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Above: FAG steering and suspension range packaging A dam White, Workshop Solutions Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts, said: “Numerous vehicle systems, including anti-lock braking and traction control, rely on accurate vehicle geometry and precise part fitment to ensure vehicles are operating at their best. Over the last few months, UK-based holidays grew in popularity, and more and more of us are relying on our cars to help us reach our destination. The extra weight of holiday luggage, combined with travelling over bumpy, winding country roads, will have placed additional stress on suspension components. “Technicians should bear this in mind when servicing any vehicle that comes into their garage. Like any rubber components, the springs and struts that make up a suspension system are wear-and-tear parts, and are susceptible to dry rot and small cracks. Typically, these components will need replacing every six to ten years, but a long period of disuse throughout the pandemic, followed by sudden and unusually high strain, will have increased their chances of failure.” The make-up of parts is changing, which has an impact, as Adam observed: “While the fundamental mechanics of steering and suspension have remained consistent for many years, individual parts and components are increasingly developed using lighter materials to improve fuel efficiency, and with much finer tolerances to boost their lifespan. This means that technicians must ensure they have the necessary training and equipment to fit an ever-expanding range of bespoke parts.” He added: “Technicians must also be aware of the ADAS technologies at risk of being disturbed by adjustments to steering and suspension. Any change to a vehicle’s geometry means full recalibration must be conducted before a vehicle leaves the garage, otherwise technicians risk sending cars out onto the road with key safety systems working incorrectly.” For more information, visit: omnipart.eurocarparts.com Upselling Comline’s Senior Business Line Manager Chris Pegg has called on workshops to assess the condition of a vehicle’s steering and suspension components during every service, as doing so could present an upselling opportunity: “The deterioration of the roads in the UK is becoming a bigger issue. We are aware that, despite increases in funding, there are reports and surveys that tell us that’s not enough to cure the pothole problem, not to mention if we experience a severe winter, which compounds the issue further, and while that’s an understandable frustration for the motorist, for workshops it’s a golden upselling opportunity. “A customer may not be aware of any steering and suspension problems. They may not know what signs to look out for, so technicians could seize an opportunity to spend some time in lifting the vehicle up for a closer look. 42 AFTERMARKET NOVEMBER 2021 STEERING AND SUSPENSION www.aftermarketonline.net Steering and suspension systems are safety-critical, but also represent an upselling opportunity GETTING A STEER The customer is likely to be grateful as well because if a technician diagnoses and replaces a split boot, for example, that’ll mean the vehicle will pass that section of the annual MOT.” Fit and forget Comline has two key pieces of advice when it comes to fitting its steering and suspension components. Chris observed: “Use a torque wrench and follow the manufacturer’s specifications. Follow those rules, and technicians should be able to fit and forget, leaving the customer in no doubt they’re leaving the workshop in a vehicle that has been given careful and professional dedication.” He added: “Steering and suspension components shouldn’t be fitted with air tools because they’re not just something that can be cranked up. There are pre- determined torque settings, and that’s why we advise that the parts should always be fitted in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications because there is the potential for component failure.” Comline’s steering ad suspension’s range is forecast to grow by a third in 2021, a topic on which Chris rounded up: “As the size of the range continues to build, so does our customers’ confidence.” For more information, visit: www.comline.uk.com/products/steering-suspension Expansion Another supplier expanding its range in this area is Dayco which has introduced more than 3,300 steering and suspension components, including axle joints, tie rod ends/assemblies and steering boots, as well as track control arms, ball joints, stabilizer links and bushes. Commenting on the new offering, Dayco National Sales Manager Steve Carolan said: “The Dayco kit comes with all the necessary replacement items, which makes life easier for technicians and improves workshop efficiencies. On the subject of efficiency, the accurate identification of the correct replacement part is a vital prerequisite for the successful introduction of any new product line. So, as