Shock replacement ?

[Toyboy]

I've just been reading about a fellow asking for advice on replacing shocks on his 2002 GMC truck and it got me thinking. What are the signs that tell you it's time to replace them? I have a '05 Z-71 Chevy w/60k and had been thinking about getting new shocks. I don't know if I need them but don't know for sure that I'm not ready for them either. Any insight on this?

 

[puckgrinder85]

Well, being a tech i replaced mine recently as I felt mine could make the truck handle a little better, which it did for me. My stock ones were not flat out junk but i felt an improvement. Usually on a truck you can fell the rear bounce badly under bumps and uneven wear on the front tires. I wouldnt think you'd need them at your mileage and age but take a look at them, if any are leaking oil you may as well do them. Ive seen some last to 100k easily without wear issues on the tires or ill handling, its a case by case scenario. In our roadrace bikes we change our fork/ shock oils 3-4 times per year because we can feel that difference on the track.

ps- my truck is a 05 with around 60k as well. If you can wait a year monroe has a deal every year call shocktober, buy 3 get one free. Saves about 80$ on your truck for one of the shocks. Look it up under google.

 

[Licklog]

I have an '02 GMC Sonomo 4wd with 106,000 mi and a '02 Ford Explorer XLT 4wd with 116,000 mi. No shock issues with either of them yet. They corner well and no bouncing over bumps.

 

[Gary Fowler]

The way I have always judged shock quality is by bouncing the car by pushing down on each fender in order. If it does not stop bouncing within 2 cycles it is time to replace. When you quit pushing down on it, it should stop moving by the time it goes down and back up one time. Does that make sense, kind of hard to explain.

 

[Toyboy]

I know what you saying, thats the way we did it in the old days. I didn't know if that was still a valid way with the new shocks of today.

 

[puckgrinder85]

I know what you saying, thats the way we did it in the old days. I didn't know if that was still a valid way with the new shocks of today.

Well its some sort of test. Its really dependant on the car though, the tires, etc. I've worked on cars with the shocks totally clapped out, handled like total ****, but the tires wore perfect.. The next week you'd get a car with the rear tires that looked like someone took a 4 inch angle grinder diagnally across the tread every 5-6 inches aroudn the tire but the shocks felt ok.