salimshah

I sat in the rear of my son's 95 SC400 with about 105K miles on it. Gas tank was full and combined weight of 3 ppl would be about 400 lbs and the trunk was empty [other than spare tire].

I felt the ride was harsh.

So later I tried to test out the shocks, the old fashioned way (the one I know).

Checked for leaks around all 4 struts ... Bone dry.

Tried the push down and count the bounce. On rear I could barely push the vehicle down. So I tried pulling the vehicle up from the right rear wheel well ... barely pulled it up by about an 1.5" and on letting go the SC came back to old (or close enough). No bouncing. I did notice the left rear end also go up as I pulled up the right rear (counter to my thought that the other side would go down).

Tried pushing down the front left and could make it go down by an inch ... and again the SC came back to original without going beyond.

I was expecting that when the shocks go bad, the springs are not damped and you get a sustained bounce, but I observe a stiff shocks all around.

The only comparison I can make is with my RX, which does move under force and returns without bounce over-shoots.

Help!

Salim

myway

Normal ride in a sports car is stiff. My porshe912 is very stiff which is why I got the Lexus as my other.

picodroid

When the shocks are actually bad, as in broken, the ride wouldn't get a firmer ride, it'd actually be softer. The shocks help retain the springs at resting level by creating force when the spring tries to expand/compress, but the springs hold all the weight. So when you add more weight, the rest point for the spring is lower, and therefore the suspension has less travel. Had the shocks been bad, with all those people loaded in the back, all the bumps and humps would have sent the rear end undulating up and down.

It sounds like there was just quite a bit of weight on the rear end, compressing the springs resulting in less travel. Less travel due to this will make it feel more stiff. I'm not a mechanic, so I'm not sure if springs can go "bad," but I wouldn't be surprised at the possibility of the springs becoming weakened over time.

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

I've had a squeak recently from my left front Bilstein AK shock. Had a Toyota dealer grease it and it came and went. Now I don't hear it any longer. Funny thing was that there were no drivability symptoms associated. If the noise returns and stays I would assume I need to replace my front shocks.

In general, when you get a much softer ride that rebounds many times over even the slightest bumps it means your shocks have gone bad.

salimshah

So the consensus is that when the shock goes bad

a) it will leak
b) it will travel without resistance

BUT

It will not become incompressible. [we are not talking at extreme end of travel .... bottoming out]

Salim

ArkLaTexSC

I can tell you that old, OEM shocks really suck 20 years later. Mine had apparently recent springs, and when I switched to coils the ride was twice as good.

salimshah

Here is an update:

Replaced all 4. I was expecting rears to be easy, but they gave me a fight. So I used the spring compressor in the wheel well to shorten the length. Front were easy and all I had to do was follow rain or was it rainy's diy.

Ride is now much better.... Just did the initial settling down short run. Will do a test after the torquing things to spec.

When I drilled the old ones before throwing them away (recommended discarding procedure), only one let out gas.

Now SC seems to be standing taller and there is a noticeable gap between the wheels and the body. My son (whos car it is) says it looks like an SUV.

If any one remembers British TV comedy show ... "Are you being served?" when the customer complained that the coat is too long .. they would say "it will ride up with time" ,,,, and I am telling him ... it will settle down with time .

Salim