Worn suspension - How to tell

[Grim]

What is the best way to tell if your suspension is worn? Is the only way to go and get it tested or are there certain things you can detect while driving?

Cheers, Grim.

[JimX]

The best way I have found is if you hit a decent sized bump, the steering wheel will shudder. It depends on the size or angle of the bump you hit (ie, it may not do it every time), but if the suspension is good the steering wheel will never shudder on any bumps.

You can also try bouncing the car, if it rebounds more than once then your shock absorbers are gone. But they can also be gone and still only rebound once. A suspension shop test is the best way to tell if you think it might be worn. They are usually free or very cheap.

[nismoman18]

squeaks usually indicate things wearing, like my front right bushes are worn, it sqeuaks all the time, and i had an racq fella check it out! $28 for a 14 point check or sumthing

[Grim]

what place would you suggest I get my suspension tested and possibly tuned?

[YEE-HAA]

I noticed my shocks were gone while driving on a cruise in the Adelaide Hiills, and I noticed the car understeering majorly, and I lost confidence in it. Once I replaced all four shocks with brand new Bilsteins, the car, and I, were happy as Larry!

[hippy]

my car does that .. turns by itself on bumps ... turns by itself when i brake ... i have to correct it all the time ... that means my suspension setup is farked??

[JimX]

Could just be wheel alignment. Get both checked in a good suspension shop.

[Gonad Man]

G'day Hippy

Yeah like Jim said it could be wheel alignment.

It could also be tramlining. It is more prevalent when you run wider, lower profile tyres, more negative camber and tyres with stiff sidewalls like most good performance tyres.

If you find the wheel is pulling mostly on roads with longitudinal ruts then this is most likely the problem. If this is the case a good wheel alignment and maybe lowering your tyre pressures a little bit will definitely help but for performance cars this is a bit of a trade-off we have to accept.

Just something to keep in mind........

Cheers,

Ben

[nismoman18]

grim! pedders do that 14 point or watever check el cheapo

[Grim]

Originally posted by nismoman18

grim! pedders do that 14 point or watever check el cheapo

oh yeah.....thanks nismoman

[hippy]

... seems i'm up for a suspension check soon ... i think i will change all springs to peddars or king springs ..

[Gonad Man]

A little bird told me that all Pedders shocks & springs are made by Monroe and painted red. Their shocks definitely are.

Go the rumour mill!!

Ben

[nismoman18]

im lookin at gettin koni's or bilsteins!

[Guest silver32t]

so for a shockie package what are the better ones?? I got a r32gtst. Kings, monroe, pedders?? help me out peeps

[hippy]

i hear the whiteline package is good ... can't go past konis or bilsteins .. in fact most of the jap stuff are made by these european companies and are just rebranded ..

[YBSLO4]

Basically the only companies that make a replacement shock for skylines are whiteline, bilstein and koni... pedders, monroe and the others don't have any i have checked already for my R33... i think KYB have some tho?

As for that suspension safety check i had that done by pedders, the full thing, and they assured me nothing was wrong as i was worried about a knock from the front left and they even did the drive on shocker test and came up fine, only to find that i got rid of the knock when i replaced the shock with another stock item off a mates care that was in good condition... whats the deal with that? Not very accurate testing if you ask me, actually quite dangerous cos to someone who didn't know much about mechanics and stuff then you would have left it and could have caued serious problems. I also discovered a shotty swaybar link which they failed to pick up and if this item brakes can cause a very serious loss of control while driving.

I still have a slight knock and sqeak coming from the front end but finding it hard to pin point, still sound slike something is lose, so i am going to check the wheel bearings and the right hand shock also to ensure it isn't that. Still got me baffled tho.

[Bleach1]

Grim, there are two really good suspension places in sydney with really good names i have dealt with. One is Selbys at carringbah who or a place at minto called whiteline. I wouldnt go to pedders, they dont have a clue. Well, from what i have seen anyway. Another way is to see if you have like a clear type thick fluid type leak from the front corners of the car. They are the Caster rods leaking, they always wear on skylines and leave sticky shit on the garage floor.

[Grim]

Selby's eh? I'll give them a call tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.

[YBSLO4]

Castor rods... where they at? near the shock?