How do you know when the shocks on your car are dying?

[fuzzybabybunny]

Just today, I noticed that the front underside of my car started making creaking noises every time it accelerates from a standstill and every time it hits a bump, even kind of a small one. It's hard to explain the noise.... kinda like the creaking that one will get after not driving the car for months and when you do drive it, it gives a creak as the wheels spin for the first time in months. Could this kind of noise be coming from the shocks? Or could it be something else?

It's got 99,750 miles on it, and I bought it when it had 60,000 on it. Not sure if it has ever had its shocks replaced, but I do know that they've been bottomed out more than a few times while catching air and driving fast through dirt bike courses. The latter two were done 5 years ago though.

2000 Toyota Echo.

 

[Lonyo]

No idea. I apparently needed both my rear shocks replacing (was done last week), but I don't notice any difference between before they were replaced and now.

 

[swtethan]

lol, change suspension

 

[Minjin]

Most people are driving around on shocks/struts that are worn out or shot. They've gotten used to how their car feels because its happened gradually. People SHOULD be able to tell when the shocks/struts are replaced (I think its a profound difference) but the fact is, most won't. If your shocks are making noises, they were probably shot 20k miles ago.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: Minjin
Most people are driving around on shocks/struts that are worn out or shot. They've gotten used to how their car feels because its happened gradually. People SHOULD be able to tell when the shocks/struts are replaced (I think its a profound difference) but the fact is, most won't. If your shocks are making noises, they were probably shot 20k miles ago.

That's the thing. I don't know if the shocks are actually the ones making the noise. It's really hard to pinpoint.

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny

Originally posted by: Minjin
Most people are driving around on shocks/struts that are worn out or shot. They've gotten used to how their car feels because its happened gradually. People SHOULD be able to tell when the shocks/struts are replaced (I think its a profound difference) but the fact is, most won't. If your shocks are making noises, they were probably shot 20k miles ago.

That's the thing. I don't know if the shocks are actually the ones making the noise. It's really hard to pinpoint.

I think I get the same noise you get, but only in cold weather.

 

[Minerva]

Are you sure the noise isn't coming from bushings?

The easiest way to tell if shocks are worn out is push down on the bumper hard. It should not bounce up and down like a spring horsey.

If you drive over a pothole and hear a bang the shocks are not working either and the springs are just forcing the axle down with undamped force.

Look around the cylinders too. Any sign of oil or dirt stuck to oil indicates a blown charge and all the damping fluid is gone. If the car bobs up and down like one of those pimpmobiles with switches after going over a speed bump it's time for new shocks/struts.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Shocks don't creak really. At 100,000 miles it's generally considered the end of a shock's life, but what you'll notice from worn shocks is a "bouncy" ride, where a bump doesn't attenuate, but rather the car will "bounce" for a while after the bump.

Creaking is probably just a suspension joint needing to be lubed. Not uncommon and usually not terribly a big deal. My 951 creaks every time I get into it and its suspension checks out 100%.

Probably nothing big. Take it to a trusted mechanic (if you have one) and have it inspected, it's almost certainly nothing to worry about.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Minerva
Look around the cylinders too. Any sign of oil or dirt stuck to oil indicates a blown charge and all the damping fluid is gone. If the car bobs up and down like one of those pimpmobiles with switches after going over a speed bump it's time for new shocks/struts.

Just to clarify Minerva here, she's talking about the shock cylinders. Not the engine's.

ZV

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Just today, I noticed that the front underside of my car started making creaking noises every time it accelerates from a standstill and every time it hits a bump, even kind of a small one. It's hard to explain the noise.... kinda like the creaking that one will get after not driving the car for months and when you do drive it, it gives a creak as the wheels spin for the first time in months. Could this kind of noise be coming from the shocks? Or could it be something else?

It's got 99,750 miles on it, and I bought it when it had 60,000 on it. Not sure if it has ever had its shocks replaced, but I do know that they've been bottomed out more than a few times while catching air and driving fast through dirt bike courses. The latter two were done 5 years ago though.

2000 Toyota Echo.

LOL you got air in an Echo on a dirtbike course?! :laugh:

I can't help you but this thread did make me realize I think my shocks are blown too. Damnit. Not gonna replace them for a while though.

 

[tasmanian]

Take it to a shop and pay 30-50$ to see if their dead.