The roads in McHenry County are best described as stretches of lunar landscape. Whether from Richmond to Ringwood, Woodstock to Wonder Lake or McHenry to Johnsburg: winters are rough on roads here in the Midwest but this winter more than most.  The bitter cold forces the concrete and asphalt to contract. Then, the ice and snow moves in to pry the broken surface further apart.

Holes and cracks appear and grow. Traffic expands the damage. And while traffic contributes to the deconstruction of roadways, battered roads deconstruct suspensions, steering and shocks on the cars and trucks above.

Yes, this winter will end, someday. But, already, the roads are in a sorry state. Translation – there are a lot of cars, trucks and SUVs in McHenry County that have equally battered suspensions, shocks and steering parts.

Don’t think things are that bad? Maybe you’ve done most of your driving on the major routes – such as Route 14 in Crystal Lake, Route 120 in McHenry, Route 31 in Richmond or Route 47 in Woodstock. Those are concrete roads, generally more impervious to the effects of winter than their asphalt cousins. But, even concrete roads are showing signs of damage after a winter such as this.

If you want to see some real damage, take a drive down Bull Valley Road or Country Club Road in Bull Valley. The roads are virtually impassable. They’re so bad that, tomorrow, when residents of Bull Valley go to the polls, one issue on the ballot is a referendum for $5 million to fix the roads in town. But, of course, Bull Valley isn’t the only community in McHenry County where the roads have gone to pot over the course of this winter.

Automobile suspensions, shocks and steering parts are designed to absorb the abuse of less-than-perfect roads. The expectation, however, is that the roads are relatively smooth with the occasional pothole. Consistently bitter cold temperatures, along with consistent snowfalls, have done to the roads in one year the kind of damage you might expect in several years.

Here in the Midwest, auto repair shops and auto parts suppliers are familiar with the effects of winter on area roads. Accordingly, they often offer deals to check out your shocks, suspension and steering parts in the spring. While it’s a good idea to take them up on that offer on any given spring, after a winter such as the winter of 2013-14, it’s virtually imperative.

When there is wear and tear on a car’s shocks, suspension and steering parts, it tends to spread. Other related parts begin to show wear, as well. Tires will show signs of increased wear, too. These are good reasons to make sure your suspension, shocks and steering parts are in good order. However, when those parts are severely worn, the risk isn’t just the spread of damage.

When shocks, suspension and steering parts are badly worn they’re potentially dangerous. Imagine going around a bend on Route 14 by Woodstock and a steering link breaks. Will your car swerve into a tree or, worse, into on-coming traffic? Even on a straight road, such as Route 120 in McHenry, if a shock, suspension or steering part breaks, there’s no guarantee you’ll stay in your lane until you can stop the vehicle.

At Performance Unlimited, in Ringwood, they’re offering a 24-point inspection that includes a safety check of the shocks, suspension and steering parts. It also includes a brake check and checks of everything from wiper blades to air-conditioning and heating systems. The 24-point check, a $40 value, is free with a non-discounted oil change.

Denny Norton, the owner of Performance Unlimited, commented that, “whether someone brings their car in to us to look over their shocks, suspension and steering, or whether they bring it in to someone else, I strongly recommend that they have their car checked this spring. After a winter like this, there’s a good chance their car took a few hard knocks.”