Suspension & Steering

Controlling Your Vehicle with Suspension and Steering

At Team One Nissan Albertville we understand the importance of keeping your suspension and steering systems in good condition. Suspension and steering systems collaborate to control your vehicle's handling characteristics while absorbing impacts from uneven road surfaces. The suspension supports vehicle weight, maintains tire contact with pavement, and isolates passengers from road irregularities. Steering components convert your wheel input into directional changes through hydraulic or electric assistance systems. Together, these systems determine how your vehicle responds to driver inputs and road conditions. The Nissan Titan and Leaf both depend on precisely engineered suspension and steering to deliver their intended driving dynamics and safety performance.

How These Systems Work in Tandem

Suspension components including springs, dampers, control arms, and bushings allow wheels to move vertically while maintaining proper alignment angles. Steering systems use tie rods, ball joints, and either rack-and-pinion or steering box assemblies to pivot front wheels left and right. Power steering reduces effort through hydraulic pumps or electric motors. Both systems mount to the vehicle's frame through shared attachment points. The suspension geometry influences steering response, while steering inputs create forces the suspension must manage. Proper calibration between these systems ensures predictable handling and comfortable ride quality.

What Causes Suspension and Steering Wear

Continuous load cycles fatigue springs and dampers over time. Rubber bushings harden and crack from age, heat, and chemical exposure. Ball joints and tie rod ends wear from constant articulation under vehicle weight. Impact damage from potholes stresses components beyond normal operating loads. Contamination from road salt accelerates corrosion on metal parts. Insufficient lubrication in serviceable joints causes premature wear. The connection between suspension, steering, and wheels means problems in any one system create abnormal forces that accelerate wear in the others.

Signs That Replacement Is Needed

Uneven tire wear indicates alignment problems from worn suspension or steering components. Clunking sounds over bumps suggest loose connections or failed bushings. Excessive body lean during cornering points to weak springs or worn dampers. Vague steering response or wandering on straight roads indicates worn tie rods or ball joints. Pulling to one side during braking may result from suspension problems affecting brake force distribution. Generic aftermarket suspension and steering components frequently lack the precise engineering specifications of genuine Nissan parts. We stock factory components designed specifically for your vehicle's weight distribution, intended use, and handling characteristics to restore proper geometry, maintain safe operation, and deliver the ride quality and steering response Nissan engineers intended.

Count on Team One Nissan Albertville for all your project needs, plus expert answers to all your parts questions.