Shocks or bushes

[CubanGav]

Afternoon.

If you were inclined to do new dampers or the suspension refresh (bushes, ball joints, nuts and bolts etc) what would you do first?

Ideally I'd do both, but not too flush on cash money at the moment.

I've had a shot of a mates car with half the miles on it and the difference was night and day so think my set up needs attention (geo was recently done).

Its a S2 with 65K and no sign in the service history that the shocks were ever changed. Research shows that they will last varying amounts of time depending on use and I think my car has been used in the way it was intended......

If the consensus is shocks the it'll be Quantum Zeros I think. If its bushes etc then OEM. Unless anyone can recommend alternatives.

All thoughts appreciated.

Gav.

[mckeann]

you need to inspect the bushes/bearings for play and see whats there. If your mechanically competent, then the parts cost for a refresh isnt that much, its the labour that stings. Dampers on the other hand cost loads to buy, but peanuts to fit.

[campbell]

I have changed dampers 3 times in total over 93k miles, and refreshed balljoints as and when they show play. Never been near wishbone bushes - that's the lorra labour aspect Neil is referring to (although doing balljoints can take time too...however they are easily within scope of the casual amateur mechanic, whereas wishbones are a bigger ask).

In my case, it was the fresh steering rack which returned the car to "as-new" status although I'm sure fresh w/b bushes will do even more. Steering Racks are not for the feint-hearted however.

[robin]

Check tyres and pressures first - if you liked the other car and the owner is amenable you could for the sake of an hour or so swap all four wheels to your car and drive it and see what, if any, difference there is - swap the wheels the other way two for a complete test; if the tyres are sh*t or overinflated then the good car will become crap and vice versa.

Worn bushes/rack will tend to give the car a floaty feeling on turn in with a dead spot as you transition from side to side (e.g. an S-bend will show the effect clearly as you exit one half and aim for the next).

Worn dampers will really show up when pressing on; you'll get excess body roll (more accurately the car will roll too far then rebound even though you're still cornering). Also you tend to lock wheels on corners where the dampers aren't working.

Obviously making all these things new will make the car feel like new, but if cash is tight it makes sense to identify the worst offender and correct that one first.

Cheers,
Robin

[CubanGav]

Thanks fellas.

Tyres are good - T1Rs (Campbell ) in good nick at the right pressures.

So bushes would seem to be pointless unless they are shot and I don't really have enough experience to make a valid call on them. I assume with the wheels and dampers off it would be a matter of moving the wishbones back and forth to check for binding or play.

I know I have a worn ball joint on the front left but wouldn't have thought that in itself would make any great difference?

The ride is crashy as opposed to floaty and the body roll is massive. If I check the bushes and they are fine I think the dampers is what I will go for. I didn't want to be changing one out first when I get more benefit from doing the other - if that makes sense.