Cold weather is notorious for having negative effects on vehicles’ performance. As the weather drops, drivers must compensate for the decline of road conditions and vamp up their vehicle to protect it from the cold. Cold weather impacts many vehicle functions, including suspensions. Explore how cold temperatures affect your suspension to best prepare your car for winter.
Why Is Suspension Important?
Suspension smooths out your vehicle’s ride and gives the driver control. A suspension system is composed of a chassis, springs, shock absorbers, struts, and anti-sway bars. Each of these components work to evenly distribute weight and energy in a vehicle.
The aspects of a suspension system function to absorb excess energy bounding from the road and shift wheel movement. A quality suspension system is the key to safe driving; it stabilizes your car on the road and minimizes road conditions’ impact on your vehicle.
How Do Cold Temperatures Affect Suspension?
It’s no secret that harsh weather has unfavorable effects on cars. Road conditions worsen with cold temperatures, too, creating yet another winter obstacle. Potholes, cracks, and other road imperfections are aggravated with temperature drops and increased precipitation.
The undercarriage of your vehicle takes an especially harsh beating in winter. Salty, snowy roads cause metal suspension systems to corrode, compromising the car’s safety. Though suspension systems are designed to tolerate high impact, winter conditions can be quite strenuous.
- Low temperatures cause springs to get hard and brittle, affecting control over body roll.
- Suspension’s rubber bushings absorb road bumps and help control movement of the vehicle. As they get harder in cold weather, they lose some functionality.
- Cold oil resists necessary flow to shock absorbers. This decreases your suspension’s ability to absorb road energy, resulting in noticeably stiffer shocks while driving.
How Should I Protect My Car’s Suspension?
Once you understand how cold temperatures affect your suspension, you’re probably curious as to how you can protect it. Driving over occasional potholes is inevitable in winter, but there are strategies to best prevent suspension corrosion. The most noted approach to avoid corrosion is to regularly clean your vehicle. Remove excess road contaminants from your vehicle’s undercarriage by getting it routinely washed. An effective wash improves cars’ curb appeal, and also protects it from deterioration.
AM Off-road has the best vehicle accessories to protect your car this winter. From Jeep Wrangler body armor to light guards and covers, we offer add-ons that’ll enhance your car’s appearance and performance.