Steering & Suspension

The steering & suspension systems in your car or truck help you to maintain precise control while…steering & suspension systems

The Car Salon, Tirecraft division is the leading steering and suspension shop in Calgary, AB. You are driving through Calgary, AB. when the steering wheel starts to pull to the left. You straighten out the steering wheel, but it only wants to pull away from you again. Or, maybe you are driving and suddenly you hit a speed bump when your back end bounces repeatedly as you have never felt before. Both of these instances are signs of steering and suspension issues that may plague your car or truck if proper steering and suspension inspections and maintenance get away from you. Our mechanics can catch a steering and suspension problem before it develops into a larger issue that may result in a more costly repair.

A steering and suspension inspection and maintenance service at our location in Calgary, AB. will include an inspection of your car or truck’s shock absorbers and accompany struts, CV joints, boots, and axle, rack, and pinion units, ball joints, bushing, sway bars, tie rods, and wheel bearings.

While it is true that each vehicle has its own suspension system, the basics are nearly the same. Shock absorbers and coil or leaf springs take a bulk of the abuse from the road. The shock absorbers absorb the rebounding vibrations of the springs, though they both aid in control. A conventional suspension system is made up of shock absorbers, coils, control arms, shafts, rods, bushing, and joints. Today’s modern front-wheel drive cars and trucks have a strut suspension system that combines many isolated components of a conventional suspension system into one working unit.

So what are the symptoms you should watch for while driving in Calgary, AB. for a steering and suspension system in need of repairs, replacements, or basic maintenance? Shaky, unsteady and off-center steering are all signs of a likely steering issue. Your car or truck’s shocks, struts or springs may be in need of repair or replacements if you experience excessive bouncing during bumps, intermittent control during breaking and sudden stops, swerving during lane changes and minor maneuvering, diving during quick stops, and sagging in the front or rear of the vehicle. If any of these symptoms are currently plaguing your steering and suspension systems, please do not hesitate another day. Bring your car or truck to our team of experienced mechanics for a steering and suspension inspection and maintenance service. We will locate and quickly repair the issue in your vehicle’s steering or suspension system in order to save you from a more costly repair down the road in Calgary, AB.

Your car or truck’s steering and suspension systems help with bearing the weight of your vehicle. The steering and suspension systems are responsible for maintaining a smooth and controlled ride by keeping your car or truck’s tires on the road. Our mechanics realize the importance of thorough repairs concerning steering and suspension systems. We have been servicing all issues involving shock absorbers replacements, strut replacements, tie rod (outer and inner) replacements, sway link replacements, and ball joint (upper and lower) replacements in Calgary, AB. for years. So call us today to make an appointment to have your car or truck’s steering and suspension examined by a certified mechanic.

Thankfully, power steering is the rule rather than the exception. With the convenience of power steering is the need to maintain it and troubleshoot power steering problems, and the experts at your nearest Tirecraft location can help. The most common power steering system is based upon two primary components: a steering box and a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic power steering pump is driven by a belt that may also drive the air conditioning compressor pump and other engine accessories. Typically, a power steering pump will deliver between 650 and 1,300 pounds of pressure, depending upon the pump configuration. The fluid used is a special solution developed specifically for this application.

When it comes to power steering fluid, check the owner’s manual or look for a servicing tag on the power steering reservoir before adding fluid. New fluid should always be of the type recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Suspension

Shocks and struts help your tires stay in contact with the road as you travel through bumps or dips. If a tire loses contact with the road, you’ll need more room to brake, and you’ll have trouble turning. Worn shocks and struts can also cause other components to wear out prematurely. It’s little surprise that shocks wear out; they move up and down 1,050 times every kilometer on a smooth road. Shocks and struts should typically be replaced in pairs. Consider selecting premium designs to optimize vehicle control and to reduce braking distance. If you carry a lot of cargo or tow a trailer, consider selecting specialty shocks that are designed to respond to different vehicle ride heights.

You are driving to work in Calgary, AB. when suddenly you hit a bump in the road and you…

The Car Salon, Tirecraft provides a ball joint replacement services to Calgary, AB. In Calgary, there are a few symptoms of upper and lower ball joints on the outs. The steering on your car or truck might be unresponsive, or you might feel yourself over-steering. You might even notice your tires pointed at a different angle and, upon closer inspection, discover that the tread on your tires has been wearing down unevenly. Over-steering and uneven tread wear are ball-joint-2the two most important warning signs for upper and lower ball joints tending towards failure in Calgary, AB. Be wary: These warning signs can also be symptoms for other items needing maintenance in your car or truck’s steering and suspension system. But you will never have to worry about a misdiagnosis with our mechanics. We know how to properly diagnose all steering and suspension systems issues, especially issues involving the upper and lower ball joints. We can help prevent you from experiencing a ball joint malfunction on your way home to the office in the morning or during the final stretch of a weekend trip to the beach.

