Will a brake job alone result in vehicle-designed stopping capabilities?
Will new tires alone deliver vehicle-designed traction?
Probably not. How would you know the condition of a vehicle’s handling and control capabilities without proper testing? An effective road test is critical for evaluating the handling and control capabilities of your customer’s vehicles.
Recommending shocks and struts without evidence isn’t a good idea and doesn’t allow your customers to make an informed decision. The KYB 3-Minute Mile is an industry standard road test that is simple, effective and provides a rating system that is easily understood by your customers.
Step 1.
Plan a test route, use the same test route every time and drive each vehicle the same way, every time.
Step 2.
Drive the vehicle, normal driving, sudden stops and quick lane changes. Drive aggressively, your customers deserve to know how their vehicle will respond in an emergency situation.
Step 3.
Rate the conditions using the KYB Ride Control Conditions Worksheet or the KYB Road Test App.
Step 4.
Perform a vehicle inspection. Worn or failed suspension components, and even low air pressure can cause higher scores. If everything in the suspension and brakes checks out and the score is high, you can conclude worn shocks and struts are the reason for the scores.
Step 5.
Show your customers their vehicle’s score. The KYB Road Test App will automatically generate a score based on your test, or you can review the scores on the worksheet.
To become an expert, we also recommend road testing a few vehicles after shocks and struts have been installed. This will help you quickly understand that older vehicles can still have the designed handling and control the manufacturer intended.