Shocks and struts in West Chester

What worn shocks and struts feel like

They wear slowly, so most drivers adapt without noticing. The signs:

• The car keeps bouncing after a bump, or floats at highway speed.
• The nose dives when you brake and the body leans more in a turn.
• A clunk or knock over bumps — often the mount or its bearing rather than the strut itself.
• Oil running down the body of a shock or strut. A light film is normal; wet and dripping is a leak.
• Tires wearing in scallops or cups around the tread.

There is no set mileage. We look at them, and at the tires they wear, in every inspection.

How we replace them

• In pairs, across the axle. One new strut beside one worn one makes the car handle unevenly.
• With the parts around them. The upper mount, the bearing the strut turns on when you steer, the bump stop and the dust boot. Reusing a worn mount is why a "new" strut still knocks.
• The right unit for the car. Many European cars have electronically adjusted dampers. Those are replaced like for like, and the system is checked with a scan tool afterwards.
• Followed by a wheel alignment when the front struts come out — the strut is part of the steering geometry.

Air suspension

We work on the air suspension of Mercedes-Benz (Airmatic), BMW, Audi, Land Rover and Volvo. The usual complaints:

• one corner, or the whole car, sitting low after a night parked;
• the compressor running long and often;
• a "suspension fault" or "vehicle too low" message.

Behind them is a short list of causes: a leaking air spring or air strut, a leaking valve block or line, a ride-height sensor, or a compressor worn out from making up for a leak. That last one matters. A new compressor fitted to a leaking system fails again before long — so we find the leak first, and tell you everything the system needs in one estimate.

Finding the noise

A road test and a look underneath are part of the bumper-to-bumper inspection, free with any service. A clunk, a knock or a noise that has to be tracked down is a diagnosis at a set price, quoted first. Either way you get the findings and an exact estimate for your car before any work.

Shock and strut questions

Do I have to replace all four?

No — in pairs. Both fronts or both rears, whichever are worn.

Do I need an alignment afterwards?

After front struts, yes. After most rear shocks, no. We tell you which applies to your car.

Is it safe to keep driving on a leaking strut?

The car will not fall down, but it takes longer to stop on a rough road, wears its tires quickly and is less stable in a sudden swerve. It is worth doing before the tires pay for it.

Can air suspension be repaired, or does it all get replaced?

Repaired. Each part — a spring, the valve block, the compressor, a sensor — is tested and replaced on its own. We replace what has failed and what the failure damaged.