How are suspension system issues diagnosed?
Suspension components are typically diagnosed by listening for noises, feeling vibration, or noticing instability, noting when these conditions occur, and then using this information for a guided search for the culprit. In general, suspension components fail by allowing excess movement, making noise at the bushings, or by bending or breaking. All of these are found by visually inspecting, making comparisons from side to side, manually moving parts, and placing pressure at strategic locations in order to measure movement. When parts are found to be bent, broken, leaking lubrication, cracking, deteriorating, or loose, they will be diagnosed as faulty in most cases.