Caring for Your Car’s Chassis
The chassis may not be the visible part of your car, but it’s among the most structurally important parts of your vehicle’s construction. After all, the chassis is the frame upon which the rest of the car was built. It provides structural stability and serves as the mounting point for essential parts like the body and engine. Since it’s at the center of so many critical components of your car, consider these tips for keeping your vehicle’s chassis healthy.
Keep Your Car Running Strong: The importance of spring maintenance
Cleaning
When you wash your car, it’s easy to forget about the chassis. However, it’s prone to picking up dirt, mud, grime, and road salt, all of which can lead to rust and speed up your car’s deterioration. To keep it clean and preserve it, be sure to spray the underbody when washing your car. Check your local auto parts store for a chassis cleaning hose nozzle, which allows you to spray the underbody easily.
Inspection
In order to inspect the chassis, your car needs to be up on jacks. Once your vehicle is secured and elevated, check the underbody for signs of rust. If you notice any parts that have corroded to the point of being structurally compromised, it’s time to have that part replaced by a professional. If you’re not comfortable with getting under your vehicle, as a professional to perform an inspection at your next maintenance visit.
Lubrication
Just like your car’s engine, you vehicle’s chassis probably requires regular lubrication. It used to be typical that a chassis lubricant would be applied at every oil change, but many modern cars come with “lifetime lubricated parts.” To see if your car’s chassis needs maintenance, check your owner’s manual. If it does need to be lubricated, be sure to purchase the type of lubricant specified in the manual — mixing lubricants can cause harm to your vehicle.
Want to learn more about maintaining your vehicle? Here are our top tips on how to extend the life of your car.
Kimiko Kidd is a native Daytonian. She graduated from Wright State University with degrees in environmental science and sociology. She loves her trusty old Honda Civic, but dreams of owning a 1974 Ford Falcon XB with a custom paint job and a vintage Kawasaki Z1000. In her free time, Kimiko can be found watercolor-painting, baking muffins, collecting rocks, playing old-school Nintendo games, writing her novel, sewing stuffed animals, and cosplaying as her favorite Mad Max characters. See more articles by Kimiko.