Suspension Questions

[Josh913]

Sup guys, I was just wondering what some characteristics are of blown rear shocks/struts...and really bad allignment. I have a problem when my car hits a bump..you can feel the rear slide slightly and it's causing my tires to wear out rediculously fast. I took it to a shop a long time ago and they said my diff. was busted(i think) so I replaced the whole rearend/subframe from a 91(my car is an 88) and still have the same problem.

thanks in advance

Josh

 

[bowsercake]

To check for blown shocks push down really hard on the fenders. If the car bounces or takes more than a split second to settle, you have blown shocks. When mine were really blown the car would bounce 2 maybe 3 times. If your rear is sliding it could be the shocks.

To check for alignment just looking at the wheel can tell you if the camber is really off. Also, see if your steering wheel is straight up when driving straight and check if the car pulls to either side.

I'm not sure if they have them where you live, but Just Tires will check alignments for free.

Anyways, I'm guessing that one of your shocks is blown. The rears are especially easy to replace. good luck!

 

[A-to-the-J]

To check for blown shocks push down really hard on the fenders. If the car bounces or takes more than a split second to settle, you have blown shocks. When mine were really blown the car would bounce 2 maybe 3 times. If your rear is sliding it could be the shocks.

To check for alignment just looking at the wheel can tell you if the camber is really off. Also, see if your steering wheel is straight up when driving straight and check if the car pulls to either side.

I'm not sure if they have them where you live, but Just Tires will check alignments for free.

Anyways, I'm guessing that one of your shocks is blown. The rears are especially easy to replace. good luck!

Front Struts are blown, Rears are fine

 

[Josh913]

I bounced it up and down and seems to stop bouncing as soon as I stop.

Is this still a possible reason for my car to be doing this(blown shocks)?

 

[BorHor]

If you have factory struts i bet they are shot by now.

 

[Josh913]

Yeah, They are factory struts...It's just I wish I could know 100% before I replace them...

 

[fiyota]

Time for an upgrade

 

[CRE]

Does the ride feel "bouncy" when you're driving on roads that aren't perfect, but aren't really bad?

Struts aren't the only thing that can cause what you're experiencing. A bad shock absorber, a loose alignment bolt (that happened to me, took two trips to the shop for them to catch it), bad ball joint, etc.

Bad shocks will typically make the ride feel bouncy, while driving or right at the end of a hard stop.

 

[Josh913]

As far as I can tell it's not really bouncy at all. other than the main problem at hand the car feels pretty stable.

 

[Nick M]

If the car stops bouncing when you stop, there is nothing wrong with the dampers.

We have shocks, not struts. The difference is a strut replaces an upper control arm. Luckily, we have upper and lower arms for best control and alignment when moving.

The purpose of a shock or strut is to dampen spring oscillation. So if you cruise down the road and your car goes up and down, you have no damping effect.

 

[MK3.0dudeman]

sounds like you need a wheel alinement.now about the shocks how is it when you go over bumps??if it hit hard and is not smooth you need new shocks.time for some Suspension mods:naughty:

 

[Josh913]

They do seem kind of rough when I hit bumps, but I could be over reacting. but hitting bumps is the only time my rear end movement is noticeable.

 

[Nick M]

There are several things that can make the rear end move. Even low tire pressure.

The car needs to be examined in person. I would suggest an ASE certified tech who has passed steering and suspension systems. You know, if the tires leave the ground, the action of the tires is not predictable when they land. Well, it is, but since it is very fast and you can not see it, that is the same as unpredictable.

 

[Josh913]

The last shop I took it too..the mechanic was supposed to be ASE certified...idk if he passed suspension systems etc.. but he told me that my diff. was messed up and sliding back and forth...so I swapped it with another and the problem is still there..

 

[Nick M]

I think you are missing something. Meaning information relayed from him. If you told him the rear end was sliding, a worn clutch pack in the diff would do it. But you have described something different here. You are indicating here that the rear slides on uneven road conditions. That has very little to do with the diff, infact, an open diff will act the same way for the most part.

 

[Josh913]

well, I told him what the car was doing..and he drove it himself to see what I was talking about....and that's what he told me.