So what exactly is a ball joint anyway? An important part of your vehicle’s suspension system, a ball joint connects the front wheels to the front axle. Like your vehicle’s tie rods, a ball joint is also part of the steering knuckle, which controls the direction of the wheels. The ball joint combines a ball and socket design and must stay lubricated in order to pivot smoothly and consistently. Your car or truck has upper and lower ball joints, and each set combines a ball and socket design. If your car or truck has a strut system, you usually only have two ball joints while a car or truck suspension system without a strut system will have four ball joints. Each ball joint is sealed and already contains the proper amount of lubrication. Sometimes upper and lower ball joints just require more lubrication. Other times, a ball joint will out and must be replaced with the exact size as indicated by manufacturer’s standards or as listed in your owner’s manual. Lost your owner’s manual? Don’t worry. Our facility contains cutting-edge reference resources to help locate the exact size of the ball joint for your car or truck.

So what exactly is a ball joint anyway? An important part of your vehicle’s suspension system, a ball joint connects the front wheels to the front axle. Like your vehicle’s tie rods, a ball joint is also part of the steering knuckle, which controls the direction of the wheels. The ball joint combines a ball and socket design and must stay lubricated in order to pivot smoothly and consistently. Your car or truck has upper and lower ball joints, and each set combines a ball and socket design. If your car or truck has a strut system, you usually only have two ball joints while a car or truck suspension system without a strut system will have four ball joints. Each ball joint is sealed and already contains the proper amount of lubrication. Sometimes upper and lower ball joints just require more lubrication. Other times, a ball joint will out and must be replaced with the exact size as indicated by manufacturer’s standards or as listed in your owner’s manual. Lost your owner’s manual? Don’t worry. Our facility contains cutting-edge reference resources to help locate the exact size of the ball joint for your car or truck.

If you are driving in Calgary, AB. and you begin experiencing steering and handling issues…shock absorbers replace

The Car Salon, Tirecraft provides shock absorbers replacement services to Calgary, AB. In Calgary, there are many signs to be wary of concerning faulty shock absorbers and a needed replacement that will improve the overall performance of your car or truck.

Is your steering vibrating? Does your vehicle bounce more than usual while traversing uneven terrain? Does the nose of your vehicle dip down during breaking or slowing down? Is it taking a greater distance to get your vehicle to come to a complete stop? Is your maneuvering through turns not what it used to be? Are there signs of leakage under your tires? Are your tires wearing unevenly? These are all symptoms of shock absorbers on the outs.

If you ignore any of these warning signs in Calgary, AB you are risking more costly repairs down the road.

Your car or truck’s shock absorbers are charged with the responsibility of cushioning the blows from driving at all ranges of speeds through all types of terrain. Along with the rest of your car or truck’s suspension system, shock absorbers help maintain smooth and controlled rides by keeping all tires on the road. We realize the importance of affordable repairs and replacement services in Calgary, AB. We maintain good working relationships with many manufacturers and aftermarket parts vendors to ensure that you get the right shock absorber for your car or truck at the right price. At our facility, our experienced mechanics do things right the first time to save you from unnecessary repairs down the road. Make an appointment with us for a shock absorber replacement today.

Shock absorbers take a bulk of the abuse from the road in Calgary, AB. The shock absorbers absorb the rebounding vibrations from the suspension springs, which both aid in control. A conventional suspension system is made up of shock absorbers, coils, control arms, shafts, rods, bushing, and joints. Today’s modern front-wheel drive cars and trucks have a strut suspension system that combines many isolated components of a conventional suspension system into one working unit.

The longer you ignore a shock absorber issue, the more you sacrifice braking performance and the more you risk you and your passengers’ safety while driving—not to mention crossing pedestrians and other vehicles on the road. It takes a worn shock absorber two meters more to stop than one performing at maximum efficiency. Each interval for shock absorber replacements will vary from vehicle to vehicle, but a rule of thumb for shock absorber replacement is every six years or between 65,000 and 70,000 km.

