Michael Pardee

"scube" <boxfreedom@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1143854852.951903.126900@j33g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Okay, well I replaced my driver's side strut and now my car bounces
> again. It is no where near as bad as it was with the bad strut, but
> it is still unsafe. I changed the driver's side and when I compare it
> w/ the passenger side it is much more springy.
> The passenger side (original strut) is hard to push down on. If I
> push down on the hood above the wheel it barely moves and there is not
> much bounce at all (it's quite hard -could a strut be bad and be too
> hard?).
> When I do the same to the driver's side (non-OEM strut) it goes down
> relatively easy (not much though) and then up, but then returns to the
> original level with only a single up and down. ... it's just easier to
> 'wobble' the car from that side.
> I was wondering if I could have messed the spring up when I had the
> compressor on there, maybe have left them on for too long. I doubt
> it..
>
> I wonder if the damper brand I got is just crappy and doesn't
> "dampen" very well or if it was a fluke and I got a weak one. It
> was the cheapest Autozone had, a GABRIEL ULTRA SHOCK/STRUT, which came
> with a lifetime warranty. The other one they had, the GABRIEL GUARDIAN
> SHOCK/STRUT, was only a dollar more with a one year warranty though..
>
> The spring still 'springs', but the damper doesn't 'dampen'. I'm
> guessing it to be the damper, but would a spring do anything like this?
> Maybe while I had the compressor on it it lost some length (got
> shorter) compared to the passenger side spring? Not entirely likely,
> but I read you should replace both springs at the same time. Maybe I
> should replace both struts at the same time. Anyways...
>
>
> any suggestions? Thanks all!!
>
Have a hefty friend or two bounce the front end while you are watching the
various parts, especially the struts. The struts should expand and contract
exactly as the front end moves - if the front end is bouncing 2 inches, you
should see the strut move two inches on one end relative to the other.

Here's the thing. A good strut will compress (mainly it's the springs around
the cartridge that hold the car up) but will resist the expansion, so the
front end won't overshoot measurably when it comes back up. If the strut is
going boing (technical term) it is clearly bad or just too wimpy - new or
not. Heavy duty shocks really do have a lot more damping.

However, if the front end is bouncing two inches and the shock is moving one
inch, keep looking until you see where all that play is coming from. Just
keep your fingers away from the pinchy parts 8^O

Mike

Michael Pardee

"scube" <boxfreedom@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1143854852.951903.126900@j33g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Okay, well I replaced my driver's side strut and now my car bounces
> again. It is no where near as bad as it was with the bad strut, but
> it is still unsafe. I changed the driver's side and when I compare it
> w/ the passenger side it is much more springy.
> The passenger side (original strut) is hard to push down on. If I
> push down on the hood above the wheel it barely moves and there is not
> much bounce at all (it's quite hard -could a strut be bad and be too
> hard?).
> When I do the same to the driver's side (non-OEM strut) it goes down
> relatively easy (not much though) and then up, but then returns to the
> original level with only a single up and down. ... it's just easier to
> 'wobble' the car from that side.
> I was wondering if I could have messed the spring up when I had the
> compressor on there, maybe have left them on for too long. I doubt
> it..
>
> I wonder if the damper brand I got is just crappy and doesn't
> "dampen" very well or if it was a fluke and I got a weak one. It
> was the cheapest Autozone had, a GABRIEL ULTRA SHOCK/STRUT, which came
> with a lifetime warranty. The other one they had, the GABRIEL GUARDIAN
> SHOCK/STRUT, was only a dollar more with a one year warranty though..
>
> The spring still 'springs', but the damper doesn't 'dampen'. I'm
> guessing it to be the damper, but would a spring do anything like this?
> Maybe while I had the compressor on it it lost some length (got
> shorter) compared to the passenger side spring? Not entirely likely,
> but I read you should replace both springs at the same time. Maybe I
> should replace both struts at the same time. Anyways...
>
>
> any suggestions? Thanks all!!
>
Have a hefty friend or two bounce the front end while you are watching the
various parts, especially the struts. The struts should expand and contract
exactly as the front end moves - if the front end is bouncing 2 inches, you
should see the strut move two inches on one end relative to the other.

Here's the thing. A good strut will compress (mainly it's the springs around
the cartridge that hold the car up) but will resist the expansion, so the
front end won't overshoot measurably when it comes back up. If the strut is
going boing (technical term) it is clearly bad or just too wimpy - new or
not. Heavy duty shocks really do have a lot more damping.

However, if the front end is bouncing two inches and the shock is moving one
inch, keep looking until you see where all that play is coming from. Just
keep your fingers away from the pinchy parts 8^O

Mike

scube

okay,
so this is starting to make more sense (squeeze a little bit of
knowledge out at a time..)

when my driver's side tire hits a bump and absorbs some shock, the
passenger side is supposed to counter-act that and help w/ the
absorption?
So, if the passenger side was 'stiff' then it wouldn't absorb as
much and cause the driver side to seem to bounce? That makes sense
then.
Also, tightening the bushings w/ normal load on the springs was a
good suggestion (or procedure). I noticed that I could torque down
the lock nut at the top of the damper rod a few more turns w/ the tires
on the ground. this may help out as well, perhaps.

