Back to all

Upgrade Shocks for Better Handling in Joliet

October 16, 2016

Many Joliet drivers probably don't think of their shock absorbers as an important safety system; but that's just what shocks and struts are. They're all about ride control – keeping your vehicle tires in contact with the road and managing body motion.

Every time you hit a bump or pothole on a Joliet road, your tire wants to bounce up. The bigger the bump, the higher the bounce. Your shocks or struts push down on the tire to maintain the traction you need to start, stop and turn.

If you've ever ridden in a vehicle with bad shocks, you know how it wallows on corners. The front end dives when you hit the brakes and the rear end squats when you accelerate. It's not only uncomfortable, it is difficult to handle.

You may have heard vehicles described as having “flat cornering." That means that when you take a corner, the body doesn't roll very much. When shocks start to get worn, your vehicle will roll more on corners. The weight of your vehicle's body shifts and tosses your vehicle to the outside of the turn, making it harder to control.

With good shocks, you can turn corners with confidence. When the shocks are bad, the body rolls too much and you need to slow down to maintain the same level of control. When you have to combine brake dive with body roll, you can quickly end up with an unsafe handling situation.

Shocks can break or start to leak, but they usually just wear out. After all, your vehicle shocks will move up and down over 75 million times in 50,000 miles/80,000 km. If you replace shocks at Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield) in Joliet, it will restore your vehicle's original ride control and quality. You can even upgrade shocks and struts if you want better handling or towing capacity on Illinois roads.

Shocks are an important safety system: don't wait until they are completely shot, perhaps risking your safety or damaging other suspension components. At Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield) we can help you with quality shocks and struts as advised in your owner's manual, usually at around 50,000 miles/80,000 km, for a comfortable, safe handling ride in Joliet.

Give us a call.

Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield)
2031 SR 59
Joliet, Illinois 60586
815-436-1829

More articles from Tuffy Joliet

Don?t Skip Out on These! (Vehicle Maintenance Items You Should Never Postpone)

March 15, 2026

Maybe that little sticker on your windshield is giving you the reminder that its time for your vehicle to have an oil change. Youve thought, Aw, I can skip this one and save myself a little money. When it comes to things you should never ignore on your vehicle, timely oil changes are number one... More

Power Steering Pump Replacement

March 8, 2026

When youre driving and you hear a squeal or groan when you turn, it may be a sign your power steering pump is on its last legs. The same is true if you feel your steering is slipping or doesnt respond to your hands like it used to. Precise, responsive steering is, of course, important when it ... More

The Cable Guy (Battery Cables and Maintenance)

March 1, 2026

If you've ever noticed your vehicle's lights are dim or not working at all, the problem could be many things. But one possibility is your battery cables aren't doing their job. A power outage in your vehicle is similar to one in your house and needs to be repaired to get things back to normal. ... More