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The shock absorbers on your vehicle dampen (or restrain) the vibrations that
the suspension springs can create as your vehicle travels over various road
surfaces. Put simply, shock absorbers keep the tires on the road by keeping
the springs from bouncing up and down continuously.
After countless up and down cycles of vehicle dampening, the shock valve and
piston become worn, gradually losing their effectiveness. If your vehicle has
over 75,000 miles, or its ride and handling aren't as smooth as they used to
be, it may be time to replace your vehicle's shock absorbers.
For vehicles produced in the last few decades, shock absorbers can be
classified into two basic types - individual or stand-alone shocks that attach
to the vehicle suspension and frame, and shock-absorber units (or cartridges)
integrated into a suspension strut - technically, a MacPherson or Chapman
strut. Bear in mind that some cars have struts in the front and individual
shocks in the rear. If this is the case, you can replace the rear shocks, but
the front struts are better left to a professional.
The integrated shock absorber/struts can be quite difficult to replace. Many
times they require removal of the suspension springs and the strut unit, which
is beyond the scope of this DIY project. Although many newer vehicles use
struts, most older vehicles, and most new or old trucks and SUVs, have
individual shock absorbers in both the front and rear. This DIY article will
describe how to replace those individual shock absorbers.
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Park your vehicle inside or outside in a well-lighted, level area. Unless you
have a pickup truck or sport utility with lots of ground clearance, you must
remove the wheels to determine whether your vehicle uses struts or individual
shock absorbers, or whether the front and rear have different systems. You
will only need to remove one front and one rear wheel (one at a time) to see
this. Use all appropriate safety precautions (refer to the "Rotating Your
Tires" DIY in the archives for step-by-step instructions).
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