TD5 rear suspension issue

[Squanderer]

Hi all
first post as a new owner of a 99 TD5 (with ACE and a 2 inch lift and coils at the rear replacing the airbags (previous owner did this)), which has just done an almost 5000km trip out to Innamincka and Flinders etc. I noticed that the vehicle responds very sensitively (bounce/shudder) to any kind of road surface undulation, (and I mean on sealed roads.... :) I believe it is the rear as it doesn't often feed back through the steering and the load in the cargo area used to often develop a sympathetic shaking.

At the risk of being labelled a dunderhead, is the most obvious cause two very worn bushes in the ACE sway bar? that runs across the rear, suspended above 2 ball joints? (I can move the bar around with my hands and there is a dull clunking from the rear when driven over bumps). BUT, I am wondering if it has too stiff rear shocks-it shifts sideways on some bumps as well and bottoms out sometimes.
Naturally I have no idea what kind of shocks it has fitted but they went in new 25000kms ago, but what rear shock is recommended for a 2 inch lift setup?
cheers

[SiddersC]

I would say the worn bushes are a very strong contender, replace them and see if it improves

[joel0407]

BUT, I am wondering if it has too stiff rear shocks-it shifts sideways on some bumps as well and bottoms out sometimes.

I dont know about too stiff and bottoming out?

Maybe the rebound isn't matched to the bound. If on each bump the shock dampening on the bound strock is too soft and the rebound is too hard, the shock will shorten on the bump but the spring wont have the energy to extend the shock before the next bump. With every bump the shock will get shorter until the spring loads up enough to push back against the shock rebound dampening.

As far as I am aware it's bound damping that goes on shocks, not rebound. You can hit big bumps hard and fast and kill shock bound dampening but the rebound has only to contend with spring rate.

I'd be more inclined to think you shocks have had it all together. If they bottom out then the bound damping isn't arresting the energy of the bump. It's alowing the tyre to leave the road after the bump and fly up toward the vehicle before it bounces back down again.


Happy Days.

[Squanderer]

thanks for the advice -I might try some Bilsteins to improve the ride, after the bushes are replaced (and all the other bits that shook to pieces on the roads round Cooper Creek.....)