Are my Bad Shocks hurting me or helping me???

[crunchie12268]

Alright, I bought my car from a guy in Wisconsin as you all know. The roads up there are a little rough. The shocks were crappy when I bougt it, they squeak evertime I hit a bump or go over a speed bump slowly.

My question is, do you think they are helping me by distributing weight to the back of the car for traction? Or are the a parasitic loss and I am losing power?

My car raises like 4-6" when I accelerate hard. Do you think I could benefit from getting shocks and springs? If so, what kind?

 

[GRGT1994]

It will sure ride and handle a ton better with struts that actually work. I don't know about traction. You can't really dial in crappy worn out struts.

By the way, squeeking in the suspension often comes from the tie rod ends or ball joints. So you might want to take a good look at those too.

 

[ninety15.0]

I guess that worn out shocks and struts may constitute a little more traction due to increased weight transfer....however you are going to loose some of the energy making the car go forward by making the car squat like crazy and lift the front. put it this way...its not going to hurt you to throw new shocks struts and springs in there. I just did that last spring and it made a huge difference in the way the car handled, accelerated, and braked....good luck

 

[HISSIN50]

im with ninety 1. put some decent dampers on there (springs might need some attention too).
another cause of squeaks: worn out spring isolators and strut bushings (top of struts).

let alone that clapped out shocks/struts are just plain dangerous. i would swap them ASAP.

good luck.

 

[87'GTstang]

Does the car not handle like **** or an old caddy? By all means replace those suckers before you have an accident due to poor control.

 

[crunchie12268]

I know I need to tune up the suspension, but money is a problem right now. She still handles really well, but I can see how it is probably dangerous.... anybody have any recommended shocks, struts, springs(I don't want to lower my car), ball joints...etc.

 

[cleanLX]

wore out shocks strus are not helping your traction.
struts that extend quick and top out, are going to allow the front to drop just as quickely... unless you've got enough power to hang the front out there... then thert're still no good as they'll not be able to dampen the force created as the nose falls back down, then you have a front end hoping circus ride.
Shocks that are wore out in the back are no good no way.
They'll compress easy sure, but all that sets up is instant rebound, which unweights the rear tires.
With wore out suspension, the car likely hooks like mad on initial launch, and then blows the tires off within a couple of feet, and never regains composure as the car bounces along.

 

[Asha'man]

I know I need to tune up the suspension, but money is a problem right now. She still handles really well, but I can see how it is probably dangerous.... anybody have any recommended shocks, struts, springs(I don't want to lower my car), ball joints...etc.

I hear ya on the money problem, but you really need to replace your shocks/struts. I didn't see any suspension mods in your sig, not even springs (and you said you didn't wanna lower the car), and yet you say the car "handles really well". Um...no. It doesn't. It's a stock Fox Mustang, therefore it doesn't handle very well. Get some new shocks/struts, good ones like Koni, Tokico or Bilstein, and you'll be amazed at the difference.

Ash

 

[green]

new shocks and struts will make the car go alot faster

 

[crunchie12268]

I always thought it handled well, what do you guys consider "well" I can take an on ramp wrap around curve at like 50mph I felt pretty good.

 

[ponypowa2]

Im in the same situation, however i have got to hold out till the summer to get coil over suspension Right now my ride quality is that of a civic :/