Improve the Suspension, Improve the Performance

When it comes to modifying their cars, the engine is the first thing to come to their minds. It is only logical because improving the performance of a vehicle starts with the power the engine makes. What they don’t see is that the suspension is just as important as any part or aspect of the car when you want to modify it.

The suspension system is the component of the car that keeps the vehicle running smoothly while keeping the car planted on the road. A powerful engine is useless if the car is unstable. It may even be dangerous because balance is very important in a car. If the engine puts out huge amount of horsepower, the car will build speed very quickly, and if this happens, the suspension must be able to take the load and keep the car down on the ground even at high speeds. Otherwise, the car can go out of control and crash. Nobody wants that.

A performance shock absorber can come in many forms. There are those that are designed to be used on a racetrack, there are those designed to be used off-road. Wherever they might be applied, these shock absorbers work better than the stock ones, whose purpose is only to dampen the bouncing of the suspension springs. Most performance shock absorbers are adjustable for rebound, damping and preload. Some are gas-filled, others use nitrogen.

An air suspension can take the place of the shock absorbers. These air-filled components are controlled by valves so they can be adjustable like the aftermarket shocks. The only difference is the range of adjustability. Air suspensions, air ride systems, or simply air bags can be height-adjustable over the full stroke or suspension play. Your car can be a high rider to a floor scraper in less than a minute. This suspension system can be used by off-road trucks and street cars.

For load carrying vehicles like pickup trucks, load leveling springs can keep the vehicle on the proper height in order not to compromise handling and control when it is carrying heavy cargo. This translates to better view of the road, and better road holding abilities. The bottom line is that the truck will be safer to use.

Modifying your vehicle’s suspension can be advantageous, handling-wise and safety-wise. They may come at a premium but the tradeoff is better overall safety, and that should never have a price tag.