Thread: How do you tell if shockies are worn?

Originally Posted by twr7cx

My Disco does that. Often at low speeds there is quiet a violent bang noise, but not always, hard to get it to happen when I want it. I still haven't figure out what it is...

My old rangie did this aswell, I found it was the bushes on the top mount of the rear shocks. The eye on the top of the shock kept chewing out a section of the rubber bush, so it would bang whenever it dropped into a pothole.
Something maybe worth checking out.

Cheers,
Bryce

The OME on my disco just got firmer. So bouncing showed nothing. But 80 000ks is time to change them.
Ive also had a shock on the Zook lock solid with its mate having no oil.
I remove both pairs and compare to each other. Any doubt, chuck em out.

I was told recently that one of the best ways to check was to feel how warm / hot they are after driving along a corrugated road.

HOT = working
COLD = rooted!

Personally I think you need to take a balenced view on most of the above suggestions and know your car.

I can tell my rears are about stuffed through regular driving and noting the change, bouncing on each corner and operating temp of the casings.

J

Originally Posted by twr7cx

My Disco does that. Often at low speeds there is quiet a violent bang noise, but not always, hard to get it to happen when I want it. I still haven't figure out what it is...

Lifted on stock length shocks will always bang!

It's the shock piston meeting the end of the housing violently...

If you're lifted you need longer shocks!
If you aren't lifted yet - they are hopelessly worn out!

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Originally Posted by Yorkshire_Jon

I was told recently that one of the best ways to check was to feel how warm / hot they are after driving along a corrugated road.

HOT = working
COLD = rooted!

Personally I think you need to take a balenced view on most of the above suggestions and know your car.

I can tell my rears are about stuffed through regular driving and noting the change, bouncing on each corner and operating temp of the casings.

J

That may show nothing, the performance of a damper over bumps and in pitch, squat and roll are more telling.

I rebuilt some Koni's using a syn fluid, added an insulated thermocouple to the outside of the body and went for a drive down a 30km dirt road at race speeds (ie. as fast as a 300Tdi will go, jumps, sideways on every corner, etc.)
I only had minimal temp rise above ambient, the road just wasn't rough enough and the heat wasn't transfering to the outer tube.
A mono tube damper would have been much warmer.

Basically if you are getting any body float when driving over undulations your dampers have seen better days.
If one or both axles skips or patters when driving fast on a rough road they may be past it