Steering & Suspension Repair in Ottawa

With today’s front-wheel drive vehicles, you will not notice worn components until they have excessive play due to the tendency of front-wheel drive vehicles to turn on acceleration. You will first notice problems during braking or while travelling at high speeds but by then your vehicle is unsafe to drive.

Road Test

A proper road test by a skilled technician is paramount in troubleshooting steering, suspension and tire problems. The vehicle has to be checked while accelerating and braking, checked for memory steering, steering ease of return ability and then a steering linkage check with the steering wheel in the exact position it is when travelling down the road.  If the wheel is turned 2-5 degrees right or left all the play in major suspension components such as ball joints will not be evident on initial inspection.

A second check of the same linkage must be performed with the suspension hanging in the air.  A common problem today is loose stabilizer links that can make terrible clunking noises over small bumps/cracks in the road. Often the links are in close proximity to a tire or a drive shaft boot and once they break off they can destroy a boot or blow a tire. Once they break ( the noise goes away)  excessive body roll will be noticed during cornering then often goes unnoticed by most drivers. Loose ball joints or tie rod ends will wear tires prematurely and left until complete failure often results in accidents as loss of steering or suspension collapse occurs suddenly. Coil springs that hold the weight of the vehicle up can corrode and break over time. Sharp edges protruding from coil springs in Macpherson strut assemblies can puncture tires in seconds and loss of vehicle control occurs.

We install only premium parts from industry-leading manufacturers to ensure your vehicle stays safe after it is repaired. We can adjust the toe in at the front wheels but must sublet 4-wheel alignments.

Contact us for Suspension Repair

If you notice that your car is sitting lower on one side, experiencing excessive bouncing over bumps, or your steering wheel is shaking, it’s time to consider suspension repair in Ottawa. At Jim Dickinson Auto Tech, we specialize in diagnosing and fixing damaged suspension systems to get your vehicle back on the road safely and smoothly. Don’t hesitate to give us a call – we’re here to help!