The shock absorbers in your car help to ensure a good grip on the roads and drastically reduce the impact of road shocks. The shock absorbers are made up of a set of parts, including the shock absorber cups or strut mounts.
They are also called strut mounts or known as a shock head or suspension kit.They are attached to the body of the car, thereby connecting the body to the suspension or shock rod. They consist of a rubber stopper, a ring and a metal part making the junction with the body.
❔ How to tell if the strut mounts are faulty?
Several symptoms can indicate that the strut mounts are damaged:
- Metallic clicks
- Squeaking noise when turning the steering wheel
- Sound of repeated shocks
🔧 How to test a strut mount
Checking that the strut mounts are functioning properly is fairly straightforward. Here's how to test a strut mount in just a few steps:
- Stop the car and pull the handbrake.
- Chock the wheels of your car.
- Tap one of the 4 corners of your car. If after releasing the pressure, the car wobbles several times, it is likely that the strut mounts are not working correctly.
⚙️ Strut mounts and MOT
The shock absorbers ensure that your car has a good grip on the road. If the strut mounts are severely damaged, it could be considered as a major failure during the MOT and you may need to go through a second inspection.
📅 When to change the strut mounts?
You will need to replace your car's strut mounts on a regular basis. In general, the change should be done in pairs and every 100,000 km.
💸 Price of changing the strut mounts
Typically, changing a pair of strut Mounts doesn’t take more than an hour. The price of changing the cups will generally cost between £85 and £250, depending on the quality of the parts, as well as the hourly rate of the garage.
