How to tell if lowered car shocks gone?

[chiuchimu]

My 2G is lowered with Eibach and Tokico shocks about 4 years ago. Recently, whenever I go over a small bump or a pothole, my drivers side front hits hard - like the sound and feel when you bottom out on a big pothole, but its happening only on one side(left).

I think its my shocks but how to test? The thing is so low and spring so stiff, the usual "count the number of time the wheel bounces" doesn't work.

Any Ideas?

 

[chiuchimu]

Not a single reply?

I thought we had experienced tuners on this forum.WTF

Come on guys! its only five seconds of your time to help someone out.

 

[2GaDSM]

From my experience, when my shocks were bad, my talon was VERY bouncy while driving. It felt basically unstable when I drove it. I had the Eibach pro-kit springs on at that time. Just throwing this out there, but I would check all your front end suspension components, to be more specific, the ball-joints/lateral arms. Good luck finding your problem!

 

[boostedjay32]

Take them out and if you can push them in with your hand they are blown..

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Take them out and if you can push them in with your hand they are blown..

That's nonsense. Just because you can depress a shock absorber by hand does not mean it is blown.

Inspect the shocks for leakage at the seal. Also try the "push test" before you dissasemble anything. If the nose of your car rebounds more than 2 times the chances are your shocks are toast.

 

[chiuchimu]

That's nonsense. Just because you can depress a shock absorber by hand does not mean it is blown.

Inspect the shocks for leakage at the seal. Also try the "push test" before you dissasemble anything. If the nose of your car rebounds more than 2 times the chances are your shocks are toast.

I don't think lowered cars ever bounce from a mere push. But a busted shock usually leaks. I'll look for the leak before I take the thing out.

If I remember correctly, I would have to remove the tie-rods to get the shock assembly out so I'll have to pay $45 for an Alignment just to check. That's one of the main reasons why I'm looking for a way to test without removal.

 

[chiuchimu]

OK. I figured it out.

If your car is lowered, counting bounces won't work. Won't see shock leaks and Test driving it won't give you much of a clue. Chances are, you can't tell any performance difference because the shocks gradually gave out. Having someone else test drive your car isn't much help either since they don't know how your car handled with good shocks.

But I do have a simple test that works: Drive over bumps and potholes.
Note: this tip applies only for lowered cars with stiff suspensions.

with good shocks, you only bottom out on a medium pothole. Bad shocks, it seems to bottom out even on much smaller potholes. The bang you feel and hear when bottoming out is suspension parts hitting frame. A blown out shock sounds/feels virtually the same.

So, go over bumps that are logically to small to cause a bottoming out. If you get that bang( specially if its always from one wheel). It's likely your shocks. One test you can do before shelling out the money is to switch the struts left and right. If the noise now comes from the other side, you got a blown shock.