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    #1

    bouncy?

    I got my car 4 years and 30000 miles ago. I put generic shocks on straight away to pass state inspection (like the $25 kind).

    Since then, I did put poly bushings in the front, new springs all the way around, and airbags to help with my move out west-- during which I loaded up 2000# in back for 900 miles.
    The airbags still have 30psi in them since I was warned that deflated, they can pinch and tear. They were the generic $80 set you get to manually pump up for carrying more weight than you should, nothing fancy, no electric pumps or load-leveling computer either.

    I've noticed that on certain roads right around 20-30mph it has a nice steady bounce going. It's also a bit boaty-feeling again.

    Could my shocks be weakening now, after 4 years/30k miles? Or perhaps the few occasions I overloaded the wagon with weight?
    If this sounds right, could you look on rockauto (1990 colony park wagon) and tell me which shocks you'd recommend? I can spend a little extra but don't want to go over $200.

    Or is this just the result of airbags in the back, and the unfortunate resonant frequency of 30mph (and I should just suck it up and live with it ).


    Alternatively, what ARE the symptoms of frame bolts? Can you do them without a lift or impact driver?
    Last I looked some of them seemed gone (no bushing left), some of them seemed ok, some of them I couldn't see (and I wasn't looking too hard, just a cursory check). That was 2 years ago.



    thanks!!
    -Bernard
    Tags: None
    #2
    To test your shocks for bounciness, all you have to do is stand on the bumper and use your body weight to bounce the car up and down as much as you can (this does not hurt anything). Then hop off, and observe how many times it bounces after. Good shocks should make the car settle out after going up (after you hop off), down, and back up again. The more it bounces after, the worse they are. Going up and down once more isn't too bad, but if you are carrying a load in the rear you will feel it a lot more.
    Also look at the bottom half of the shocks, if you see oil leaking out from the shaft, go ahead and replace them. If they aren't bouncy now, they will be soon enough.

    30,000 miles isn't terrible for cheapo shocks, especially if you carry more than an average load.
    Pete ::::>>> resident LED addict and CFI defector LED bulb replacements
    'LTD HPP' 85 Vic (my rusty baby) '06 Honda Reflex 250cc 'Baileys' 91 Vic (faded cream puff) ClifFord 'ODB' 88 P72 (SOLD) '77 LTDII (RIP)
    sigpic
    85HPP's most noteworthy mods: CFI to SEFI conversion w/HO upperstuff headers & flowmasters P71 airbox Towncar seats LED dash light-show center console w/5 gauge package LED 3rd brake light 3G alternator mini starter washer/coolant bottle upgrade Towncar power trunk pull underhood fuse/relay box 16" HPP wheels - police swaybars w/poly rubbers - budget Alpine driven 10 speaker stereo

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      #3
      I always personally had trouble doing the bounce test (perhaps not jumping hard enough, perhaps not a good eye for it). I've seen a few cars that as far as I could judge passed the bounce test, but most definitely had weak shocks every time you stopped at a stop light or cornered, and handled noticeably better after new shocks.

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        #4
        If they were cheapo shocks 4 years ago, I'm voting for the shocks being dead. What you describe is classic weak shock absorber symptoms, and the cheapos don't hold up real well. They are 25 bucks for a reason.
        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

        Originally posted by phayzer5
        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

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          #5
          what's a good mid-range option: value/dollar, not crap but not gold-plated either?

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            #6
            Kyb gr2
            sigpic


            - 1990 Ford LTD Crown Victoria P72 - the street boat - 5.0 liter EFI - Ported HO intake/TB, 90 TC shroud/overflow, Aero airbox/zip tube, Cobra camshaft, 19lb injectors, dual exhaust w/ Magnaflows, Cat/Smog & AC delete, 3G alternator, MOOG chassis parts & KYB cop shocks, 215/70r/15s on 95-97 Merc rims

            - 2007 Ford Escape XLT - soccer mom lifted station wagon - 3.0 Duratec, auto, rear converter delete w/ Magnaflow dual exhaust

            - 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis Ultimate Edition - Daily driver - 4.6 2 valve Mod motor, 4R75E, 2.73s. Bone stock

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              #7
              thanks! will order soon.

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                #8
                There is no need to run 30 lbs in the bags (unless you like the rake). 5 should sufficient, just need enough to keep the bags from collapsing.



                87 Ford LTD Crown Victoria Country Squire Station Wagon. 4.10's, Repacked Trac Loc, Boxed LCA's, Explorer Intake, 65mm T-body, 'Stang Cam, 'Stang Air tube, K&N, GT-40X Heads, 1" Spacer, 1 5/8 BBK's, 2.5" Pypes X-pipe w/high flow cats, Single Chamber Thunderbolts, B&M 'vertor, Po-lice Swaybars.

                91 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park Station Wagon. K-Code, 4.10's, Repacked Trac Loc, MK VII LSC Engine, 'Stang Upper Intake, Stang Air Tube, K&N, 65 mm T-Body, 'Stang Headers, 'Stang Cat Pipe,'Stang Torque Convertor, 2 Chamber Thunderbolts.

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