Winter is tough on shocks, making maintenance all the more important considering the critical role shocks play in truck handling and safety.
According to Monroe’s commercial vehicle division, shocks play a vital role in all three parts of the safety triangle: they help distribute weight over tires to improve handling and steering during turns; they work alongside properly maintained brakes to help stop a truck sooner under certain driving conditions by minimizing weight transfer; and shocks and tires work together to help maximize tire-to-road contact, improving truck stability.
However, when harsh winter weather sets in, shock performance can decline, leading to handling and safety concerns — that is if fleets don’t stay on their toes to ensure that shocks are in good working order.
“Breakdowns during extreme winter weather can not only be costly, but extremely dangerous,” said Larry Clark, senior vice president of product research and development at Bulldog HD. “In winter weather conditions such as snow, the truck’s weight and handling characteristics can dramatically change.
“In addition, icy roads can make driving conditions challenging – quality of roads less than ideal – and adding a greater chance of damage to suspension components, making the truck harder to control and increasing the likelihood of an accident,” Clark continued.