The longer you ignore a shock absorber issue, the more you sacrifice braking performance and the more you risk you and your passengers’ safety while driving—not to mention crossing pedestrians and other vehicles on the road. It takes a worn shock absorber two meters more to stop than one performing at maximum efficiency. Each interval for shock absorber replacements will vary from vehicle to vehicle, but a rule of thumb for shock absorber replacement is every six years or between 65,000 and 70,000 km.

For a conventional suspension system, a shock absorber replacement and repair service in Calgary, AB. will include an inspection of the existing shock absorbers, removal of the existing shock absorbers, and an installation of new shock absorbers. Each shock absorber maintenance service will begin and end with a test drive on the road. With the installation of new shock absorbers, you should experience an increase in fuel efficiency, safer maneuverability and control, an increase in driver and passenger comfort, and no more excess wear on your tires.

Your car or truck’s suspension system combines sway bars, sway bar links, shocks, springs and…Sway Link, Replace

The Car Salon, Tirecraft division provides sway link replacement services to Calgary, AB. If the smoothness and control-ability of your ride’s suspension system have been compromised, then come to visit our knowledgeable auto professionals in Calgary, AB. for an inspection. In the event of an issue with your suspension system’s sway bar, you need an experienced mechanic to handle the repair and replacement.

The sway bar is also called an anti-roll bar for the way it reduces vehicle roll and sways while maneuvering through tight turns. As your car or truck drives around corners at any speed, the sway bar transfers the weight of the vehicle to the outside edge of the vehicle to keep all wheels rolling properly over the road. The sway bar is a tube of steel that connects the front and rear suspension systems. The sway bar is just another aspect of your suspension system that absorbs the harsh stress of the road while ensuring all wheels remain on the road in Calgary, AB.

Sway links are what keep the sway bar anchored in place within your vehicle’s suspension system. Each sway link is usually four to six inches in length, though the size will vary from vehicle to vehicle. The sway links are located on each end of the sway bar. When a sway link breaks or goes bad in Calgary, AB. there are a few things that may happen. For one, you will hear rattling noise underneath the wheel with the bad sway link. If the sway link is completely severed or broken, your car or truck will lean heavier to one side during a tight corner maneuver creating imbalance and discomfort to the occupants of the vehicle. When a sway link breaks, a bump or rocky inconsistency in the road will produce a knocking or clicking sound coming from under your vehicle’s suspension system.

A suspension inspection could reveal a loose sway link on your sway bar. A loose sway link means impending failure. Our trained mechanics will replace a loose sway link on the spot. Sway bar bushings also need to be inspected and replaced periodically in Calgary, AB. Loose sway bar bushings can case the sway links to become worn out or even break without warning.

The sway bar and accompanying sway links and bushings are an important part of your vehicle’s suspension system. Without these components working properly—along with shock absorbers, struts, tie rods, and ball joints—your car or truck’s stability on the road is in danger. Proper sway link maintenance will ensure that your car or truck’s sway bar provides the proper amount of anti-roll support during cornering. We provide sway link replacement services in Calgary, AB. to ensure that your sway bar never fails in the middle of a commute. Don’t wait for the first sign of trouble with your sway bar to seek out a sway link replacement. Call us today to make an appointment for a sway link replacement to keep your suspension system operating at maximum efficiency and stability.

If most of your driving takes place on smooth pavement rather than rocky terrain in…

The Car Salon, Tirecraft division is the leading suspension inspection shop in Calgary, AB. You have treated your car or truck well enough that it still rides like a dream. One day, you are driving along through Calgary, AB. and you hear a pop. You continue along, relieved that one of your tires has not flattened out. But the next tiny bump in the road sends your vehicle bouncing up and down. Your vehicle rocks back and forth when you stop and it seems like the suspension on your vehicle has been damaged. While a rock in the road may have damaged your vehicle’s suspension system, it’s also possible that your suspension system was simply worn out

At our facility in Calgary, AB. we pride ourselves on catching suspension issues during routine maintenance to save you on costly repairs down the road. Every routine suspension inspection begins with a test drive of the vehicle so our mechanics can test the vehicle’s bounce and sway while maneuvering through turns and around corners. During a thorough routine suspension inspection, our mechanics will inspect your car or truck’s shock absorbers and accompanying struts, CV joints, boots, and axle, rack, and pinion units, ball joints, bushing, sway bars, tie rods, and wheel bearings.

