88 IROC

Looked thru lots of threads on suspension and all i can find is stuff on hard rides. I know it will be a hard ride. My question has to do with over bumps it feels like the car is bottoming out. Almost like a bang. Socks look new but just purchased car and didnt ask previous owner if he changed them. If i try the shock test, push down and see if it goes right back up or bounces, it comes right back up and stops. HOWEVER when i push down i hear a thud. Could this be shocks or springs or possibly both. Does anyone have any recommendations on either product for replacement. Car is for tooling around on weekends, not high performance if that makes a difference on yalls recommendations.
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It almost sounds like your shock is a bit lose. Perhaps the bolts fastening it in place aren't quite tight.

 

Yes.

Front or rear?

I'm guessing (not to say that I'm "right" or anything, just guessing) that this is rears?

Since both are CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP, and you have to do about half the work on the shocks to change the springs, and about 90% of that "work" involves jacking up the car and taking off the wheels, and the OE ones were total crap the day the car first drove out of the assembly plant and have done nothing but go downhill from there, and they're CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP, and besides that don't even cost very much at all, replace em.

I'd suggest Moog CC635 and ANY rear shocks. (except Gabriel) even Monroe. Just REPLACE EM. You won't believe you're even still driving the same car. Inspect the top shock mounts CLOSELY while doing it, make sure they're not broken.

It'd be a TERRIFIC idea to change out the sway bar end links and bushings too, since about ¾ of the work in doing those, is jacking the car up and removing the wheels; and you'll already be to that point doing the other.

 

If i understand you correct sofakindom, i think your telling me it wont cost much to just replace both!!. I think that will be next week. Tnx for the recommendation on the springs. Ill look into the sway bar as well.

 

That's exactly right.

Rear suspension parts for these cars are REALLY CHEEEEEEP; no sense in not having all-new stuff back there. EEEEEZY to change out too.

Sway bar parts are hanging on cards at AZ; or, you can get em from a coupla the board sponsors (check em out), your local speed shop, Summit or Jeg's, etc. Bushings & end links altogether are less than $40 per end of the car.