Tips To Identify Suspension Issues in Your Chevrolet Silverado

The Chevrolet Silverado is one of the most popular pickup trucks that is known for its power & advanced features that makes it a real pleasure driving the beast. However, like other pickup trucks, the Silverado is also prone to suspension system issues that might completely bring your pickup to a grinding halt in the middle of the road.

There are several ways you can identify suspension issues in your Chevrolet Silverado before things go out of hand. Here in this article, we will discuss the signs that indicate something is seriously wrong with the suspension of your Silverado.

Irregular Tire Wear

One of the first signs that you are going to come across when driving with a faulty suspension in your Silverado is uneven tire wear. When there are underlying issues in the suspension of your pickup truck it leads to irregular distribution of the weight of your load and this leads to uneven tire wear patterns.

You must inspect your tires for bald spots, cupping, or excessive wear on one side as these signs indicate that you might be having misaligned wheels, damaged suspension components, or worn shocks. Besides that, if you are regular in performing tire rotation & alignment checks then it can help you diagnose faulty suspension components.

Besides that, if you keep on driving your pickup by ignoring the irregular tire wear patterns then it will lead to a drop in the miles per gallon of your vehicle and also affect the handling of your Silverado adversely and this makes it crucial to address the problem quickly as it can hamper your safety & performance.

Too Much Bounce

When you are driving your Chevrolet it must feel very stable, however, if it feels very bouncy or sways excessively during driving then it indicates something is wrong in your pickup truck. Moreover, if the vehicle feels excessively bouncy then it is a clear indication of suspension failure.

Most of the time upon inspection it is seen that worn-out shocks or struts are the root cause of the problem as they are crucial for maintaining stability & absorbing bad road impacts while driving. At times, owners are recommended to perform a bounce test on their Silverado to determine the extent of damage to the shocks & struts.

While performing the bounce test if you find that your truck bounces continuously for two or three times then you need to get in touch with a certified mechanic immediately to help inspect the suspension system of your pickup truck and initiate remedial measures accordingly.

Unusual Noises

Generally, when you are driving your Silverado, you are not going to hear anything unusual other than the roar of the engine. Nevertheless, if you get to hear unusual noise coming from the undercarriage in the form of clunking, squeaking, or knocking sounds then it signifies malfunctioning suspension components in your pickup truck.

These unusual noises gets intensified when you are driving over bumps or uneven terrain and points to problems with certain components like bushings, shocks, or control arms. If you hear only clunking sounds then it points to loose or damaged parts, while squeaking noise indicates there is inadequate lubrication of the suspension components or the bushings have worn-out.

Initially the sounds might not be distinctive but as you pick up miles and the damage worsens, you need to pay attention from where & when the noises come from as this information can help the professional technician detect the source of the problem & fix it accordingly.

Bad Handling & Braking

The way your suspension functions has a tremendous impact on the handling & braking of your Chevrolet Silverado. If you feel instability while cornering or the front end of the vehicle bounces excessively while braking then there are high chances that your suspension system components are malfunctioning.

In fact, the majority of times it is seen that worn shocks, struts, or bushings drastically reduces your vehicle’s ability to maintain proper contact with the road & this increases the stopping distance of your pickup truck and also compromises your safety.

Finally

The above-discussed factors are some of the leading signs associated with failing suspension system in your Chevrolet Silverado. If you some across any of these signs while driving then don’t hesitate to approach a certified auto repair shop to get your suspension diagnosed & fixed immediately.