The 6 S’s of Suspension Problems: A Trucker’s Guide

When you’re driving heavy loads for long hours on the road, you need a reliable suspension to keep things moving. The suspension — whether that’s a leaf spring, air suspension, or coil spring suspension —is responsible for keeping loads balanced, steering tight, and your rig riding smoothly, no matter how rough the Michigan roads get. But just like anything else, when you put it through its paces, you start to see other issues.

Because we love a good list, we thought it would be helpful to run through six common suspension problems that you don’t want to ignore:

1. Sagging
2. Squeaking
3. Steering Issues
4. Shaking
5. Slamming
6. Skewing

Let’s break them down, one by one.

1. Sagging

For all that your suspension does for your truck, when one side lowers or sags under the load, especially in the rear, it’s a big sign of a compromised suspension. Sagging suspension usually means your truck has worn-out leaf springs or leaking – or deflated – airbags.

Why it matters:

Short version: Safety. A suspension that isn’t level is hard on your truck. An unbalanced load means uneven load distribution, more wear on your tires, alignment issues and stress on your truck’s frame. All of which you could do without.

What to do:

Staying on top of suspension issues will keep your truck running smoothly. Be sure to implement inspection points into both your pre- and post-trip checklists that verify suspension mounts, spring packs, and air lines. If one side consistently rides lower, it’s time to service or replace components before they snap under load.

2. Squeaking

There are some situations when squeaking is ok. Driving down the highway, while your rig squeals and squeaks over every bump or turn us not one of those situations. When you hear annoying squeaking over the rumble of your engine, it’s likely a suspension issue caused by dry bushings, rusted shock mounts, or loose bolts.

Why it matters:

Here’s the thing: squeaks and squeals from your suspension indicate that parts are rubbing that shouldn’t be. If you ignore them, these parts will grind down and eventually result in a component failure.

What to do:

Preventive maintenance is your friend when it comes to greasing those squeaky fittings. More than grease, however, you will want to be sure you have the shop check out the bushings –if they are dry or splitting, they’ll need replacing. Remember: even a little squeak can turn into a big repair.

3. Steering Issues

Is your truck constantly pulling to one side? Or maybe it’s just not responding as quickly when you try to tell it where to go. Either way, any kind of disconnect that you’re feeling between you and your steering components can be an indicator that your suspension geometry is out of whack. Worn tie rod ends or unbalanced axles are often the cause.

Why it matters:

Let’s put it this way: your truck is a beast. And telling it to do something that it doesn’t want to do is exhausting. When you’re struggling with steering, it compromises handling, increases operator fatigue, and speeds up tire wear on steer axles.

What to do:

Need to fix those steering issues and get back in charge behind the wheel? Get an alignment check. Replace worn steering components and inspect the front suspension system. Do this before it becomes a lane drift hazard.

4. Shaking

Unless you’re diesel is actually a freight train crossing a trestle bridge, the cab should not be shaking. So, if you’re noticing that you’ve got excessive vibrations in your truck cab, you’re likely dealing with bad shocks, loose mounts, or some other off-balance suspension parts.

Why it matters:

If you’re wondering why shaking is a big deal, well, it’s because it can turn into a big problem. The more movement that your truck components have, the more they wear out. With shaking, there is added friction, which just means that things are bound to need fixing ahead of schedule –and we’re talking everything from tires to bolts to the visits to the chiropractor to realign your spine. Yes, driver comfort is also part of why shaking is not a good sign..

What to do:

Make sure to have your shock absorbers, spring packs, and hub components checked regularly. Long hours on the road, heavy loads, and uneven surfaces will cause wear on your suspension componentry. Replace any part that does not properly dampen road impacts.

5. Slamming

When the cool kids say they slammed their truck, it’s because they lowered the suspension purposefully for aesthetics. But when your heavy-duty truck absorbs every bump in the road and it feels like a punch in the gut, your suspension needs work. As a truck operator or a fleet manager, it’s important to understand that when you get that slamming sensation from your rig, it’s likely caused by blown shocks, bottomed-out suspension, or collapsed air springs.

Why it matters:

If you have plans to spend any time behind the wheel, you want to do so at least with some semblance of comfort. When your suspension is slamming with every mile, comfort is the last thing you’ll feel. Not to mention, a slamming suspension will impact other systems, too like the transmission, frame, and even the drivetrain.

What to do:

Take your truck to a shop to replace worn-out shocks, inspect the bump stops, and verify that the air suspension is maintaining the proper ride height. Slamming the truck suspension is not a good thing.

6. Skewing

If your trailer isn’t tracking with your truck, you’ve got a problem. Skewing looks like the rear end of your rig crabbing down the road, and misaligned axles, damaged hangers, worn springs, and bushings often cause it.

Why it matters:

When your trailer is skewing, it makes handling unpredictable, shreds tires, and puts stress on driveline components, such as U-joints and differentials.

What to do:

Fixing trailer skewing involves getting your alignment and chassis inspected. Have your mechanic check for shifted suspension mounts, cracked hangers, or any frame damage.  The worst you can do is ignore the problem; skewing can lead to safety violations or breakdowns.

Keep Your Suspension Strong and Safe

When it comes to your truck’s suspension, don’t ignore any of the signs we’ve listed.  Whether it’s a squeak, slam, or sideways skew, your suspension system is trying to warn you that something isn’t working right. At Kleyn Mobile Repair, we bring heavy-duty suspension expertise right to your lot to get your rig back on the road, ready to handle whatever bumps lie ahead.

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