Softer riding shock? Is there such a thing? My son's 2004S handles like it's on rails but the bumps.....DANG, BANG.........


I guess the shocks could be shot but there's no leakage......

 

How many miles on those struts? Original? They don't have to leak to expire. The most highly recommended struts are KONI FSD.
Currently on sale half price at one of the NAM's listed vendors:
http://www.motoringwerks.com/default.aspx
That's where I got mine and love 'em.

 

I replaced the originals on my 2002 MCS at 66K with Koni FSDs.

 

On second thought. If you're hitting things pretty hard, check the strut towers for mushrooming and shine a light in the top to check the rubber bushings. Two videos on mushrooming towers and bushings are on the below links and you should look in to adding strut tower defender plates. Not the under tower plates shown on the video, the cravenspeed defenders are a lot easier to install. They fit over the tower, not under it.

http://www.motoringwerks.com/p-712-m...defenders.aspx

 

Excellent videos! Thanks!


I went out and checked and definitely have some mushrooming......


I shined a light into the tower and nothing seemed to be broken or cracked.

 

We find the Koni FSDs to ride the best for a car on stock springs.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/koni-fsd-shocks.html

As for mushrooming just replace the mount when you do the shocks.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/oem-fr...rut-mount.html

Then add a set of top mount strut plates to keep it from happening again
https://www.waymotorworks.com/wmw-st...0-r52-r53.html

 

I have mushrooming but I'm not sure why I should care

 

Bilstein B4's are about half the price of the FSD's. I replaced my OEM with the B4's 4K miles ago and they are ok. They are not soft, but take the edge off of the bumps and were a large improvement on blown shocks that I could compress with 3 fingers.

 

...because it causes misalignment and negatively affects handling.

 

HEY! I just spent a gazillion bucks with you folks......

 

I had the oem shocks on my car at 80,000 miles.....it rode really hard, it would almost hurt every time you hit a big bump or pot hole. Put a set of Koni FSD shocks on it...AND went with a set of non-runflat tires....and WOW, soooo much better handling and ride quality. Koni FSD's are great shocks.

 

Sounds like those Koni's are the way to go......


I'm going to try to figure out how old the shocks are.....

 

Between the brands and pricing, I always liked the Bilstein products (which are usually more expensive on other makes).

Bilstein street products have the general perception of being more 'street friendly'. KONIs have the 'image' of racing shocks. KW is popular in Europe. H&R is a common aftermarket supplier of performance suspension products for many brands.

I hope this helps.

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

So...... Where's the link to the Bilsteins?
I'd consider them as I've used there products in the past.

 

I guess I'm going to have to remove them to tell if they're shot.....

 

how many miles on the car? I'm betting the shocks have been changed at least once, because the bolt that's going through the steering knuckle wasn't originally designed to have a nut on the end of it, but they have a tendency to get stuck and snap in the knuckle, so people drill them out and go the nut and bolt route. The nut isn't a problem but it does make me think the shocks have been worked on/changed. I guess the only way to know for sure is to pull one and see how it feels.

 

Ha! I thought that picture might help.
Thanks for looking. The car has 187k on it.

I'd like to pop one of the struts off and check it but, I have no way to handle the spring tension.

Suggestions?

 

The springs are barely compressed when the shock is unloaded. Very little preload on the system. I changed to FSDs (can highly recommend them btw!) and forgot to put a spacer on one of the shocks. Pulled it out and me pushing down on the end of the rattle gun was enough to get the nut on the threads and start.

James

 

OK! Thanks. I think I'll pop one off later today to see how it feels....

 

I just replaced my 131k stock struts with Bilstein B4s and couldn't be happier. Non of my struts were completely blown but there was little to no dampening going on. The Bilstein were a huge improvement!

 

Good eye there racingguy04, most would have missed the nut!!!!!!

 

I took a front and a back shock off. I can move the piston up and down but it does have some resistance. Question is, how much resistance should it have. How can I tell if they're shot or not.?

 

The shock should not easily move in either direction, there should be some good resistance to push or pull, if you are pushing on the shook and it is on the floor it should take some force from you to move it. If it starts out needing little pressure and then some more as you go then the shock is probably done----without checking it I can not tell how to check it other than if the shock is easily moving it is done.

 

It might help if you posted a video of you pushing down on the strut with the bottom on the floor, it may give an indication of how much force you are using.

 

I'll do that unless this answers this question.


I compressed both shocks. The rear didn't rebound at all and the front strut only about 1/2 way.


I always thought they were supposed to come back ALL the way......