AXLES/SUSPENSION

A vehicle’s axle is comprised of a large bar, usually a steel transaxle or drive shaft, that connects the wheels to the steering system, engine and transmission. Power and torque are transferred from the engine and transmission, respectively, through the axle and to the drive wheels. While some axles are more complex – cars with split-axles, for instance, utilize CV joints to provide independent suspension to each wheel – but they all essentially work to do the same thing: make your car tires spin.

HOW TO KNOW WHEN YOUR AXLE IS IN DISREPAIR

Because axles are essential to your car’s operation, it’s important to keep them working properly, if you see one of the following signs, you can tell that your axle is in disrepair:

• You hear a loud clunk when you put your car into gear.
• You feel vibrations when you operate your car.
• Your vehicle won’t move forward or backward even though it’s running.
• The vehicle may also make sputtering, bumping or clunking sounds.
• The brake pads will begin to shift and become misaligned with the wheels and rotors, and once that happens, you may notice the vehicle skids or slips to a stop.
• The brake seal on an AWD or 4WD vehicle’s driveshaft may shift and begin to leak small amounts of oil.

Suspension is the system of tires, tire air, springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between the two. Suspension systems must support both road holding/handling and ride quality, which are at odds with each other.

But how can you tell if something is wrong with your suspension? Here are some common signs of suspension problems.

• Pulling to one side when driving.
• Feeling every bump.
• One corner sits low.
• Diving, rolling and/or squatting.
• Difficulty when steering.
• Oily shock absorbers.