Apart from maintenance records, how can you tell when you need new struts/shocks? I've heard about pushing down the car at each corner and counting the amount of "bounce". But how many "bounces" do you look for? Also, isn't that method kinda inaccurate? What if the car has aftermarket struts/shocks that are set are stiff/soft?

thanks

 

I don't know what kind of car you have or what kind of suspension setup it has, but on my Trans Am, the tires almost give more than the suspension when you "bounce" on it. Basically, mine will push down and when you let go it will come back up, and that's it. If you have a Formula, Trans Am, Z28, or IROC, any bounce would be too much, in my opinion. As for base models, I'm not sure.

 

yeah i think the key is when pushed down they come right back up..

 

Yeah when you can push the car down and it stays there, thats a sign that you need new shocks/struts. Or if you grab the wheel well and lift and it stays, well you get the idea. I just Put some new shocks and springs on the rear of my car sunday. I used the moog cargo coils, and while it is alot higher its not nearly as bad as peope said it would be, and with my 4th gen rear, it all works out, but let me say it was a HUGE diference. Night and day. those springs and shocks were the originals that came on the car and it now has 120,XXX miles on it. When your shocks are off and you can compress them by hand and they stick....as in they dont push out, they're shot.

 

thanks for the replies! I was just wondering what tips/rule of thumb you guys have, because it's hard to just say, "I have 40,000miles on the car, I THINK it's time for new struts/shocks". I realize that there are A LOT of other factors that comes into play when deciding whether or not you might need new struts/shocks.

 

I don't think so, when your spring is fine, after pushing the car, it will still go back....and faster (I think)

 

When you go down the road and you can feel every little bump in the road and even the slightest little bumps....it's probably time for new struts and/or shocks.

However, a word on replacement shocks .... they're only good for 40,000 miles so I'd say replacing them at 40,000 miles probably isn't a bad idea and if you got lifetime warranty ones then it won't matter!

 

If they leak, they're definitely bad. The 40,000 mile rule is a good one.

Pete

 

if you have to 90* your turns to avoid a nose scrape
if the old freeway is torture to your car
if you get your *** massaged when going down that old dirt road.
if you can actually relate to how a basket ball feels.
if you nose out on driveways
if you can dribble your front end
if you can bottom out goign over the first set of train tracks (usually the best) doing 10mph,

if you said yes to any of these chances are you need new shocks/struts/springs......like me

 

i just changed the struts in the wifes car, when you push them in the should automatically push back out. Well when I pushed heres in they stayed in. Go thing we bought new ones.