Video: How to Check the Condition of Your Shocks

This Season: Tailgating; New Year, New You; Tax Time

Learn how to check the condition of your shocks to see if they need to be replaced with expert automotive tips in this free online auto repair and car maintenance video clip.

Comments

Video Transcript

Hi, my name is Nathan McCullough. In these clips we're talk about the proper way to inspect, remove, replace and maintenance your vehicles shock absorbers. In this clip I am going to talk about a 'sure fire' method to see if your shock absorber is failed. I am also going to talk about one of the items that you can perform on it, as far as maintenance. This here, is a new shock absorber. It is approximately 6 months old. The 'sure fire' test for it, is going to be to collapse the shock absorber and see if it actually returns back to it's fully extended position. It will require your body weight, and this style as a top stud here. I am not going to push directly on it with the palm of my hand. I have a shop rag here, I'm going to place it on the stud and just lean down on it. As you can see, it collapses just fine. What I'm going to do is come off of it. You can see how my shock absorber is re-extending. That means that the seal integrity is there and that it still retains all the pressure that it had from the factory. The one maintenance item you can do for your shock absorber. If you live in Michigan or some of the northern states in the rust belt, these will rust out, it happens all the time. This shield will rust off and will expose the seals on the inside to the weather. This has been on my vehicle for approximately 6 months and you can see how it's developing rust already. Right up in here and up in there. In order to prevent that rust, if you notice it starting go ahead and get your rattle can of spray paint and paint the rusted surfaces. That will extend the life of your shock absorber significantly, if you happen to live up here in the rust belt.

Follow eHow: Follow @eHow

How to Check the Condition of Your Shocks

Comments

Related Ads

Related Articles & Videos