Question 1

When springs need replacing

Accepted Answer

Coil springs carry the car's weight and work with the shock absorbers to form the suspension. Springs are under constant load and, particularly in frost, embrittled springs can suddenly snap. A snapped spring gives a quiet click while driving and the car sits noticeably lower at the broken corner.

New springs significantly extend the useful life of a car. The first sign of a tired spring is the car sitting lower than when new — especially at the rear, where luggage weight adds to the load. Ride also changes: damping feels soft but equally unsettled on uneven roads, and the car bounces more than before.

Uneven ride height (one side of the car lower than the other) is a clear sign of a snapped or heavily tired spring and calls for immediate replacement. Driving safety is markedly reduced — the car can be unpredictable in an emergency.

Question 2

How spring replacement is done

Accepted Answer

On the front axle spring replacement often means dismantling the whole strut — shock absorber, spring and top mount — as a single unit. Work starts with raising the car on a lift, removing the wheel and detaching the strut from its mounting points.

Compressing the spring is done with hydraulic spring compressors. This is the most safety-critical step — a spring contains a huge amount of potential energy and incorrect compression can cause serious injury. Two compressors are used on opposite sides and everything is watched carefully so nothing slips out of place.

The new spring is fitted the right way round (springs are not symmetrical), the compression is released, and the strut is reassembled. At the rear the design is usually simpler — the spring is separate from the shock absorber and can be changed without a compressor. Finally a wheel alignment is carried out, which is always required after spring replacement.

Question 3

Why do springs break?

Accepted Answer

Spring breakage usually comes from metal fatigue — repeated loading cycles create tiny fissures at the spring surface that gradually work deeper into the metal. Road salt accelerates the process considerably because rust amplifies the fissures, and under certain conditions — especially in frost, when the metal is most brittle — a full break occurs under a small load. Breakage usually happens in the first or last coil, because these are both the most stressed and the most exposed to salt-induced corrosion. That's why spring condition is always checked during a service, and critical areas — for instance the spring mounting pan — can be protected with additional coating.

Spring Replacement in Vantaa