A shock that is cracked or leaks is a potential suspension issue down the road. In fact, worn shocks are an early indicator of suspension trouble down the road. So if one shock is on its way out, our mechanics will aim to replace all four shock absorbers. Each vehicle has its own suspension system, but the basics are nearly the same. Shock absorbers and coil or leaf springs take a bulk of the abuse from the road. A conventional suspension system is made up of shock absorbers, coils, control arms, shafts, rods, bushing, and joints. Modern front-wheel-drive cars and trucks have a strut suspension system that combines many isolated components of a conventional suspension system into one working unit.

A suspension failure in Calgary, AB. can lead to a serious accident. Our mechanics cannot stress enough the importance of routine suspension inspections. There are various determinants for how quickly your vehicle’s suspension system will gradually over time. If you want to learn more about the intervals between repairs for various items on your vehicle’s suspension system, simply contact one of our knowledgeable mechanics.

Your car or truck’s suspension system is responsible for bearing the weight of your vehicle. If you begin noticing an unusually bumpier ride, then it may be time for a suspension inspection. We have been servicing all issues involving shock absorbers replacements, strut replacements, tie rod (outer and inner) replacements, sway link replacements, and ball joint (upper and lower) replacements in Calgary, AB. for years. Proper suspension maintenance ensures your car or truck’s tires remain on the road for a safe and smooth ride. Suspension inspections are about protecting the safety of yourself, your passengers, and the other drivers on the road. Call today to make an appointment for a suspension inspection so our certified mechanics can help you avoid a mid-trip suspension failure.

In Calgary, AB. uneven tire wear can mean a number of issues plaguing your car or truck….

The Car Salon, Tirecraft division provides tie rod replacement services to Calgary, AB. You are driving to work in Calgary, AB when suddenly you hit a bump in the road. The steering wheel begins to pull to the right. You decide to visit a garage. You relay the symptoms to the mechanic who promptly realigns your wheels. You head back out on the road but the wheel still pulls and now you begin to hear a clicking sound coming from above the wheel well. Looks like you’ll have to make another appointment for a closer inspection.

The Car Salon, Tirecraft division provides tie rod replacement services to Calgary, AB. You are driving to work in Calgary, AB when suddenly you hit a bump in the road. The steering wheel begins to pull to the right. You decide to visit a garage. You relay the symptoms to the mechanic who promptly realigns your wheels. You head back out on the road but the wheel still pulls and now you begin to hear a clicking sound coming from above the wheel well. Looks like you’ll have to make another appointment for a closer inspection.

At our facility in Calgary, AB. our mechanics save you time and trouble. With every routine inspection where your car or truck is lifted off the ground, our mechanics will check your tie rods for wear and tear.

So what exactly is a tie rod anyway? Modern vehicles today use a rack and pinion steering mechanism. A rack and pinion steering mechanism convert steering wheel motion into the motion needed to turn the wheels. Your car or truck’s tie rods are an integral part of the rack and pinion steering. The inner tie rod extends from the steering rack and attaches to the outer tie rod ends, which connect to the steering knuckle. The steering knuckle is what controls the direction of your wheels. When your car or truck switches from front-wheel drive to four-wheel drive or from four-wheel drive to front-wheel drive, the tie rod ends are manipulated and adjusted accordingly. The specifications of your tie rod are so sensitive that even the slightest bump or inconsistency on the road in Calgary, AB. may knock the tie rod off balance.

It’s an easy inspection. Since many models do not have specific intervals for repairs on tie rods, our mechanics prefer to check the tie rod wear while your car is in the air. We want to prevent you from experiencing a tie rod malfunction in the middle of your morning commute or during a weekend trip to the beach.

There are a few symptoms of a bad tie rod that will alert you to possible trouble with your steering and suspension systems down the road. A car or truck with wheels out of alignment may have a bad tie rod. As the outer tie rod fails, the toe changes direction resulting in a car or truck with steering that pulls. A clicking or grinding noise under your front wheels may be a signal for a bad tie rod. The top two symptoms for a bad tie rod, tire wear, and unresponsive steering. Uneven tread wear on tires and over-steering are two important warning signs for a tie rod on the outs in Calgary, AB.

We have been providing tie rod outer and inner replacements in Calgary, AB. for years. There are various determinants for how quickly your vehicle’s suspension system and accompanying components will degrade over time. If you want to learn more about the intervals between repairs for various items on your vehicle’s suspension system, simply contact one of our knowledgeable mechanics.