How to test shocks especially fronts?

[bspurloc]

Driving around in a friends Dakota he was noticing a ting ting when we went over bumps truck drives perfectly fine.
He had it in the shop recently and they told him the ting was his front shocks were totally shot no oil in them, however his truck suspension seemed totally fine...

While doing my daughters front brakes I noticed her shocks look completely rusted out and possible the originals (188,000 miles now). When testing the brakes I noticed the same ting ting from the front end hitting some bumps...

How do I test the shocks on this truck? a car you know the shocks are bad instantly especially from the bouncing!
I have noticed her truck has always driven like it is floating so maybe the shocks have been shot for years.

Easy to replace them? they look pretty straight forward loosen top bolt and bottom pinching bolts.

thanks. and man these things need a lot of maintenance!
I need to write everything down on what I replaced on this thing, I recently called advance auto to check some dates when I bought brakes and had them list what I bought in the last year... dude rambling off like 10 things. totally forgot I replaced the cam sensor thing or whatever due to random stalls...

 

[The_Roadie]

The classic test is to bounce up and down on the front bumper and see if the movement damps out after one bounce. It's true the front springs on these things are very stiff because of the weight, but there is no better test than the bounce test. If not done at a stop, then over a speed bump.

Ting-ting noises are often in the anti-sway bar end links or deteriorating bar mount bushings. Or the shock upper mount. Sounds like that shop uses a diagnosguessing process.

I removed my OEM shocks at 9000 miles and replaced them with aftermarket Heavy Duty Bilsteins. World of difference! It's inconceivable that OEM shocks would remain functional after more than 100K miles. It's just they go bad so slowly, and most driver's aren't experienced how to tell the difference, that this neglect happens.

Worn-out shocks can damage tires over time. That's why people shouldn't ignore them.

The front shocks in our platform are a BEAR to change. They hold the spring compressed, so the strut has to be removed from the vehicle and then STRONG spring compressors have to be used, Many owners without the tools or experience find it's too risky (a spring that gets loose or breaks the compressor can KILL!) and pay a shop.

 

[Robbabob]

Since shocks do not actually support the vehicle, you can't know by looking at them. Excessive bounce is one way to know when they're bad, but others will be along with more specific testing procedures.

Good luck!

 

[bspurloc]

The classic test is to bounce up and down on the front bumper and see if the movement damps out after one bounce. It's true the front springs on these things are very stiff because of the weight, but there is no better test than the bounce test. If not done at a stop, then over a speed bump.

Ting-ting noises are often in the anti-sway bar end links or deteriorating bar mount bushings. Or the shock upper mount. Sounds like that shop uses a diagnosguessing process.

I removed my OEM shocks at 9000 miles and replaced them with aftermarket Heavy Duty Bilsteins. World of difference! It's inconceivable that OEM shocks would remain functional after more than 100K miles. It's just they go bad so slowly, and most driver's aren't experienced how to tell the difference, that this neglect happens.

Worn-out shocks can damage tires over time. That's why people shouldn't ignore them.

The front shocks in our platform are a BEAR to change. They hold the spring compressed, so the strut has to be removed from the vehicle and then STRONG spring compressors have to be used, Many owners without the tools or experience find it's too risky (a spring that gets loose or breaks the compressor can KILL!) and pay a shop.

Grrr just great! another thing that I will most likely opt out of doing!
I just had someone replace the upper and lower ball joints never mind the uppers were just done 3 years ago! but all the new ones have grease fittings now.
This truck is turning into a primadonna! hah... I am going to assume the sway bars etc are still ok as the dude who did the ball joints heard the ting ting and said he could not figure out what it was coming from. I havent noticed the truck being bouncy at all especially when I am working on it and into the engine area, being only 5'8" I sometimes get up onto and into the engine area not noticing any issues. but I will try that bounce test.
I guess with the struts compressing the springs it makes it really hard to know since the spring is controlling the height mostly.

 

[Mark20]

I went the shop route to replace the front shocks. I did the rears myself. Spent about 25 minutes on the first then after figuring out several tricks had the other side done in 10 minutes.

 

[IllogicTC]

Sorta-related:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Q1XAgHsz8[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVmYcIB0V-U[/media]

I just typed in car with bad shocks and got both a trail and a voy! I just won the Internet.

 

[bspurloc]

Sorta-related:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Q1XAgHsz8[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVmYcIB0V-U[/media]

I just typed in car with bad shocks and got both a trail and a voy! I just won the Internet.

Haha... I usually check youtube for all things but never bothered for this! it didnt cross my mind!!!
Well Ok her truck is not anything like that so I have to assume they are pretty good! I keep forgetting to check simply because I know from working on the truck and leaning on it hard it is not giving me any signs the shocks are shot like I have noticed over the years!
PLUS I always do heavy braking tests after replacing the brakes which includes stomping on them like this video and high speed off ramp braking... the smell of burning new brakes... oh yeah...
and none of those had any signs the shocks were bad.

 

[bspurloc]

I went the shop route to replace the front shocks. I did the rears myself. Spent about 25 minutes on the first then after figuring out several tricks had the other side done in 10 minutes.

cool. Yeah rears are usually very easy to access and do... as long as you dont have to fight rusted bolts needing to cut them off!

 

[Sparky]

Even on my super duper rustbucket the rear shock bolts were fine.

 

[bspurloc]

Even on my super duper rustbucket the rear shock bolts were fine.

This car seemingly has random severe rust due to Salt Water exposure. So I never know what to expect. I am pretty sure the spare setup holder is rusted severely needing to be saw/drilled. I need to check that out, the costco dude tried to get the tire down and said he couldnt. or maybe he just looked after I warned him it wasnt going to be pleasant and opted to not attempt it.
I did check front and rear shocks, they seem fine on the car but my daughter says it squeaks over bumps etc. I'll have to drive the car and try to hear it as my daughter exagerates severely and or is clueless what she is talking about and embelishes 2 impossible relations into one. aka "My brakes are squealing while I sit at a light." WHAT?!?! The brake pads were low and needed to be changed but sitting at a light? huh? no clue how she puts those 2 together.

 

[limequat]

Not a fan of the bounce test. Spring rates being what they are, add in various bearing/bushing friction, and you'll be lucking to compress the suspension an inch or two.
I think the speed bump / random pot hole is a better indicator.

 

[IllogicTC]

Not a fan of the bounce test. Spring rates being what they are, add in various bearing/bushing friction, and you'll be lucking to compress the suspension an inch or two.
I think the speed bump / random pot hole is a better indicator.

I'd take a speed bump over a random pot hole. At least speed bumps are designed to be run over and have a nice curve to them, pot holes sometimes you can find ones with nasty edges or are much deeper than anticipated.