suspension/shocks

I recently purchased a 1979 911sc and am having trouble passing state inspection. The inspector (who is unfortunatly not very familiar with porsches) will not pass the front shocks. He says when the car is on the lift and the suspension is hanging he should not be able to push up on the front wheels. I think the tortion bars are "relaxed" in this position and therefore the wheels can be lifted a few inches. The car does have excess wear in the inner faces of both front tires, I thought the frount end just needed an alignment. Is there any other way to check the shocks?

Thanks

I've never tried that particular test, but it seems to me that if your struts are in good shape, it should be quite difficult to push the wheels upwards like that! Ever try to compress a new strut/shock with your bare hands?

First of all ... that isn't the way you test struts ... and any 911 will have 'play,' if you want to call it that, I think the spring rate at the wheel is probably only 100-125 pounds per inch ... I guess 'Gomer' doesn't know it is the springs, not the struts that hold up the car, and that the shocks/struts just dampen oscillations!!! Let me guess? Gomer tried to make you a deal on a new set of stuts to be installed, right?

I think you should have a serious talk with the manager and owner of the place where Gomer Pyle-type works and suggest that he stop trying to come up with lame excuses to soak the customers with shock/strut replacements!!! Maybe even write a letter to the state licensing office about the jerk, and see what the penalty/remedy is for FRAUD on the part of a 'certified' inspector!!!

The quick answer to your quandry is to go to a different service station/shop for an inspection! Try Sears/K-Mart/Goodyear for an alignment check, and maybe an inspection, too.

Oh yeah, shocks are best tested on the road ... but you can do a cursory check by compressing the spring on one corner of a car, and observing the rebound damping, since shocks/struts typically have twice the rebound damping rate as compression/jounce damping rate. So, when you bounce down, watch for the rebound to come back up at a slower rate, if there is no difference in the rate, your shocks are worn out, but you should already know that from the car's reaction to dips, railroad track crossings, etc. ... if you have been paying attention to your car!!!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa