You can check your suspension yourself in about 10–15 minutes using a bounce test, a wheel-height comparison, and a visual check of your shocks, bushings, and tie rods. Here’s how to do each step, what the results mean, and the warning signs that tell you it’s already time to book an inspection.
It sounds more complicated than it is.
Your springs compress to soak up the impact when you hit a bump. The shock absorbers (or struts, depending on the car) control the rebound — so you settle back down instead of bouncing along the road for the next hundred metres.
And your control arms and linkages hold the wheels in the right position through all of that movement. That’s what keeps your alignment and handling consistent.
Once one of these starts to wear out, the whole system stops doing its job. That’s exactly what the test below is built to catch, before it turns into something more expensive.
At Mark Jackson Automotive, we always believe in safety first.
Check your manual for the correct jack points before lifting the car. Lifting a car in the wrong spot can damage it, and it’s not safe to work under.
Push down hard on each corner of the car.
Bonnet first, then the boot, and let go. On a suspension that’s in good shape, the car settles back down after one bounce. If it keeps bobbing for two or three cycles after you let go, your shocks or struts have had it and aren’t controlling the rebound as they should.
That rebound is what keeps your tyres planted on the road. So a worn shock isn’t just a comfort issue — it affects how well the car handles and stops.
Park on level ground. Measure the distance between the top of each tyre and the guard.
If one side sits more than about 2.5cm lower than the other, you’re probably looking at a sagging spring or a worn component on that side. Springs weaken gradually over years, so it’s easy to miss unless you’re actually measuring. Also, check which side it is — since that’s where you’ll want to focus the rest of the check.
While you’re down there, it’s worth glancing at the tyre on that side too (since uneven ride height often means uneven wear).
Have a look at where each shock or strut mounts to the car, and run your eye over the body of the unit itself.
Any oily film or residue means the seal’s gone. Once that happens, the shock can’t do its job properly anymore — it’s a replacement, not a repair.
Leaks tend to start small and get worse the longer they’re left, so catching one early can save you from a bigger job down the track.
Bushings are the rubber pieces cushioning the joints between your suspension’s metal parts.
Going grey with age is fine. Cracking or tearing isn’t. A cracked bushing means that joint’s no longer cushioned, and you’ll hear it before you feel it — extra noise, a rougher ride.
If one’s torn through or missing entirely, don’t drive on it. Get it looked at first.
Worn tie rod ends feel like vague, sloppy steering — a dead spot where the wheel doesn’t quite respond.
With the car still up, grab each front tyre top and bottom and rock it in and out. Any clunking or looseness points to a worn tie rod end. Back on the ground, take it for a short drive. Pulling to one side, wandering on straight roads, steering that feels loose — all worth getting checked.
Not sure what you’re looking at after all this? Bring it in for a suspension repair on the Gold Coast, and we’ll take a look.
What you noticed | Likely cause | How soon to act |
Bounces more than once or twice | Worn shocks or struts | Book an inspection soon |
One side sits noticeably lower | Sagging or broken spring | Get it checked promptly |
Oily residue on shocks/struts | Fluid seal failure | Needs replacing — don’t delay |
Cracked/torn bushings | Worn suspension bushings | Book now — a missing bushing means stop driving |
Vague or “dead” steering feel | Worn tie rod ends | Get it checked promptly — affects control |
Nose-dives hard under braking | Worn front shocks/springs | Book soon — affects stopping distance |
Even if your test came back clean, keep an eye out for these over time:
Southport and the rest of the Gold Coast aren’t exactly gentle on a car’s suspension.
There’s a speed hump outside just about every shopping centre now. Sometimes two or three before you’ve even left the car park. Every one of them means your suspension compresses and rebounds.
On its own, no drama. Over months and years, it wears bushings and shocks down quicker than most people realise.
Head towards the beach, and it’s a different problem. A lot of the access roads down near the sand aren’t sealed — rutted, uneven, sometimes just packed sand and loose gravel. Every dip sends a jolt through your springs and shocks. Sand also gets into places it shouldn’t, bushings and seals included, which speeds things up even more.
Then there’s the hinterland. Tamborine, Springbrook, the winding roads through the hills — gorgeous to drive, but hard on a car. Tight corners, constant elevation changes, roads that camber and shift your weight side to side. Your suspension’s working overtime just to keep things planted through all of it.
Individually, none of it seems like much. It’s only once you add it all together that the wear really shows. And it’s exactly why the checks above matter more if you’re driving around here than they might somewhere flatter and more built-up.
As a leading mechanic on the Gold Coast, the team at MJ Auto routinely checks for the specific wear and tear caused by local roads.
Quite honestly, these checks will catch the obvious stuff — but they’ve got limits.
Things like precise alignment angles, wear inside the shock valve, or bushings degrading slowly rather than obviously cracked — you’re not going to catch those from a driveway in fifteen minutes.
A proper suspension inspection at Mark Jackson Automotive covers all of that:
If your car failed any part of the test above, or you’re just not sure, book a suspension inspection on the Gold Coast rather than guessing.
Bouncing excessively after bumps, uneven tyre wear, pulling to one side, or a ride that’s noticeably rougher and noisier than it used to be. The test above will catch most of it.
Depends on what’s causing it. A bit of noise from ageing bushings usually isn’t urgent. A bouncy ride, a pull to one side, or a torn bushing is a different story — get that looked at before your next drive.
Team MJ Auto recommends at least once a year as part of a routine service, or more often if you’re regularly on rough or unsealed roads.
Yes. Worn shocks let the car’s weight shift more than it should under braking. That means less even grip and a longer stopping distance.
Yes. The bounce test, ride height comparison, and test drive don’t need a jack at all. You’ll only need to lift it if you want a closer look at the shocks, struts, or bushings, and if you do, use the jack points in your owner’s manual.
Depends on the vehicle and what needs checking, so the easiest way to get a real number is to book one in — book a suspension check with Mark Jackson Automotive, and we’ll give you a clear quote upfront.
