Bench test for shockers?

[rodneybeauchamp]

Read with interest various members thoughts and action on shock absorber selection for first generation Riviera. Mine came from factory with heavy duty shocks and springs as per the delivery sheet.

 

I would like to inspect the rubber bushes and mountings and replace them if the shockers check out ok. 

 

Can an anyone on the forum provide details of how I can bench test the shockers as I don't want to replace them if I don't have to. ( be nice to retain originals if I can).

 

Shop manual give no testing process and all I am aware of is the bounce test while fitted, which I think could be very subjective.

 

Is there a standard test procedure for shock absorbers that I can use??

Edited June 11, 2017 by rodneybeauchamp
Spelling (see edit history)

[Seafoam65]

              The only true test   for shocks is to drive the car on a dippy road and notice how much it bounces up and down. It should only

go up and down once when hitting a dip or bump. I see a lot of shops try to sell someone shocks because they find a little oil on the outside

of one of them. Shocks have a very large quantity of oil inside them, and in a lot of cases, a leaking shock actually takes years to leak out enough oil

to affect the performance of the shock. If you drive your car and it feels like you are riding a pogo stick when on a dippy road, you need new shocks. Also, even brand new Monroe shocks will flunk the bounce test on an early Riviera. You need to run Bilsteins or KYB shocks on the front. On the rear the Monroes are fine.

Edited June 12, 2017 by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

[Black River]

If they're still in the car, you can visually inspect them for oil leakage.  You can bounce the car by hand, and it shouldn't keep bouncing for more than 2 bounces.  If it does they're shot.  As stated, a little oil is fine, but if they're covered in oil you should pull them and do the next steps (I would do these anyway).  After you get them out, check for any dents in the tubes.  A small ding isn't a big deal, but a dent is no go.  You can compress them on the floor, and there should be significant resistance, but you should still be able to compress them with your body weight on them.  Most will push themselves back up to full height when left to do so.  If you have to pull them to get them to extend, there should be significant resistance to that as well.  If they just flop down or up with little or no resistance, they're bad and need replaced.  Hope this helps.

 

Lucas

[SwedeDownUnderR63]

On 11/06/2017 at 8:45 PM, rodneybeauchamp said:

Read with interest various members thoughts and action on shock absorber selection for first generation Riviera. Mine came from factory with heavy duty shocks and springs as per the delivery sheet.

 

I would like to inspect the rubber bushes and mountings and replace them if the shockers check out ok. 

 

Can an anyone on the forum provide details of how I can bench test the shockers as I don't want to replace them if I don't have to. ( be nice to retain originals if I can).

 

Shop manual give no testing process and all I am aware of is the bounce test while fitted, which I think could be very subjective.

 

Is there a standard test procedure for shock absorbers that I can use??

My suggestion would be to replace the shocks with Bilsteins shocks so that you know that you ride safe and nice. You can always keep the old shocks for any future owner if they like to go back in time.

The Bilsteins shocks are not cheap but I love and trust them.

Just a thought..