testing shocks

Hi,
Just a quick question before i go to work.
Tomorrow i should be recieving a new pair of rear shocks that i got from ebay. How do i check that they are still working ok. I know there is a check that you do but cant remember what it is. They are brand new (apparently)!

many thanks

On-Vehicle - you bounce each corner sharply and watch the rebounds. There should be not more than two or three, and they should decrease drastically in distance.

Off-Vehicle - the only thing I can think of is to take an end of the shock in each hand, and try to sharply compress it - you should not be able to. Then, press it all the way in, and try to sharply extend it - you likewise should not be able to.

Recall that the purpose of a shock damper isn't to support a load; rather, it is to dampen the action of the springs. If they didn't, you'd bounce around for an hour after running over a nickel...

Hi,
I got these shocks today. They both appear to dampen very well as they are stiff from the very top all the way down to the very bottom.

They both then rebound at the same rate and again are very stiff. However one of them has a gurgle at about 1/2 inch maybe 3/4 of an inch from the very top whilst on the rebound? also during that particular part of the rebound it slackens up. Is this a problem. There doesnt appear to be any leaks as yet. And it makes no other sound and only makes this like gurgle sound only at the very end of the rebound.??

Gas-charged? Try propping them up in the orientation they'd be installed in, working them back and forth a bit, and trying them in that position.

The gurgling and sponging you're feeling is likely gas bubbles going through the piston, instead of hydraulic oil. I wouldn't worry about it overmuch - but the second test would likely prove instructive.

Yeah. You want to be working them in the on vehicle orientation to let the oil settle right from shipping. And work them while keeping upright orientation. If you do that a while, and they don't both work the same, it's a problem.

these are stock oem shocks that i got as a short term replacement prior to lifting my jeep. Ive kept them upright all day, but still i get this sound from 1 at the very top of the rebound. Its fine going down, rock solid from the top. Just springs up quicker for that very last bit (1/2 to 3/4 inch on the rebound. Is this a sign of a leak? Problem?

If they both did that, I wouldn't be sure, but it seems like one doesn't have enough oil (or a bad spot in the valving or on the shaft). But the fact that they aren't both the same is a dead giveaway. And you definitely want them both reacting the same way when you go over a big rise or dip in the road. I'd return the one that isn't smooth through the whole travel and tell them it has uneven travel through the stroke, while the other one works good.

Well I pumped them about a dozen times and there is now no more gurgling coming from that shock at all. its stiff the whole way.
I know that at least one manufacture states that if you pump them more than once and they make that sound then they are no good and need replacing. Hopefully mine was just having a bad day yesterday.

Sounds like they recoverd from their travels. Did you start putting penetrating oil or breakaway on the old fasteners yet?

Hi winterbeater.


Ive been at it all afternoon. beaten by the weather. I got as far as taking one side of my leaf springs off. Ive taken loads of pics which ill be downloading within the next few hours. (the pics are for REAL DUFFERS like me.) Hopefully youll be able to tell me what i could have done better!!?