How Often Do You Have To Change The Shock Absorbers?

Shock absorbers are essential elements of the suspension system. Along with the tires, these vehicle parts are critical to maintaining road safety. Therefore, it is important to know well their maintenance and when it is necessary to change the shock absorbers to ensure their correct operation.

First of all, it must be taken into account that, in a normal journey with the car, the shock absorbers compress between 5,000 and 7,000 times per minute.

Therefore, these elements are strongly exposed to fatigue loads. This fatigue phenomenon is one of the main dangers of any mechanical element, which is why shock absorbers are carefully designed by manufacturers to have a certain useful life.

After approximately four years or after traveling 60,000 km, the shock absorbers will have compressed about 420 million times. At this time it is convenient to review them to make sure if they are near their useful life limit, in which case they will have to be replaced with new ones.

Shock absorber functions

These elements fulfill five main functions:

1. They support the load of the vehicle.
2. They absorb the irregularities of the terrain, which allows to offer a greater degree of comfort to the travelers.
3. They allow the driver to have greater control over the direction of the vehicle and better cornering.
4. They maintain the alignment of the wheels. This makes it possible to offer a good level of adherence to the ground, in addition to influencing the stability of the vehicle and its braking.
5. They allow the vehicle to be kept at an optimal height. When the shock absorbers are damaged, the height of the vehicle is lowered.

Check the condition of the shock absorbers

Anyone can do a small home inspection to check the good condition of the vehicle’s shock absorbers. This will avoid future and costly breakdowns, in addition to saving a visit to the workshop. As essential elements in safety, ensuring that these elements are in good condition will be as important as maintaining good pressure on the wheels.

A first check is based on exerting a strong pressure towards the ground from any point of the car. If the body lowers and rises gently again, it means that the shock absorbers are in good condition.

In the event that this does not happen, it is advisable to go to a workshop. There they will be able to use machines that check the state of the suspension. In addition, it is important to note that a car that passes the ITV exam does not have to have the shock absorbers in perfect condition.

When to change the shock absorbers?

The deterioration of these elements will depend on the model of the vehicle, the frequency with which the car is used and the type of driving. However, generally speaking, there are a few tips to follow to ensure that the vehicle’s suspension is in good condition:

1. It is advisable to check the condition of the shock absorbers every 20,000 km.
2. When performing any inspection on the vehicle, it never hurts to check the elements of the suspension system.
3. Make sure there are no oil leaks. In the event of leaks, it will be essential to replace or repair the shock absorbers.
4. As a general rule, it is recommended to change them every five years or every 60,000 km traveled.
5. If you regularly drive off-road or subject the vehicle to heavy weights, it is best to check the shock absorbers more frequently than normal.

Shock absorber types

There are several types of shock absorbers, whose operation or response when driving is different. The most used are the telescopic hydraulic type. This technology offers a damping force that increases in parallel with the speed.

Hydraulic shock absorbers are made up of a cylinder with oil and a piston. On this piston there is a set of valves that allow the oil to pass from one side of the system to the other.

Among the hydraulic shock absorbers can be found the double tube, which are the most used. These may or may not be pressurized, depending on whether or not they have a gas inside that improves performance and stability.

On the other hand, there are monotube hydraulics, widely used in sports vehicles. They are made up of two main chambers, one with oil and the other with gas. Among them is the piston.

In short, they are elements of great importance in terms of vehicle control and road safety. Therefore, it is essential to regularly check their good condition and replace them whenever necessary.