Just Curious...How do you know when shocks are worn out?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: Horsham PA
Just Curious...How do you know when shocks are worn out?
I've read a ton of posts about shocks but I still have a VERY BASIC question.
How do you know when your shocks are worn out and need to be replaced?
I have about 115,000 miles on my C5 which has a stock suspension except for Z06 sway bars. I don't think I have any problems at all but I'm wondering if the performance of the shocks might degrade too slowly for me to notice. I guess I could wait until my car bottoms out or bounces all over the place but I suspect that I might want to replace them before it gets that bad.
Are there any key symptoms or simple tests which can help determine if shocks are OK? The service manual provides no guidance.
Thanks.
Rick
How do you know when your shocks are worn out and need to be replaced?
I have about 115,000 miles on my C5 which has a stock suspension except for Z06 sway bars. I don't think I have any problems at all but I'm wondering if the performance of the shocks might degrade too slowly for me to notice. I guess I could wait until my car bottoms out or bounces all over the place but I suspect that I might want to replace them before it gets that bad.
Are there any key symptoms or simple tests which can help determine if shocks are OK? The service manual provides no guidance.
Thanks.
Rick
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
I just replace mine at the same mileage. Basically, they were complete junk. I put on C6Z06 shocks and it drives so much better now. I'd look at replacing them, they have served you well.
Peter
Peter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 5
From: The 7th layer of hell - Western Washington
one old school way of testing shocks is to do the bump test...
press quickly and firmly on a corner of the car to compress the shock and spring on that side, the shock should rebound in a manner that the car smoothly returns to it's normal position in a single stroke. If the car goes up and then comes back down, and "bounces" then you likely have some aging shocks.
also you can look at the shocks themselves and see if there is any oil seaping out of around where the piston goes into the shock body...
those aren't 100% ways of determining if the shocks are bad or not, but will give you a good idea...
press quickly and firmly on a corner of the car to compress the shock and spring on that side, the shock should rebound in a manner that the car smoothly returns to it's normal position in a single stroke. If the car goes up and then comes back down, and "bounces" then you likely have some aging shocks.
also you can look at the shocks themselves and see if there is any oil seaping out of around where the piston goes into the shock body...
those aren't 100% ways of determining if the shocks are bad or not, but will give you a good idea...
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
Out here, our freeways are concrete. When the shocks go bad, they cause the tires to sort of slap on the pavement and you can hear it. As mentioned about the old-school methods are perfectly good too when they get worse. You might have one go bad and the others still good, which can cause the car to move around the centerline as its moving down the road and going through dips and so on.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,197
Likes: 2
From: Niagara Falls NY
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Park the car for lunch.If it is still bouncing when you come out I think it's ready for new ones
Good luck.
.
Good luck.
.
I've read a ton of posts about shocks but I still have a VERY BASIC question.
How do you know when your shocks are worn out and need to be replaced?
I have about 115,000 miles on my C5 which has a stock suspension except for Z06 sway bars. I don't think I have any problems at all but I'm wondering if the performance of the shocks might degrade too slowly for me to notice. I guess I could wait until my car bottoms out or bounces all over the place but I suspect that I might want to replace them before it gets that bad.
Are there any key symptoms or simple tests which can help determine if shocks are OK? The service manual provides no guidance.
Thanks.
Rick
How do you know when your shocks are worn out and need to be replaced?
I have about 115,000 miles on my C5 which has a stock suspension except for Z06 sway bars. I don't think I have any problems at all but I'm wondering if the performance of the shocks might degrade too slowly for me to notice. I guess I could wait until my car bottoms out or bounces all over the place but I suspect that I might want to replace them before it gets that bad.
Are there any key symptoms or simple tests which can help determine if shocks are OK? The service manual provides no guidance.
Thanks.
Rick
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
I've removed shocks that passed the bump and freeway test, but just didn't feel "right" driving at high speeds (off public roads of course) or in sharp cornering.
I just swapped my z51's for C6Z06 shocks and there is a HUGE improvment. Though the old ones still have gas charge in them and "seem" to move up and down with proper resistance...they're definitely no where near the new ones.
I say for the price that Gene is charging for the C6Z06 shocks, if you're asking the question in the first place, spend the $250 and replace all 4...you won't regret it.
I just swapped my z51's for C6Z06 shocks and there is a HUGE improvment. Though the old ones still have gas charge in them and "seem" to move up and down with proper resistance...they're definitely no where near the new ones.
I say for the price that Gene is charging for the C6Z06 shocks, if you're asking the question in the first place, spend the $250 and replace all 4...you won't regret it.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Racer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 333
Likes: 1
From: Laughlin NV.
Tell you why I changed mine
In a high speed run at 120, it just seemed to float did not feel good at all. I changed to 04 Zo6 shocks now at 125 it holds the road as smooth as can be, A world of difference.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,469
Likes: 4
When you look at your odometer and it says 115K miles... 
Seriously, I replaced my stcok Z51 shocks with C6Z shocks at 45K and even that difference was tremendously better. At 115K, you really need new shocks. Just do it.
Seriously, I replaced my stcok Z51 shocks with C6Z shocks at 45K and even that difference was tremendously better. At 115K, you really need new shocks. Just do it.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
Mine seemed OK when doing the bump test and they weren't leaking. However, the right front one was almost a pogo stick from end to end. It hit oil and began to work at most 1" before bottoming out. The others weren't much better. No signs of oil leaking and still had the gas charge in them.
Does it feel like it is bouncing side to side when driving?
Does it feel disconnected from the road in corners? Where it doesn't feel solid in the corner and you really can't tell what it's doing because the handling is all over the place.
That's what mine felt like. Now, it's solid in the corners and I can actually feel the body roll where better sway bars would help. Every time I turn hard I'm not so afraid of the back sliding either now. Before, it was over-steering something terrible.
Peter
Does it feel like it is bouncing side to side when driving?
Does it feel disconnected from the road in corners? Where it doesn't feel solid in the corner and you really can't tell what it's doing because the handling is all over the place.
That's what mine felt like. Now, it's solid in the corners and I can actually feel the body roll where better sway bars would help. Every time I turn hard I'm not so afraid of the back sliding either now. Before, it was over-steering something terrible.
Peter
