Customers ask why we are talking about the suspensions wearing out on their most recent vehicle. Suspensions do wear out faster on newer vehicles. The reason is that in the past your tire went up and down , it would swing on hinges made of metal and could be greased to make them last and last. Newer vehicles use a block of rubber that flexes when the tire goes up and down. Also the rubber is fused to a metal casing, so not only does rubber finally stop flexing and starts to crack and deteriorate but also rust gets between the rubber and the metal casing causing the rubber to separate from the metal. The cracking and separating will actually make the alignment go out of specification. In turn, uneven wear will happen. It’s hard to tell just by driving the car if the mounts are deteriorating. This is why we are so concerned with looking at and reporting the condition of the rubber suspension pieces on every car.

If left too long, handling and gas mileage can be adversely affected as well as being able to pass Vermont State Inspection. So even though the newer style suspension pieces need more attention and replacement they do allow better handling when they are intact. The rubber can absorb vibrations and make for a more enjoyable driving experience.

These rubber mounts are now the norm on new vehicles. Pretty soon we will all have transition to rubber mounts.