You may not give much thought to your coil springs, but they are a central element of your vehicle’s suspension. The coil springs absorb jolts from uneven roads and keep your wheels in contact with the road surface. When you consider the huge amount of wear and tear inflicted on your coil springs, it is not surprising that they fail from time to time. In fact, the Vehicle and Operator Services (VOSA) claim that 12% of vehicles fail their MOT test due to suspension faults, including cracked, damaged or fractured coil springs.
Corrosion
Coil springs are plastic coated to protect the wire from the elements, but as the coils continually spring against each other, this coating can become split or damaged. Once the metal is exposed, salt on roads, sandy beaches and rain can accelerate the corrosion. If there has been lots of rain, it has been a particularly cold winter, or you have been lucky enough to drive on sandy (and salty) beaches, it is worth checking your coil springs for corrosion, before they fail.
Fitting In Pairs
There is a temptation, particularly for people repairing their vehicle themselves, to replace only damaged or failed coil springs. This can lead to premature coil spring failure. If both springs aren’t in the same condition, one will take the strain, causing an imbalance. Replacing your springs in pairs will return your vehicle to its original height. Likewise, failure to replace both springs at the same time can lead to risks such as:
- Increased tyre wear – caused by the change in wheel angles.
- Less responsive steering - the altered camber angle induced on one wheel by a sole sagging spring can cause the vehicle to veer to one direction. What’s more, a faulty spring doesn’t distribute the vehicle load around corners, making the vehicle much harder to control around bends.
- Less effective braking – less than perfect coils can lead to reduced friction between the tyres and the road, which can increase your braking distance.
When replacing your coil springs, try to get the best quality possible. Budget coil springs may not be made from such strong steel, or they may not have been heat treated, which can mean that they have internal stresses and damage before they have even been fitted. However, the most expensive coil spring isn’t necessarily the best value; sometimes, you are paying for the brand. Speak to your mechanic about which coil springs perform the best under pressure and get the best that you can afford; when it comes to your safety, you can’t afford to cut corners.
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