The rainy season has arrived and roads around Chennai are a bit meh right now. Seriously, riding around town is a bit like getting down a staircase with roller skates on.
Frankly, it is that appalling. This means extra care must be given to your motorised vehicle and especially to the… (this is where you guess the part) nope, you are wrong. It is the suspension. Yup, the very part that allows for smooth travel on battered city roads.
Now you might ask what there is to look after. Mind you, there is a lot.
But first, a quick lesson on what a suspension is. The basic suspension parts comprise a spring and damper. They help with compression and rebound, i.e, the rate at which the wheel comes in and gets out of the wheel arches.
With that sorted out, the first thing to do in order to take good care of the vehicle is to avoid driving crazily. Slowing down for speed-breakers and potholes will make your suspension last longer.
Also, if you plan on taking four people on a two-wheeler, remind yourself that there is something called a car or an auto for that purpose.
The next is to make sure that there are no leaks in the suspension arm. If there is, make sure it is sorted out.
A mild fix such as replacing the oil seal or bearings, in time, would prevent a huge headache accompanied by a drained wallet from happening. I say this because suspension parts are expensive, more so after the goods and service tax was implemented. How ironical is that? I know.
If there is such a calamity, do not worry. Just call for a pick-up vehicle and get your vehicle to a nearby dealer. Get the suspension replaced and if you have warranty it would not cost you a paisa, sorry rupee. The paisa was last seen when vegetables were not branded organic so that they can be sold for much higher rates.
If like many people you believe a trip to your dealer will bankrupt you, like Greeks accountants did to their country, never mind for there are mechanic sheds.
But if at all you think the local mechanic will save you money, then he must be using used parts or cheap ones that are not up to the job.
When it comes to safety, nothing should be compromised. If you are a person who likes to get his hands full of grease, then you can choose to replace the failed part yourself at home. It won’t cost much and there are plenty of videos on the web to help you out step by step.
And one more thing, wear gloves and keep your hands clean while working on your vehicle. We can drink milk directly from a cow but we do not, do we!? We prefer pasteurised milk. Get a move on!