How do I know if I need shocks, springs, or both? 10-year old car with 100K miles exhibits too much body roll in evasive lane-change maneuver or when sawing steering wheel back and forth. I don't know when or if the shocks or springs have been replaced in the past.

I guess I'm looking for a little general knowledge as well as a suggestion.

Thanks,
Mike

 

You know you need shocks if yours are leaking, bent or don't prevent your car from bouncing more than once over each bump.

You also know you need them if your car is ten years old and has 100,000 miles.

 

depends on the car. Shock absorbers (dampers) wear out their seals around 80kmiles. Springs don't usually go bad per se, but they lose some of their tension if they're kept under stress for long periods. My guess is that with that old a vehicle, you've lost about 2% of the spring's original height due to compression.

As for too much body roll, a swaybar can fix that, but depending on the car, that might not be an option.

Regardless, replace the dampers, and have the springs checked for cracks.

 

Thanks for the replies. Pretty much what I figured, but I wasn't sure if springs wear out or not. Sounds like I've got somewhere to start!

Thanks again,
Mike