what noise does the shocks make when they are bad? how will i know if my shocks are bad?

i hear a weard noise when i go over a speed bump in the back (like a thump) i havent heard that last month but it is making that noise now.

 

The old test used to be to bounce a fender up and down a couple of times and see how long it took to come to rest. That really doesn't work very well and you need to know what you are looking for. About the best way is to get under the car and look at the shocks. If you see anything that looks like a dried mark from flowing water they are gone. The most common failure with shocks is a loss of seal that allows the fluid to run out which leaves the stain. My experience is that OEM shocks, even Lexus ones, are just not very good or durable. In prehistory I raced with a team that was GM sponsored and I got to know a lot of tech people. In the late 60s early 70s, GM was paying around 75 cents each for stock shocks. If they lasted a year, you were lucky. Things have improved but not that much.

Now, whether this gets rid of your clunk in the back is anybody's guess. It might, it might not. A good chassis/suspension shop can be worth every penny here if you don't have the expertise or interest in getting more involved.

 

that's a very good point about the suspension. I replaced my wheels last week and I noticed some fluid around the strut towers. I used to wrench on the side and understand how struts work and it seems to me that my struts are probably gone or are going to go even though it passes the bounce test. And because it's a daily driver I wouldn't feel the difference unless the changes were drastic.

 

You know one of the biggest problems is that a lot of people actually like the ride when the shocks are going. It may float more but the ride gets a lot softer. New shocks put that follow the road feel back in and some people actually don't like it. Water dripping around the engine doesn't seem to cause very much staining but the oil that comes out of the shock will hold any dirt that gets in it so it doesn't dry up and go away. Compound that with the fact that most shocks are gas charged nowadays so a leaky seal can allow the gas charge to push the oil out and it is a pretty good giveaway. I am not sure I have seen most any aftermarket shock not outperform OEM shocks for lifetime by a bunch. Just not very sexy as far as mods go, more of a maintenance item.

 

ok, i dont care much about the feeling of the ride, but the aynoing thump i hear over speed bumps? i just can figure it out. i just thought my shocks are goin out. but thanks for your reply.

 

Did you check the end links on the sway bars?

 

yes i did, funny thing thou i sprayed it with wet silicone and it clamed down the noise, but not completely,