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Evaluating Suspension Components

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Michael Oritt

Michael Oritt

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There's been some road construction in my neighborhood and it's clear that my car's suspension is reacting very harshly. The front end seems okay with no wheel hopping at speed or bad rebounding, but the rear seems to bottom out on even small changes of pavement. It's been a while--at least 10 years--since I fitted new DW springs and the Putzke Bilstein conversion is perhaps a bit more dated.

Is there a way of testing or evaluating suspension components or is this all simply subjective?
 
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Could it be due to tires? Check date code(s). Older tires (10+ yrs.) tend to give poor ride quality as they age. There are sections of roads around here where I brace for impact and feel the seat belt is the only thing keeping in the car!
 
Michael Oritt :

Im thinking U need to give Denise Welch a call-OK
 
Sorry guys, I forgot to respond to posts.

Nope, it's not tires as the 180 XAS's are only three years old.
I think the Bilstein rear shocks do not owe me anything as they have been on the car for almost 15 years.
It is easy to change them and then evaluate things, so I'll give Udo Putzke a call and see what he thinks.
 
A very basic test would be to bounce the rear of the car with your body weight . The shocks should settle once you stop bouncing without bouncing repeatedly then settling to a stop .
We have all seen the old beaters going down the road and when they hit a bump in the road the bounce away like a kid on a pogo stick for the next hundred yards , sure sign of bad shocks .
Have someone follow you on a bumpy road and see if you suffer from pogo stick syndrome .
 
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