|
You can kinda / sorta check shocks off the car. Put it shaft side down on a piece of cardborad or something to protect the threads, and push. It should be relatively difficult to compress. More importantly, after you compress it, it should extend back out to full length by itself. If not, the gas charge is a goner. The shaft of a shock takes up space as it goes into a shock body, so there is pressurized gas somewhere in the shock (depending on design.) The pressure helps keep the shock fluid from cavitating as it flows through the piston, helping it work better.
If you've got a leaker, either fluid through the shaft seal or just the gas itself through somewhere, the pressure goes away and it no longer pushes the shaft back out.
It's not foolproof, but it's a free check that can give you some idea if your shocks are healthy or not.
__________________
Matt - 84 Carrera
|