks and struts typically experience equal wear and need to be replaced in pairs. If you notice that your car becomes unstable, takes a nose dive when braking or sways on turns, it’s probably time to replace your shocks or struts.