# How do you know if your struts and shocks are shot?



## MrGame (Jun 8, 2005)

My truck feels a little bouncy and every little bump in the road is transferred to the chassis, not in any harsh way, but it feels as if it's almost just riding on springs. Is this just the truck-like ride I should expect or is that a good indication that it's time for new shocks and struts? (in which case i'll go with the Rancho RSX) Also, could that have something to do with the vibration I feel in the steering wheel between 30-40 mph?


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## NPath (Dec 12, 2004)

MrGame said:


> My truck feels a little bouncy and every little bump in the road is transferred to the chassis, not in any harsh way, but it feels as if it's almost just riding on springs. Is this just the truck-like ride I should expect or is that a good indication that it's time for new shocks and struts? (in which case i'll go with the Rancho RSX) Also, could that have something to do with the vibration I feel in the steering wheel between 30-40 mph?


Go to each corner of your truck and push on the bumper several times. After releasing and it only bounces 3 or 4 times, that one is fine. Any more than that, time for a swap. 

One day, I saw a Toyota Tercel driving down a road. I recall on of his tires bouncing up and down almost like dribbling a ball. That was scary especially if he lost control.


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## johnnyhammers (Oct 13, 2005)

If you jump on the bumper and bounce the truck as hard as you can, when you jump off it should bounce only one and one half times. That's once up, once down, and back to center(1/2). 3 or 4 bounces is bad. Unfortunately shocks fade, as opposed to dying all at once, so it can be hard to tell some times. When in doubt, go bounce on as many cars as you can in a parking lot. You'll know it when it feels right. And don't assume that new cars will be right, some of the worst rides in the world are on new cars with new shocks. I replaced my 100,000 mile old factory shocks with new Monroe's. These were the cheapest ones I could get, and they were exactly as bad as the dead ones. Cheap shocks don't work well. Some folks just don't know the difference, and some just don't care. But I do, and I'm still feeling burned by these crappy Monroe's. I guess I should know better than to get the cheapest ones :thumbdwn: 

I say go to the parking lot at work and start bouncing.
:cheers:


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## X-Traction (Dec 21, 2004)

You can push down and then pull up on each corner to see if you can get the car "bouncing" on the suspension. Really good shocks will resist you doing this, and when you let go, as johnnyhammers said, it should come to rest in less than 2 motions. On the road, there should be no rebound after going over a bump. They must have put really good shocks on the '91's, because at over 120,000mi, ours still has the original shocks. We have car that required new shocks and struts at 50,000mi. Of course, the parts didn't cost $300 each like our PF's shocks.


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## thrbek (Oct 27, 2005)

johnnyhammers said:


> If you jump on the bumper and bounce the truck as hard as you can, when you jump off it should bounce only one and one half times. That's once up, once down, and back to center(1/2). 3 or 4 bounces is bad. Unfortunately shocks fade, as opposed to dying all at once, so it can be hard to tell some times. When in doubt, go bounce on as many cars as you can in a parking lot. You'll know it when it feels right. And don't assume that new cars will be right, some of the worst rides in the world are on new cars with new shocks. I replaced my 100,000 mile old factory shocks with new Monroe's. These were the cheapest ones I could get, and they were exactly as bad as the dead ones. Cheap shocks don't work well. Some folks just don't know the difference, and some just don't care. But I do, and I'm still feeling burned by these crappy Monroe's. I guess I should know better than to get the cheapest ones :thumbdwn:
> 
> I say go to the parking lot at work and start bouncing.
> :cheers:



Yeah...I agree. Monroe's SUCK. Be careful about getting Rancho's though...you'll feel every bump in the road. If you didn't have a back problem before buying them...you sure will after you get them. They're good for off-road, but they're pretty harsh for in-town and highway driving.

I've heard Bilstien shock are really good....

-T


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## kinni420 (Jan 9, 2006)

Sometimes the shocks when they go bad they become too stiff or say they get jammed. its hard to get any bounce from them.


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## johnnyhammers (Oct 13, 2005)

kinni420 said:


> Sometimes the shocks when they go bad they become too stiff or say they get jammed. its hard to get any bounce from them.


that sounds more like Broken, than Worn out


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## architectdave (Aug 29, 2005)

MrGame said:


> My truck feels a little bouncy and every little bump in the road is transferred to the chassis, not in any harsh way, but it feels as if it's almost just riding on springs. Is this just the truck-like ride I should expect or is that a good indication that it's time for new shocks and struts? (in which case i'll go with the Rancho RSX) Also, could that have something to do with the vibration I feel in the steering wheel between 30-40 mph?



Well did you shoot them with anything? if you did they are shot for sure.... :cheers:


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