How to Check Shock Absorbers or Macpherson Struts in a Chevy Corvette

Shock absorbers prevent your car from flailing about on the road while you drive. Whenever your vehicle bottoms out, the wear and tear on your springs reaches dangerous level. This is a serious reality for people who own the Chevy Corvette. The Corvette sits very low to the ground-any type of flailing around as you drive could result in an accident.

Things You'll Need

• Wrench set
• Ratchet set
• Screwdriver set
• Cleaning rags

Instructions

1. Listen to the sounds your Corvette makes when you drive. If there is a constant thud noise, you need new shocks.

2. Read your owner's manual to see if your Corvette has Macpherson Struts. Newer Corvettes have Macpherson Struts just like the new Cadillacs.

3. Check to see if the mountings are loose under the car. Test the mounting nut or bolt-if it moves without much effort, then it is loose.

4. Feel for a stud in a rubber housing. This stud may turn as you tighten the not. If the stud turns, you need to replace the Corvettes shock absorbers.

5. Find the hex on the stud. You can try to tighten the nut while you hold the stud.

6. Decide if the shock absorber has any life left. In most cases, if the stud turns when you tighten the nut, the shocks are gone. Replace them.

7. Determine if a thread-locking compound will add life to the shock absorbers. If the shock bushings' rubber is dry and cracked, you need to replace the shock.

Tips & Warnings

• Reaching the shock absorbers is difficult. You need to support the chassis and lift it up to a height that is safe and comfortable.

• Go slowly when taking off the hardware of the shock absorber-the last thing you want is to break the bolt in half.