Rely on Prater's Automotive Repair in Downtown Medina to provide quality care for your vehicle's steering and suspension. Stop by our shop to see how we can help you or call 731-462-7004 for more information. 

Your steering system and suspension system are two separate systems that work in tandem to keep your car under control.

• The suspension system supports the weight of your vehicle, provides a smooth ride and creates stable road control, drivability and handling.

• The steering system provides directional control of your car. In a way, your steering system selects the direction of the suspension system and the car simply follows along as it is riding atop of the suspension system.

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Normal driving and conditions create wear and tear on your suspension and steering systems. All of the components that make up those systems such as struts, shocks, control arm bushings, ball joints, coil springs and steering linkage will wear and weaken over time. This wear creates instability in road handling, excessive tire wear, and loss of ride comfort, steering control and drivability.

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To keep your vehicle running at peak performance, we provide steering and suspension services that include:

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BALL JOINTS
Ball joints are the critical component of the front suspension that connect various links and allow them to move.   Ball joints consist of a ball and socket similar to the hip joint of the human body.  Ball joints of your front suspension provide pivoting movement between the steering knuckles and control arms to provide a safe, smooth ride and allow you to precisely control your vehicle.

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CHASSIS
A chassis is the car's internal framework that supports the body and other parts like the wheels, engine, transmission, driveshaft, differential, and suspension. A weak or damaged chassis will translate to a weak car. To have a strong and properly working vehicle, have your car's chassis checked for defects. At Prater's Automotive Repair, there are experienced undercar service providers who can work on your chassis.

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BUSHING
Bushings are cushions made of rubber, polyurethane or other materials. They're mounted on car suspension and steering joints to absorb road bumps, control the amount of movement in the joints and reduce noise and vibration. When bushings wear, they allow more movement. The driver may feel a shimmy from the front of the vehicle, or hear clunking or rattling noises on rough roads, when turning the wheel or in hard braking. Drivers may also experience poor handling or loose steering. Failure of rear suspension bushings may be harder to detect as they don't involve the steering system and may be less affected by cornering. 

 

SHOCKS
Shocks (or shock absorbers) are mechanical devices designed to smooth out rough roads. The devices do this by converting kinetic energy to another form of energy. Properly working shocks reduce the effect of traveling over rough ground, leading to improved ride quality and vehicle handling. When shocks develop problems, driving on poorly leveled roads becomes unpleasant, and your vehicle may sway when turning. To have your vehicle's shocks diagnosed and repaired, visit Prater's Automotive Repair today.

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STRUTS
Much like a shock absorber (shocks), your car's struts provide a dampening effect as you travel over a road's surface. By absorbing the shock of the road, struts allow passengers to ride in a car without constant and uncomfortable motion. Struts work a bit differently than shocks in that they provide structural support for your car's suspension. This means that struts support your car's weight, unlike shocks which only regulate the speed at which the weight is transferred. Struts usually last around 50,000 or 60,000 miles. This is simply because the damping characteristics of the parts gradually deteriorate over time. Call Prater's Automotive Repair at 731-462-7004 if you have questions about the struts on your car. Our expert technicians will diagnose any problems and help you make an informed decision about repairs.

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TIE RODS

Tie rod ends are a part of the steering system. Tie rods connect the spindle, on which your front wheel is mounted on one end, to the steering gear mechanism on the other end. Whether your car steering design is a rack and pinion system or a steering gear box system, both systems have inner tie rod ends and outer tie rod ends. An outer tie rod end is connected to each front wheel spindle, and an inner tie rod end is connected to the steering rack or steering gear box assembly. As your steering wheel is turned, a shaft connects the steering wheel to a steering gear assembly – either a steering gear box or rack and pinion gear mechanism. This gear box mechanism connects through a series of arms which connects to the tie rod ends. As you steer left or right, the steering gear pushes the steering arms and tie rods left or right respectively.