Upgrade Shocks for Better Handling in Livonia
June 20, 2017
Many Livonia drivers probably don't think of their shock absorbers as an important safety system; but that's just what shocks and struts are. They're all about ride control – keeping your vehicle tires in contact with the road and managing body motion.
Every time you hit a bump or pothole on a Livonia road, your tire wants to bounce up. The bigger the bump, the higher the bounce. Your shocks or struts push down on the tire to maintain the traction you need to start, stop and turn.
If you've ever ridden in a vehicle with bad shocks, you know how it wallows on corners. The front end dives when you hit the brakes and the rear end squats when you accelerate. It's not only uncomfortable, it is difficult to handle.
You may have heard vehicles described as having “flat cornering." That means that when you take a corner, the body doesn't roll very much. When shocks start to get worn, your vehicle will roll more on corners. The weight of your vehicle's body shifts and tosses your vehicle to the outside of the turn, making it harder to control.
With good shocks, you can turn corners with confidence. When the shocks are bad, the body rolls too much and you need to slow down to maintain the same level of control. When you have to combine brake dive with body roll, you can quickly end up with an unsafe handling situation.
Shocks can break or start to leak, but they usually just wear out. After all, your vehicle shocks will move up and down over 75 million times in 50,000 miles/80,000 km. If you replace shocks at Elite Tire And Auto Care in Livonia, it will restore your vehicle's original ride control and quality. You can even upgrade shocks and struts if you want better handling or towing capacity on Michigan roads.
Shocks are an important safety system: don't wait until they are completely shot, perhaps risking your safety or damaging other suspension components. At Elite Tire And Auto Care we can help you with quality shocks and struts as advised in your owner's manual, usually at around 50,000 miles/80,000 km, for a comfortable, safe handling ride in Livonia.
Give us a call.
Elite Tire And Auto Care
33729 Plymouth Rd.
Livonia, Michigan 48150
734.427.3100
Need Service?
More articles from Elite Tire & Auto Care

Keep It Smooth: Chassis Lubrication
August 23, 2026
If you have a truck, SUV or older car, chances are your vehicle has grease chassis fittings that need regular maintenance. Having them lubricated can give you a smoother, quieter ride and prevent more expensive repairs down the road. Its especially important on parts that have to move a lot, es... More

Don’t Ignore the Grind
August 16, 2026
Your wheel hub assembly is probably not one of those things on your vehicle you think about very often. In fact, you may not even have even heard of it. But its one of the most important components that keeps your vehicle stable, smooth and safe on the road. The hub assembly houses the wheel b... More

Distributor Cap and Rotor Replacement
August 9, 2026
If your vehicle is newer than the mid 2000s, it likely doesnt have a once-popular ignition system which uses a distributor cap and rotor. But if your vehicle is old enough to have them, its important to make sure they receive regular attention since theyre instrumental to your engine running smo... More
