• Super-finished chromed piston rod inhibits corrosion and provides a more consistent wear surface.
  
• Piston seal adjusts as it wears to maintain a tight seal between the piston and pressure tube. This minimizes leak paths for a longer, more consistent, product life.
  
• O-ring provides constant pressure to the inner tube and makes the valve less susceptible to dirt, wear, and fatigue leading to longer service life.
  
• Drawn Over Mandrel (DOM) pressure cylinder for a smoother surface and less resistance, resulting in increased service life.
  

It could be time to replace your shocks or struts if, when driving on a flat smooth surface:

• There is directional and steering wheel position instability.
  
• When brakes are applied, the vehicle pulls to the left or right.
  
• You notice worn or loose suspension or steering components.
  
• There is excessive nose dive while braking.
  
• Your vehicle’s rear drops while accelerating.
  
• Your vehicle stance does not return to a neutral position.
  
• The vehicle's steering pulls/drags to the left or right.
  
• There is a strut mount or bearing noise.

It could be time to replace your shocks or struts if, when driving on a surface with bumps and/or dips:

• Your ride is harsh, bumpy or shaky.
  
• Your vehicle bounces excessively.
  
• Your vehicle veers in side winds.
  
• Your vehicle leans or sways while turning.
  
• Your vehicle bounces excessively after hitting a bump.
  
• Your vehicle bottoms out
  Other signs it could be time to replace your shocks or struts include:
  
• If your vehicle’s height seems lower than normal when measured.
  
• If you notice fluid leakage from your vehicle’s shocks or struts.
  
• If your vehicle’s shocks or struts have dented or heavily scratched housings or mounts.

Uneven patches of wear on the edges of your tire can be a sign of weak ride control (shocks or struts). This wear, called cupping, appears as scalloped dips around the surface of the tread.

Your vehicle’s shocks and struts slowly deteriorate over time, though this wear is normally difficult to detect. To maximize your vehicle’s ride comfort and safety, it is recommended to replace your vehicle’s shocks and struts every 80,000 kilometers. Worn shocks and struts can also cause additional wear to other vehicle components. Affected components include:

• Brakes
  
• Tie rods
  
• Ball joints
  
• Tires

To inspect your shocks and struts to gauge wear, check for:

• Leaking oil or wetness along the body of the shock or strut.
  
• Broken mounts, worn or missing bushings.
  
• Broken, damaged, or missing mounting hardware.
  
• Severely dented reservoir tube, bent or scratched piston rod.
  
• Cupped tire wear.
  
• Damaged strut body springs, seats, and bushings.
  
• Defective strut bearing or missing plate.

Occasionally, twin-tube designs are misdiagnosed as defective due to the settling of oil during storage, which causes the shock or strut to seem soft or “dead.”

• Priming a shock will return all oil/gas content to its intended position & ensure proper operation of the unit.
  
• Based on application, not all struts will prime regularly.
  
• To prime a shock or a strut, compress and release the piston rod a few times until the full resistance of the shock returns.

Q: Is there a difference between a shock and a strut?
A: Yes. Shocks and struts perform a similar function but they vary greatly in their design. Struts are an integral part of a vehicle’s suspension system, providing structural support for the vehicle and, as such, are a safety subsystem. Shocks work separately from any structural function, absorbing and damping bumps from the road.

Q: Do gas charged shocks or struts contain oil?
A: Yes. All shocks and struts use hydraulic fluid (oil) to control damping. A gas charged shock or strut uses high-pressure nitrogen gas to reduce oil foaming during high-speed damping, and therefore maintains performance.

Q: Can I check my vehicle’s shocks for wear?
A: Yes. It is possible to do a quick check at home for wear on your vehicle’s shocks or struts. You can look for any physical damage to the shock or strut housing or any leaking – this is especially common on rear units that tend to have stones kicked up by the front wheels. You can also perform a bounce test by taking each corner of the vehicle and pushing down hard. The corner should drop, rise and settle again. If the body continues to move up and down, there’s a good chance your shocks need to be replaced.
Though these home tests can indicate worn shocks or struts, it is also recommended that you take your vehicle to a qualified service technician and let them do a thorough inspection every 12 months or 19,000 kilometers.

Q: Should I have my vehicle aligned after replacing my shocks or struts?
A: Yes. If you are replacing your vehicle’s struts, however, it is not necessary to get your vehicle aligned when replacing your vehicle’s shocks unless there was or is a previous issue.

Q: Do I need different shocks for front, rear, left, or right applications?
A: Yes. It is important to choose the correct shock or strut for your vehicle model and year, as well as for the location in the vehicle.