BMW Shock Absorber and Strut Components
BMWs are famous for their luxurious ride quality and responsive handling. This is achieved through the suspension system which includes shock absorbers and struts.
Uneven tire wear, shaking and bouncing are the typical signs of worn out shocks. They can also affect other suspension components if not replaced properly.
Suspension
The suspension system of a BMW is vital to its performance and handling. It is made up of shocks, struts, springs and sway bars that absorb the bumps, vibrations and rough road conditions that your car experiences on a daily basis. Upgrading the suspension components of your BMW can give you a more comfortable ride and improve its overall performance. However, it is important to do your research and choose the right upgrade components for your car.
Uneven tire wear, a shuddering or shaking sensation when driving and a deep rattling thud when going over a bump are all signs that your BMW’s shock absorbers may be worn out. A broken strut or shock absorber puts more weight on the tires, which causes them to wear out quickly and can even cause the steering wheel to shake.
One of the most common types of BMW front struts is known as the MacPherson strut suspension. This type of strut suspension uses a single strut with a coil spring to connect the wheel to the body. Another popular type of BMW suspension is called a double wishbone suspension, which uses two wishbone-shaped arms to hold the wheel in place.
Strut
A strut is part of your car’s front suspension. A complete strut assembly includes the strut housing, damping unit with a coil spring to support your vehicle’s weight. Struts and shocks are different parts of your car’s ride control system but both play a critical role in your BMW’s handling, performance and comfort.
Unlike shock absorbers, which focus on controlling spring and suspension movement, struts also perform structural support for the vehicle suspension. A strut’s structural role makes it the central link of the front suspension, connecting the steering knuckle to the lower control arm via a lower ball joint. This design, commonly bmw shock absorber known as a MacPherson strut, is used on most vehicles with an independent front suspension.
The strut’s other job is to provide camber adjustment. The front suspension camber angle is the degree of tilt of the wheel centerline relative to the vertical line that passes through the steering axis. The amount of positive or negative camber affects front tire wear, steering effort and stability at high speeds. A BMW with a lowered suspension may have more negative camber to keep the tires from wearing out prematurely.
If your BMW is exhibiting signs of worn shock absorbers, such as a shudder or shaking on rough roads or a deep rattling thudding noise, it’s time to replace them. Replacing worn shocks will make your BMW feel more responsive and improve your ride quality. BLAU offers a wide variety of high-quality BMW shocks from top brands including Bilstein, Sachs and Koni.
Control Arms
The control arms are an essential component of your BMW’s front suspension system. They connect the wheel hub to the chassis of your vehicle, allowing the wheels to move up and down to react to road irregularities like potholes and bumps. One end of the control arm attaches to the chassis via bushings that prevent metal-on-metal contact and limit vibration and noise. The other end connects to the steering knuckle via a ball joint, which allows the front wheels to turn as you drive.
The upper control arm is referred to by BMW as a “double wishbone” front suspension, but it’s actually just a U-shaped steel piece that mounts directly to the inner chassis rail. It also doesn’t feature any camber adjustability, which can be a problem if the arm gets damaged or the chassis needs to be tweaked.
If the lower control arm is bad, you may hear popping noises when driving over road irregularities. Those are a sign of worn-out ball joints or bushings that need to be replaced. Worn control arms can cause your steering to feel clunky and wander, so it’s important to replace bmw shock absorber them before they get too old. Using premium quality replacement parts ensures that the new control arms will last as long as your original ones. They will also help you avoid costly repairs and maintain your safety, comfort, and control.
Shocks
Shock absorbers are a critical part of your suspension system and help you to control your vehicle’s movement for maximum performance. They allow you to drive a stiffer car for increased handling or a softer ride for more comfort.
It is important to have your shocks replaced if you notice that they are wearing out. If you keep driving on worn out shocks it can lead to further damage and wear of other suspension components. It can also reduce your overall vehicle safety as well as the reliability of your BMW.
Customers who choose to replace their BMW shocks are often looking for a more sporty feel to their ride. Our team offers a variety of upgrades including M Performance shocks. This upgrade is designed to improve road holding and precise handling of your BMW.
When a shock absorber starts to wear out it loses its ability to dampen up and down movements. When you go over a bump with a new shock it will compress and rebound once, but with a worn out shock it will compress multiple times creating a spongy feeling to your ride. Eventually this can cause serious wear on other suspension components such as control arms, which is why it is recommended to have your BMW shocks replaced at around 90,000 miles.
