Not sure what the problem is but every time when I drive through small potholes or slight bumps the front-end impact hits REALLY hard, almost to the point like being dropped w/o wheels! I checked everything underneath the front and find nothing unusual. Could it be time for new front shock replacements? What is the average lifespan of our suspension system before deterioration? This all started slowly a couple of years ago at 50K (U.S.) miles and I'm currently at 70K. Otherwise the car drives really nice and soft.
Very hard impact when driving through small potholes and bumps...
80sGuy
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Not sure what the problem is but every time when I drive through small potholes or slight bumps the front-end impact hits REALLY hard, almost to the point like being dropped w/o wheels! I checked everything underneath the front and find nothing unusual. Could it be time for new front shock replacements? What is the average lifespan of our suspension system before deterioration? This all started slowly a couple of years ago at 50K (U.S.) miles and I'm currently at 70K. Otherwise the car drives really nice and soft.
If your shocks seem okay, then engine mounts. On these cars, they tend to wear pretty quickly. Our 05 V50 is now at 220k (miles), and I replaced them at 110 K and it was like having a new car again. Just replaced them again this Spring and voila, like back to new. I can't say enough good about how rock solid this car drives, even with 220K on it. We've looked at a couple of new replacements and all of them drove like **** compared to this 14 year old car. Sheesh.
yes probably the shocks. i thought it was normal, the harsh crash when going up the little lip into the driveway...but it smoothed out dramatically after replacing the stock shocks around 30-35k miles with koni FSDs. the previous owner had driven almost exclusively bad LA city streets (vs highway miles). the shocks were beat at 35k. if you're at 70k and live in LA, i would consider that pretty good use out of those shocks.
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I replaced the mounts (all three 'genuine') at around 44K so we can rule them out, yes pretty early. Did them to correct the rattling issue during cold idling. I guess it'll be the front shocks then. Would like to stick with genuine parts. Are they pretty difficult to do? Would most likely bring it to my indie to install.
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I had my front ones replaced when car was 95k, but then ended up replacing shock mounts&bearings 20k later, so I would recommend doing both at the same time even if bearings "looks ok".
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Yep now that I'm not a broke SOB I'm headed in to do the job here in a little while. sad and annoying but hopefully the Bilsteins will support their lifetime warranty. Our roads here in CO aren't bad but when they're bad, they're REALLY bad.
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You meant replacing the shocks and engine mounts? The latter was done at 44K (L, R, and Torque mounts). Yes, our roads here in L.A. are just as bad. Hopefully new front shocks will suffice. Have not used any aftermarket parts whatsoever - unless otherwise (??). Looking to retain that factory ride/specs. I'm just a wary sucker of non-genuine parts.
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Lol, I'm total opposite...
I hear you... it's not just the miles. It's also the age, and the roads!
If you find what it is let me know.
I'm still chasing a knocking sound I can't located. I just put the car on stands and replace the end-links, but I still hear the knock sound when driving over sudden bumps, like a step in the road, a wide crack, pot hole like. It doesn't really do it with just uneven pavement. I don't really know how I'm going to identify it.
It sounds like loose metal.
I'm putting this here because it's on the same topic and I'll be curious to see how the issue compares.
Last night I spent quite some time removing the old OE bump stop that where making a screeching noise, rubbing against the much bigger Bilstein upper strut post.
I learned two things from it:
- One the knocking sound has become a lot more pronounce (no longer muffled). The good thing is I now know it's from the left side. The bad news is that it really feels like something is loose when driving over abrupt potholes or steps in the road. So I'm may have to take the strut assembly apart to see if some bolts are loose. But it could still be something else...
- It didn't resolve the squeaky sound entirely. It's like two piece of metal are attached together but one twists and you hear that noise like a door hinge that lacks lubrication (it's the best image I can't come-up with to express the sound).
The issue is that when I put the car on jack stands I'm not finding anything loose...
Last night I spent quite some time removing the old OE bump stop that where making a screeching noise, rubbing against the much bigger Bilstein upper strut post.
I learned two things from it:
- One the knocking sound has become a lot more pronounce (no longer muffled). The good thing is I now know it's from the left side. The bad news is that it really feels like something is loose when driving over abrupt potholes or steps in the road. So I'm may have to take the strut assembly apart to see if some bolts are loose. But it could still be something else...
- It didn't resolve the squeaky sound entirely. It's like two piece of metal are attached together but one twists and you hear that noise like a door hinge that lacks lubrication (it's the best image I can't come-up with to express the sound).
The issue is that when I put the car on jack stands I'm not finding anything loose...
Glad you removed the bump stops. Bilstein uses internal stops in the front so the OE should be discarded.
There is no real reason to remove the strut again. 3 mount bolts tight? Center nut tight? Lower "pinch" bolt tight? Spring in one piece? Done
There is no real reason to remove the strut again. 3 mount bolts tight? Center nut tight? Lower "pinch" bolt tight? Spring in one piece? Done
Well technically I didn't remove the struts yet. I don't have an easy garage to work with. It takes me a lot of time to clear space, put the car on jack stands, take wheels off, deal with rusted nuts and bolts, etc...
Most of the bump stop was cut off before but this time I took it all off. I didn't have to dismount the struts. I just used a knife to cut it length wise and it came of easy. I was happy with myself having found I could do so. I've done my suspension once. It is time consuming to remove even just the struts assembly from the car...
But I know what you mean. Though one still needs to remove the upper portion of the control links, and have to open up the knuckle to take off the struts in one piece. That's is the bolt is nice with you that day
Tonight I'm going to check the upper nut of the suspension is not loose, Actually I might loosen it and retighten it to make sure the struts itself isn't moving. But I may tap out in finding what's going on... My bigger fear is that something else subframe wise is loose and I can't tell what...
Most of the bump stop was cut off before but this time I took it all off. I didn't have to dismount the struts. I just used a knife to cut it length wise and it came of easy. I was happy with myself having found I could do so. I've done my suspension once. It is time consuming to remove even just the struts assembly from the car...
But I know what you mean. Though one still needs to remove the upper portion of the control links, and have to open up the knuckle to take off the struts in one piece. That's is the bolt is nice with you that day
Tonight I'm going to check the upper nut of the suspension is not loose, Actually I might loosen it and retighten it to make sure the struts itself isn't moving. But I may tap out in finding what's going on... My bigger fear is that something else subframe wise is loose and I can't tell what...
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What's the verdict?Well technically I didn't remove the struts yet. I don't have an easy garage to work with. It takes me a lot of time to clear space, put the car on jack stands, take wheels off, deal with rusted nuts and bolts, etc...
Most of the bump stop was cut off before but this time I took it all off. I didn't have to dismount the struts. I just used a knife to cut it length wise and it came of easy. I was happy with myself having found I could do so. I've done my suspension once. It is time consuming to remove even just the struts assembly from the car...
But I know what you mean. Though one still needs to remove the upper portion of the control links, and have to open up the knuckle to take off the struts in one piece. That's is the bolt is nice with you that day
Tonight I'm going to check the upper nut of the suspension is not loose, Actually I might loosen it and retighten it to make sure the struts itself isn't moving. But I may tap out in finding what's going on... My bigger fear is that something else subframe wise is loose and I can't tell what...
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