What do shock absorbers actually do?
Shock absorbers are one of those parts people don’t think about, until the ride starts feeling rough or a mate tells them their car looks bouncy from behind. Basically, shocks help keep your tyres glued to the road (whether that’s Te Rapa Straight or the bumps down Avalon Drive). When you go over potholes in Nawton or bounce through Cambridge’s speed bumps, the shocks soak up all that impact. So you get a less rattly ride, plus better control when stopping or cornering.
They’re not just about comfort, either; it’s about safety. Without good, working shock absorbers, your car could start bouncing around, mess up your braking, or chew through tyres. They use hydraulic or mechanical guts to turn all those bumps into harmless heat—that’s how they keep everything feeling smoother.
Learn more about how the shock absorbers work
Do you really need to replace shock absorbers? Yep!
Some folks reckon you can ignore knackered shocks because the car will still drive—sort of. But from what we see in the workshop on a regular day (Subarus from Morrinsville, Honda CR-Vs from Raglan, the odd Peugeot 308 from Te Kowhai), it’s not worth it. Dodgy shocks can ruin the whole driving experience. If you run them too long, you’ll end up with other issues: uneven tyre wear, rougher rides, and sometimes those nasty surprises at WOF time. Car service in Hamilton gets pricier when you’re replacing tyres early or messing up your suspension.
Plus, if you cart the family round or have kids doing laps between Te Awamutu and Hamilton East, you want that car stable and safe.
How long do shock absorbers last—really?
Depends! If you’re just local, running errands across Hamilton or commuting along SH1 from Taupiri, and the roads aren’t too punishing, you might squeeze 50,000 kms, maybe more. That said, our workshop sees all sorts—Mazda Axelas that get hammered on Whitiora’s potholes, or Toyota Estimas from Chartwell that get used like vans every day. The harder you drive it, or if you’re always hitting potholes, kerbs, or those massive speed bumps in Rototuna, shocks won’t last as long.
And if your tyres are a bit flat or you forget to rotate them, that puts extra pressure on the shocks too.
- Hamilton’s rougher roads or roadworks (just think about new subdivisions in Flagstaff).
- Zooming too fast over railway crossings near Frankton.
- Daily stop-starts, especially school runs around Hillcrest.
How do you know your shocks are stuffed?
- Tyres copping it unevenly: If the shockies are tired, tyres wear weird. You’ll see bald patches or lumps.
- Whole car’s vibrating: You get that steering wheel flutter, especially up at motorway speeds.
- Braking’s weird: Nose-diving, swaying, the car tilts when you hit the picks—big sign the shocks aren’t controlling the load shift.
- Leaks around the shockies: If you see oily spots near the wheels, that’s a leaking shock—you’ll want to sort it.
- Worn bushes: Sometimes you’ll hear knocks or creaks, especially on rougher roads like out towards Tamahere. That’s the rubber bushes giving out.
If you spot any of this, don’t risk it—it’ll fail your next WOF for sure. And it’s just not as safe.
Need to sort your shock absorbers in Hamilton?
If things are feeling rough, or you’ve noticed any of that funny business above, flick us a call or pop by. We do heaps of shock absorber replacements—everything from hybrid Nissan Note hatchbacks up to big Euro estates like the Skoda Superb. Our team knows what to look for and can fix shocks for any make, model, or year.
Whether you’re coming from Matangi, Dinsdale, or down from Horotiu, Grimmer Motors has got your back. We’ll get you sorted, quick as.