Signs of Bad Rear Struts?

94GTLaserRC

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Ernan Says "here it comes... dushbag"

Jun 10, 2005

#1

• Jun 10, 2005

• #1

What are signs that the rear struts are bad? Is it mainly the ride of the car, or is it something you see on the tires that tells you?

Thanks
RC

 

95Cobra302

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Jun 10, 2005

#2

• Jun 10, 2005

• #2

When I used to work at a speed shop we would do a visual inspection, if there was any fluid visible on the outside of the shock it is bad. Or u can unbolt it from the bottom and push up on it and see if it compresses back down.

 

94GTLaserRC

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Ernan Says "here it comes... dushbag"

Jun 10, 2005

#3

• Jun 10, 2005

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95Cobra302 said:

When I used to work at a speed shop we would do a visual inspection, if there was any fluid visible on the outside of the shock it is bad. Or u can unbolt it from the bottom and push up on it and see if it compresses back down.

Click to expand...

How about tire wear?

 

95Cobra302

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Jun 10, 2005

#4

• Jun 10, 2005

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Since our cars are a solid rear, I don't think tread wear would be affected.

 

J

JRPony

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Jun 10, 2005

#5

• Jun 10, 2005

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Actually, when rear shocks are worn out, the tires can take on the same wear pattern as an out of balance tire. The shock is unable to keep the tire planted, and the tread can get really wavy. You can feel high and low spots on the tire. This also applies to the front.
Other signs of a bad shock:
1)Rear end squats excessively on launch
2)Rear end bottoms out going over speed bumps
3)Rear of car bounces really bad over uneven surfaces

 

way2fast4u

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Marina Del Rey

Jun 10, 2005

#6

• Jun 10, 2005

• #6

94GTLaserRC said:

How about tire wear?

Click to expand...

edit:


now i may be wrong or in the neighbor hood but the Tire would wear as if it had feathers.. Meaning the tire would ripple out? just my 2 cents!

 

gmkillr

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Jun 10, 2005

#7

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• #7

Our cars have shocks on the rear, not struts

 

94GTLaserRC

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• Jun 10, 2005

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gmkillr said:

Our cars have shocks on the rear, not struts

Click to expand...

Actually, it's for my hoopty (Escort) I just didnt state that b/c I thought that It may apply to other application.

Here is the description:

Tire tread is fine...the wear is even, but when you rub your hand around the contact surface, it is EXTREMELY wavy. I dont know if it is a bad tire or bad struts...(I Think the scort has rear struts, and it IS a FWD vehicle)

Sorry it's not MUSTANG specific, but I thought it may apply otherwise.

Thanks
RC

 

HISSIN50

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Jun 11, 2005

#9

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More info on how it is wavy please.

A bad rear shock/strut can definately cause some hopping issues (almost invisible to the eye, but present).

But a bad radial can show some funkyness all its own.

That car might also have a rear toe adjustment, which is something else to remember (though you mentioned tire wear to be good).

In the old days (well, I am old so I still do it), I would do the old push-test. Push down on the fender, etc and watch the rebound characteristics. If it rebounds and stops on the downward settling, that is good. The thing is, most dampeners wear in a tiny spot in the range of travel (that travel which absorbs most tiny imperfections in the roadway). The above test will be fine, even though the wheel is bouncing along in normal driving because that tiny range of travel has a dead-spot.

RC, I thought you got this car so you could focus working on the 94? It never works out like that, does it?

Good luck.

 

94GTLaserRC

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#10

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HISSIN50 said:

More info on how it is wavy please.
................RC, I thought you got this car so you could focus working on the 94? It never works out like that, does it?
Good luck.

Click to expand...

If you put your hand in the tire well, at about 10:00 position, and you move it clockwise along the contact surface to about the 2-3:00 postion, you will fell the tire surface flowing up and down. (BTW>...All times are EST )


Im not really "focussing" on the escort...my former neighbor and current mechanic took it in yesterday and is checking it out today. Im just wondering if that's what the problem is or if maybe the dealer just slapped some bad tires on there.

RC

 

HISSIN50

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#11

• Jun 11, 2005

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Interesting. If it is like that over the entire tire, I am not sure (I would lean toward a suspension issue). FWIW, i have had radials break before and it usually creates one spot where the tire bulges (and then wears through quickly into the radials since the tire hernia'd) - it also sounded like I was driving over a washboard. Not your issue from the sound of it.

And someone having locked up the rears at some point can plane down a flat spot - also not your issue.

I am curious to hear what he/they find.