on my 92 Max with 118k miles? How to check it? thanks!

 

Usually, if you are mechanically inclined or have experience with cars, you can tell. Also if your car has a lot of mileage on it and they have never been changed, or if it is sagging or if it feels like a go cart. If they are really bad you can hear them clunking and making noises.

 

a lot mileage? 118k miles is a lot of mileage for 92...

 

Actually it's not bad for a 92 engine considering average mileage is 12-15k a year. But for your suspension, different story.

 

Aren't you supposed to push down on each corner of the car and see if it bounces more than 2 or 3 times? And if so then they need replacement? That's what I read at least.

 

You can check it that way too, but I didn't do that before I changed mine. Mine were just old and I didn't know if they had ever been changed. Also, my suspension just didn't feel right to me.

 

thanks!
but I was told it's very expensive to replace. Do I need to replace just two in the front or both 4? As most of time I am the only one driving this car without any load in the rear...

 

Actually you push down on the car a coiuple of times, and let go. It should stop as you let go and not move up nor down.

If it does, the struts are gone.

You could also decipher the problem if you have a balloon like feel on the highway, lateral movements at high speeds, and a number of other tests.

The first one is usually the easiest.

 

also check the struts to see is the oil is leaking from them that is the best indicator

 

push down once and they should go up and then go back into postion

 

I think you should change the shocks when you can't put up with the reduced handling anymore. If you still think it's OK, then leave it be.

I'm thinking that certain older folk type, you know, the kind who usually drive 10mph under the speed limit and takes corner real slow, might be perfectly fine with very worn shocks. After all, brand new Buicks seem to handle as if their shocks were already worn, yet these people seem to love them anyway.

But if you like taking corner fast, or generally drive fast, you'll know if your shocks are not up to the task anymore.

 

buzzhd--

By your concern, it probably would be best that you changed them. That way, you definitly know that status of your struts. As for the price, they are not expensive at all if you DIY. However, if you elect to take them somewhere else, get ready to pay the piper. As for the milage, 118K for a '92 is great!

Just hope that you don't have a siezed bolt like I do. One of the top bolts on my SE is siezed. When I tried to remove it, it started to round out on me. Now my delimma is to find a way to get this thing off. I may have to have it cut off.

 

i'd just go ahead and put a new suspension on it...might be about $500 or a lil more dependin on what strut/spring combo you go with...or could be a lil less...either way you'll feel the difference....and then when those struts go out, you'll definately know when its time to change them again....when i first installed my tokicos/sprint setup...the ride was a lil bouncy, but the handling was good....after a few months of hittin bumps and a couple of accidents, my suspension is shot and i can tell from how my car bottoms out over bumps!!!

 

thanks again guys! Yeah, I did test them by pushing down on each corner this morning and did notice the movement like down, up and back to the normal position. So they are all fine. I do hear from time to time that noise comes from the left side tire while on the uneven road. If it's not shocks, then what is it?

As regards the mileage there were a lot of locals abt 20 per day. But I was told high mileage with highway driving is far better than this local 118k.

 

Could be strut mounts possibly.

 

If you car does this, that means the shocks are WAY LONG PAST WORN. At 118k, the shocks have been needing changing for along time. Just get some quality KYBs from shox.com. They are good quality stock replacement shocks. If you go aftermarket springs, then Tokicos or Konis are in order.

 

Based on what you guys have said, my car definitely needs new shocks and struts. Whenever I hit a decent size bump at higher speeds, the front end of my car bounces two or three times before it stops.

I'm not looking to spend too much, but which ones do you suggest? I looked on shox.com, and they have the Tokico shocks/struts for $309, and the KYB's for $235. If I bought those, what do you think it would cost me to take my car somewhere to get them installed? - I'm not really a DIY person...

Thanks.

Jeremy

 

If you aren't getting aftermarket springs, then I would think that the KYB's would be just fine. As for the install, it took my mechanic 3 hours to install both front and rear struts / springs.