Despite the publicity brought about by the slump in sales of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles and the surge in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs), Dayco is reminding factors that the changing landscape will have ‘little effect’ on the steering & suspension market.
“Recognising the global shift from traditional internal combustion towards hybrid and electric powertrains, we constantly assess our product portfolio to reflect the needs of the independent service and repair sector,” said Dayco National Sales Manager, Steve Carolan.
“As a result, following the introduction of wheel bearings, Dayco now offers a comprehensive range of more than 3,300 original equipment equivalent steering & suspension components, which include axle joints, tie rod ends/assemblies and steering boots, as well as track control arms, ball joints, stabiliser links and bushes.
“With all the publicity surrounding the growth of EVs, it’s worth remembering the fact that irrespective of the powertrain, all vehicles rely on steering & suspension components to drive smoothly and safely. In addition, due to the generally poor state of the UK’s road network, damage due to potholes, speed humps and aggressive curbs is an ongoing issue, as it’s these parts that generally take the brunt of an impact with any of these obstacles.
“It has long been a Dayco priority to raise awareness of best practice methods when replacing components and although that often comes in the form of advice to installers, we also encourage our immediate customers, the factors, to bang the same drum when they can influence the installer too. Therefore, we’re keen to highlight the importance of replacing steering & suspension components in pairs.
“This is an important safety message, because even though these items wear continuously in normal use, they also wear in unison and although that does gradually affect steering performance and ride quality, it’s obviously not noticeable to the occupants day-to- day. However, if a wishbone or stabiliser, for example, is replaced on just one side of the vehicle, it can have an adverse effect on the vehicle’s handling as, in effect, its geometry has been altered on one side and not the other, which can potentially cause problems.”
