When do good struts/shocks go bad?!?
 

Hope I didn't just squander away an afternoon!!!
Lately my 2005 volvo xc70 has been getting squirrely. 160,000 miles. Nothing is loose in the suspension.
I was thinking shocks and struts. I ordered front/rear shocks, and control arms (because they have all the front bushings.)
Way back when SEARS had driver's schools- they taught if you bounce a car and it continues to bounce- it's time for new shocks. Problem is that with all the cars I've ever owned (usually crapheap $1,200 p-cars)- even with bad shocks, they STILL don't really bounce a whole lot.

The volvo didn't really bounce too much either, but it has the shocks with the springs around them, so there is no easy way to test.

So I replaced the rear today. Total B@#$! as are all the jobs I stupidly attempt, and the rear original shocks had just as much damping as the new ones. I'm hoping the fronts are more worn, but I would think at 160,000 they would be on their last legs.

What do you guys think/ get mileage wise?

At 160,000 its time to replace them. I did the struts on my Suquinox at about 110,000 but they were leaking. The rears are original and will be replaced in the next month with around 132,000.

funny tire wear, knocking, wobbly driving, obvious leaks.

rjp

If you got 160k out of the original set you more than got your monies worth.

It was time.

Think of it this way, you did not trash a good set of tires in addition.

Sooo going to koni's?!

Ha! -nope just the p-car. The swferdish brick gets Sachs 5th avenue! :D

How about an alignment? I did an alignment on my S2000 because I wanted more camber and noticed the funny tire wear. The damn thing is like a brand new car again.

The shock may have felt similar, but I suspect the new shocks work better than the old ones. A big part of the job of the shock is to damp bumps, which happens very quickly which is not something that you or I can simulate by leaning on the shock or bouncing the corner. In the past I had heard the same story about checking shocks by boncing the corner of the car. That probably still works on the corner of a '75 Monte Carlo or an '82 Ford Granada, but it's not going to work on the average European car which are usually much more stiffly sprung.

Some shocks are really easy to see are shot. Some shocks seem fine, but don't preform as they should.

Yeah- that's the plan. The front struts will force a new alignment, so I'm gonna put on the new shocks/struts- replace the front A-arms, bushings, and front ball joints as preventative (I don't want them failing 6 months from now or something- my luck), and then new tires (Its tire time too..really what is pushing the whole issue- Oh yeah- that and the CV boots are toast- so Im putting new cv axles on - easy with front suspension off) I'm hoping the rear bushings are all fine. Very complex linkages back there but it seems pretty low stress. Also replaced the rear brakes pad rotors. Will throw a set on the front when its apart next week too.

Oh yeah- another volvo tip- the aftermarket cv axles (probably all brands- but at least the volvo aftermarket) have a really lousy cv boot quality- mine failed within 3 years. This time I went OEM again.

(edit- too bad elephant racing doesn't make polybronze bushings for volvo station wagons! :) )

I was taking my MR2 Turbo out to play at AX and the old Bilsteins had 165K miles on em. Started the install and found that none ere leaking and all were charged with gas,,,prolly not fully charged. The new uns took some getting used to....I would guess them to be fully charged.

All my vehicles have Bilsteins......even my 50 year old Mustang.

These things do not wear with mileage. Typical failure mode is a blown seal. Which could come from rust on the shaft or old cheap rubber seal.

Porsche uses (used) some pretty tough durable dampers with tough materials throughout. Other makes ~ not so much.

Dampers/shocks are very simple devices. They push and pull oil thru little holes. The holes don't change. But if the seals go, they lose the thick oil and start pumping air. Engineering term for that situation is Under-damped.

You're doing good to get 100k out of them. I'd say you got your money's worth.

Island, they do have seals on the pistons. As those seals wear they leak, effectively making those holes bigger. So they can leak inside as well.

If the car is squirrelly, and not tracking straight like it should, then I'd say you may need an alignment, and possibly wheel bearing(s) or control arm balljoints, steering parts worn, etc. There is a lot to understand about what is going on and how to check parts for wear.

+1 ^ Sure, but those are well protected, and are going to be the last to go. (unless crap mfg has internal defects) And even then, they have to be well worn to present much change in damping rate. Whereas when the oil is going/gone... Air is compressible and not so viscous. ;)

Good point. At 165k miles, there are likely TONS of things that could need to be replaced, not least of which is rubber bushings that are deformed.

Bilstein Rocks. I made sure the family van got a new set all the way around right at 100k miles. Rode a little stiffer then originals at the beginning. Now all its fine

And stiffer shocks just make those things all the more noticeable.

Did all 4 struts on my '99 Camry at 154,000. As yours, my old ones seems fine when off the car. It drove a like a new car when the job was finished. Dealer wanted $1,200. Parts and spring compressor cost me under $300; so a good savings for a DIY thing.

I replaced my original shocks with Koni FSD's, replaced all bushings (front and rear) and had a alignment done when I hit 70k. Afterwards, didn't really notice any difference.

I have KYB's on my Poncho, Yellow Billies on the PU, and Red Label Sachs on the BMW-

I almost did Billies on the BMW but I was afraid of destroying the ride- shocks aren't meant to last forever and the Sachs are just awesome. The Billies are tough, but at that high charge rate they ride like ass on a street car. I use them on the truck, cuz the alternatives all die early- too early.

Speaking of dying early- I don't buy the hype that Sachs die early on BMW..I've gone 100K on 'em on my last E39 and you know what? They were fine when I sold that car. There's a reason they were put on the E39 and it wasn't because of cost savings.

rjp