Also, my car wants to go to the left now, which is the same side I
replaced the shock on. I've heard you wanna get an alignment after
suspension work, but this is a hard pull to the left. Is this typical
or could something be loose/not adjusted correctly?
Maybe if I tighten down the locknut on top of the damper rod some
more I will get less pull? I guess the length of the strut would
place the tire at different angles, no?

Thanks for the great data and help...

scube

okay,
so this is starting to make more sense (squeeze a little bit of
knowledge out at a time..)

when my driver's side tire hits a bump and absorbs some shock, the
passenger side is supposed to counter-act that and help w/ the
absorption?
So, if the passenger side was 'stiff' then it wouldn't absorb as
much and cause the driver side to seem to bounce? That makes sense
then.
Also, tightening the bushings w/ normal load on the springs was a
good suggestion (or procedure). I noticed that I could torque down
the lock nut at the top of the damper rod a few more turns w/ the tires
on the ground. this may help out as well, perhaps.

Also, my car wants to go to the left now, which is the same side I
replaced the shock on. I've heard you wanna get an alignment after
suspension work, but this is a hard pull to the left. Is this typical
or could something be loose/not adjusted correctly?
Maybe if I tighten down the locknut on top of the damper rod some
more I will get less pull? I guess the length of the strut would
place the tire at different angles, no?

Thanks for the great data and help...

Michael Pardee

"scube" <boxfreedom@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1143905292.459055.317750@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
> Also, my car wants to go to the left now, which is the same side I
> replaced the shock on. I've heard you wanna get an alignment after
> suspension work, but this is a hard pull to the left. Is this typical
> or could something be loose/not adjusted correctly?
> Maybe if I tighten down the locknut on top of the damper rod some
> more I will get less pull? I guess the length of the strut would
> place the tire at different angles, no?
>
> Thanks for the great data and help...
>
That has me worried. If the toe-in were only affected the tires would wear
badly and the steering wheel wouldn't sit straight, but it wouldn't likely
pull to either side. It sounds like something isn't put together quite
right. When you replaced the axles, did they go in without a fight?

Alignment isn't normally affected by replacing drive axles, but that isn't a
bad occasion for checking alignment. I'm wondering if you would be money
ahead to take it for alignment, being sure to fess up about how it got the
way it is now.

Mike

Michael Pardee

"scube" <boxfreedom@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1143905292.459055.317750@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
> Also, my car wants to go to the left now, which is the same side I
> replaced the shock on. I've heard you wanna get an alignment after
> suspension work, but this is a hard pull to the left. Is this typical
> or could something be loose/not adjusted correctly?
> Maybe if I tighten down the locknut on top of the damper rod some
> more I will get less pull? I guess the length of the strut would
> place the tire at different angles, no?
>
> Thanks for the great data and help...
>
That has me worried. If the toe-in were only affected the tires would wear
badly and the steering wheel wouldn't sit straight, but it wouldn't likely
pull to either side. It sounds like something isn't put together quite
right. When you replaced the axles, did they go in without a fight?

Alignment isn't normally affected by replacing drive axles, but that isn't a
bad occasion for checking alignment. I'm wondering if you would be money
ahead to take it for alignment, being sure to fess up about how it got the
way it is now.

Mike

scube

Well,
the axles went in moderately easy. The hub side was cake, and the
tranny side took a little coaxing, but after I got it past the ring
clip it was good to go.
The strut replacement was some few days after I replaced the axles
and there was no drift at all. I'll ride it a few short miles over
the next few days and probably replace the passenger side strut and see
where we sit then. I may get an alignment check and perhaps they can
recommend something or find an issue.

thanks Mike...

scube

Well,
the axles went in moderately easy. The hub side was cake, and the
tranny side took a little coaxing, but after I got it past the ring
clip it was good to go.
The strut replacement was some few days after I replaced the axles
and there was no drift at all. I'll ride it a few short miles over
the next few days and probably replace the passenger side strut and see
where we sit then. I may get an alignment check and perhaps they can
recommend something or find an issue.

thanks Mike...

scube

Yup,
the passenger side strut was bad. I replaced it and it rides like a
champ now. Still the problem w/ alignment. I rotated my tires after
I did the dirver side strut and that's when I noticed the drifting
problem. It was several thousand miles ago that I performed my last
tire rotation, so maybe one of them got an uneven wear spot. Could
that result in a car that pulls to one side?

scube

Yup,
the passenger side strut was bad. I replaced it and it rides like a
champ now. Still the problem w/ alignment. I rotated my tires after
I did the dirver side strut and that's when I noticed the drifting
problem. It was several thousand miles ago that I performed my last
tire rotation, so maybe one of them got an uneven wear spot. Could
that result in a car that pulls to one side?