Shock Absorbers: When to Replace Them

Hello everyone,

der mir vom Brötchengeber zur Verfügung gestellte BMW hat ein sog. M- Chassis.
This probably represents the ideal balance when it comes to achieving both track-ready performance and everyday, comfortable road manners.

The car handles curves and speeds with a comfortable, almost luxurious, suspension. In contrast, I feel really insecure and uncomfortable in a relatively new Leon FR or GTI!

Unfortunately, both the comfort and the sportiness are gone. The tires now show significant wear on holes and grooves. The car doesn't tend to sway excessively, the wheels don't lift off the ground, and it doesn't exhibit any wheel hop, but it now wobbles more noticeably during lane changes. Braking before corners now gives me a feeling similar to driving a Leon. And that brings us to the point.

When is it a good time to replace them? The shock absorber test for the front axle shows a result of 50%. The rear ones are okay. However, such a test is not very reliable because the device doesn't know, and can't be programmed to account for, the fact that the car is lower than usual.
Standard suspension.

The decision is so difficult because a new car is supposed to arrive in the spring, and even though the money isn't mine, I still feel guilty about it.

Der Wagen hat jetzt gut 110tkm. Schaff ich es noch sicher in den Frühling. Focus on comfort and...
I would be willing to compromise on the sporty features in favor of cost savings. I'm wondering if I'll notice in time that it's no longer safe, or if I'll eventually experience a breakdown and be stranded. Given the estimated 15,000 km to be driven by April, is it even realistic to expect the car to last that long?

What are your experiences with dampers?

Mine are very modest, except that I will never buy Monroe shocks again!

Thank you very much.

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When is it sensible to change them? The shock absorber test for the front axle shows 50%. For the rear, they are okay. However, such a test is not very informative because the device doesn't know, and doesn't want to learn, that the car is lower than the device itself. Standard suspension.

If they only dampen vibrations by 50%, I think they are junk for a suspension system like that.
You can only really check them properly with the right equipment, and only when they are removed. Depending on the stiffness of the stabilizer bar, it can sometimes compensate for a few percentage points of difference in performance between the shock absorbers during a standard shock absorber test.

By the way: Insufficient damping on the front axle and the resulting body roll (diving) tend to cause oversteer, especially when the rear axle settings are still at their original values.

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The car now has a little over 110,000 km.

I wonder if I can still make it safely through the spring. }

No idea, maybe not.
From a technical standpoint, you should have them replaced.

If your employer provides the vehicle, they will usually also pay for the maintenance and upkeep, right? That would include the shock absorbers.

Softer springs require less damping force. A softer suspension system with the same damping force would therefore perform better than a sporty suspension system. However, a suspension testing device measures something called the "oscillation value" (I'm not sure what that means exactly). Therefore, the damping force should always be measured in relation to the springs. This means that the 50% value can be adjusted to be the same for both suspension systems. In my opinion, 50% is a low value. It's strange that in my case, the right side was always more than 10% worse than the left. Your values are identical.

Unfortunately, worn-out shock absorbers increase braking distance and negatively affect aquaplaning performance. This directly impacts safety, especially during this time of year. Shock absorbers gradually deteriorate; you won't suddenly lose control. However, the achievable speed will progressively decrease. Whether or not it's fun to drive "sportily" is a secondary consideration in this context.

I'm sure the shock absorbers will last for at least another 15,000 km. The question is, will it eventually become so critical that you'll need the difference that new shock absorbers would provide?

@BM
What do the stabilizer bars have to do with it? Isn't it tested simultaneously on both wheels? Then it would only "slightly" reduce the difference between the left and right values. So, the stabilizer bars don't actually improve the percentage of power going to each wheel, do they? If my reasoning is correct, it hasn't affected the 50%-50% result.

Herr Antje wrote:

If your vehicle is provided by your employer, they will usually also pay for the maintenance and upkeep, right? That would include the shock absorbers.

I also see it that way. The employer is responsible for the proper condition of the drawing device... uh, company car . The keyword here is duty of care. The amount of money should play a secondary role when it comes to driving safety.

Apart from that, company cars are usually inspected by an expert after they are returned, and the expert may deduct the cost of replacing the shock absorbers from the sale price.

Hello,

Thank you for the answers.

Basically, most people wouldn't mind paying for it, but I would never have done it privately, as I would have bought a new car anyway in half a year. And even an oil change service for a BMW is a mortal sin for a Swabian like me. (Who the f*** would even want to own such a vehicle privately?)

If the point that the corresponding value is deducted when the vehicle is triggered is taken into account, then my considerations become irrelevant, and I should have it changed immediately.

The argument that driving safety and performance reserves (especially in terms of wet conditions and braking) gradually deteriorate actually adds another point. I can certainly do without attracting 'road bullies,' but I can't compromise on braking distance and safety.

@ Mr. Antje
Nein die Dämpfer machen auf der Vorderachse 3 % Unterschied, auf der HA 0%, Deine Erfahrung teile ich daher nicht. Allerdings weiß ich nicht, was die Stabis an Kraft auf die Gegenseite mitnehmen, um den dortigen Dämpfer mit beaufzuschlagen. Es are definitely.
Very powerful stabilizers.

Okay, one more thing for all those interested in power-to-weight ratio. The car, a well-equipped 320d sedan, weighs exactly 1675 kg with a full tank, full windshield washer fluid, approximately 10 kg of items in the trunk, and a driver weighing 85 kg. What made me happy was the excellent weight distribution of approximately 50 : 50 . In the vehicle registration document, the car is registered with only 1490 kg .

The weight itself seems too high at first glance. However, with the right equipment and rear-wheel drive, it should still be competitive. What was the weight of the older Passat with a 1.9 or 2.0 diesel engine? And what about the 'asphalt-gripping' drive concept? It should at least provide good traction.

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@BM What do the stabilizer bars have to do with it? Isn't it tested simultaneously on both wheels? In that case, it should only "slightly" reduce the difference between the left and right values. So, the stabilizer bars don't actually improve the percentage of power going to each wheel, do they? If my reasoning is correct, it hasn't affected the 50%-50% result.

I just wanted to mention that only a fully disassembled shock absorber can be 100% inspected.
In this particular case, it doesn't matter.

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The shock absorbers are slowly getting worse,

Well, once they start to leak, they lose their effectiveness very quickly.