Channel: The History Channel
Date: Tuesday, 22 October – from 20:30
[repeat: BBC Knowledge – Mon, 28 Oct from 20:00]
Sponsored by the Control Instruments-Automotive brands: Gabriel shock absorbers, Textar brakes, WARN winches, Vision X LED lights and Gabriel Safari HDP 4×4 shocks.
There are eight signs of worn shock absorbers, and in this episode the phenomenon of a bouncy car and the appearance of bald tyre patches are explored, providing you with tips on how to address these problems.
Here are some Guidelines for identifying worn shocks and to make driving safer:
- If your steering wheel vibrates, this is a possible sign that you could have worn shock absorbers. The extra movement of the suspension causes strain on the steering components and suspension.
- Worn shocks absorbers can make your vehicle’s tyres bounce. This in turn can create bald patches on the tyres. Bald patches are dangerous and affect the performance of the tyre.
- Braking with worn shocks can result in your vehicle nose-diving.
- In strong winds it will be more difficult to control your vehicle. Your vehicle will veer in side winds and is especially at risk on bridges, cliffs and narrow roads.
- Your vehicle will not hug the road on bends. This can make the car swerve uncontrollably, and especially at higher speeds.
- Leaking oil is another indicator of a worn shock absorber. If the shock is leaking oil you need to replace the shock immediately because the less oil in the shock, the less resistance there is through the valves.
- On rough road surfaces worn shock absorbers can make the car’s wheels bounce. Worn shocks can also place severe stresses on the wheel bearings and suspension components, not to mention the increased risk of an accident.
- Dented or damaged shocks can be caused by outside forces such as stones. This can lead to the restriction of oil between the inner and outer tubes, resulting in poor performance of the shocks.
About Gabriel:
Gabriel is a division of Control Instruments Automotive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the JSE listed Control Instruments Group. Control Instruments Automotive holds the manufacturing and distribution rights to the Gabriel range of shocks, struts and cartridge products for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Gabriel is now in its 78th year in South Africa. The company manufactures shock absorbers for most vehicles.
Gabriel was originally imported into SA in 1935. During that time, the company has introduced a number of world-first designs that were subsequently manufactured in plants worldwide. It was also the first shock absorber company to advertise on TV.
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