Shocks Gone Bad

[bigfredb]

How can you tell when your Shocks have gone bad and need to be replaced?

[Kpmurphy]

Is you car bouncing all over the place, while driving over bumps in the road, if so you need shocks.

If you push down on your car and it bounces more than 1 or twice you need shocks.
I am sure someone else will have more info

I can go over large speed bumps in both my cars 220D 300SD slow or fast no bouncing at all.
I have new shocks on both cars.
I love going over speed bumps at a good speed when a normal car or truck is on my but, and watch them bounce all over the place.
I love driving my Mercedes.

[pimpernell]

when I first got my vehicle from the prior owner, I did not notice anything wrong with the handling, or shocks. But, here in New Jersey, you have to pass an inspection, and part of the inspection has your car placed on a vibrating platform where each wheel sits on its own little pad, while the brakes are applied. The computer then gives you a readout of the shock action along with the braking action of all four wheels. Well, my car showed bad front shocks and brakes. I knew the brakes were ok, so I decided to replace the two front shocks. When I got the first one out, it was totally collapsed, and provided no dampening action at all. The second front shock was not much better. Replaced both of them, had the car retested, and it passed with flying colors. To ride in the car, you would never have guessed that the shocks were bad, but they were.

[bamba]

I was under the impression that a really harsh/jarring ride is also indicative of bad shocks? It's also a sign of bad accumulators (for SLS systems).

i've searched, and still can't diagnose my SLS

I guess I'm confused as to how bad shocks can cause either a bouncy ride or a harsh ride...

[rrgrassi]

Typically they fail and the result is lack of spring dampening. That gives the boucy ride and also allows the wheel to bounce at speed resulting in cupping of the tire treads. Bad roads and bad shock lead to a harsh or very jiggly ride.

[matthias08]

I'm not even going to say anything on mine... other than "thud, thud thud, thud"... thats what it sounds like going over every bump....
the front end has a nice floaty feel
the back end feels like my ass is dragging

[charmalu]

What did you do, pull the engine and place it in the trunk? you are high in the front and low in the rear.

Charlie ☺

[bobodaclown]

It's due.

[123Guy]

Replace them about every 90-100K miles, use only Bilsteins - it's cheap insurance. Don't wait until they go bad - when you loose your shock absorbtion you start to pound away at all your front end parts.

[bamba]

here's a newbie question (2 parts):

1.) What's the difference between shocks and springs? Or are we talking about the same thing?

2.) On an 85 wagon with SLS, what replacement rear shocks/springs should I install?

Thanks