How to tell if your shocks are stuffed?

[juls]

I have recently bought a MQ patrol wagon. I reckon the shocks are buggered but really dont know how to tell for sure without maybe getting them checked by an expert?

The springs look like around 2" lift and are quite hard (ie if i jump on the bull bar it moves about 1 cm). The ride is very harsh and when you go over a bump you feel it twice as the front wheels go over and then the back wheels (typical MQ patrol perhaps? it reminds me of riding in my mates mq shorty years ago)

So because its so hard, it makes it hard to check how the shocks respond however if I rock the car from side to side, by standing on the side steps, once I jump off and stop rocking it, it seems to rock by itself for 4 or 5 times before stopping.

I would have thought it should settle by itself after rocking maybe 1 or 2 more times.

Would this be a reasonable assumption?

[zagan]

This will be good to know.

I've read that if you can push down on the side of a car it should go straight back to the spot it should be.

it shouldn't keep rocking etc.

I was also thinking maybe measure the top of the wheel wells and see if they are the same around the car, as a way of seeing if the front or rear is sagging too much.

It'll be interesting to see what other say though.

[chops]

how many leafs are in the leaf packs? There may be too many for what you want, especially since you said it's way too stiff when you hit bumps etc

and look at your shocks.. if they're leaking, dirty/wet etc.. then they're stuffed

[Dyna Beast]

The only way to make sure if the are stuffed is to remove them and see what resistance there is in both directions.Should be dam hard to move the piston.If you can hold the shock at one end and the rod slides out freely it is realy stuffed,You could wait until one siezes ,as one of mine did.Then there is no questions.

[WRXZook]

Here is how to properly test your shock absorbers
http://www.me.mtu.edu/~mrao/et-shock-paper.pdf

Simple observation will tell you a lot about the condition of the shock absorbers: What does the vehicle drive like (ie does it pogo over bumps or after sudden braking)?
Does it lurch around corners?
Check the shock is not bent, broken or leaking.
Remove the shock and push it in and pull it out to check the damping (keep the shock upright). Compression should be easier than rebound and it should feel smooth over the length of travel. If there is no resistance or the shock binds in places it should be replaced.

The bump test is also a good indicator on normal passenger vehicles, but can be more difficult to do on stiffly sprung larger 4X4s etc. Push your weight down as in bouncing each corner of the vehicle and let go. It should stop quickly within 1 to 2 oscilations. If it continues bouncing, replace the applicable shocks.

If your shocks are adjustable for damping and are set incorrectly it can introduce other problems.

[up2nogood]

Or another way is check for oil on them!

When they're stuffed they usually leak oil out.