Time For New Struts?

[Eurythmian]

I'm pushing 90K and have noticed the ride has become a little more harsh than it was at 50K. When do you know it's time to replace the struts and bushings? I don't hear anything yet - unless I drive over rough road rash. It just seems a little harsh and the front seems to have a hard thud sometimes.

Any info will help. Should I stick with OEM parts for go with other? I know if I have a FORD house do the work it's going to cost me a fortune.

 

[Hawk03]

Only Ford and Monroe make struts for the car, so you have limited options. I guess you could go the Jaguar route. I just replaced mine with sport shocks (factory was non-sport) because it was cheaper. My rear end was sagging a bit and chewing up my tires, even after an alignment. When I pushed on the rear it didn't bounce back quickly. After installing the new shocks, its big difference from what it was.

You may want to order them sooner rather than later to save you some money:
http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=83138

 

[regiment1]

I think most of the time changing the shocks is a question of when you decide it needs to be done. One test I know of is to push down on the corner and see how fast and firmly the car bounces back. Judging the result is subjective, though.

I am having mine installed at a local shop today. There was nothing obvious wrong, other than a progressively rougher ride that still wasn't very bad. I bought sport shocks from rockauto for something like $340 delivered. Labor and alignment will probably be another $300.

 

[02LincLS]

Sagging is not caused by a bad shock, but rather the the spring (or excessive rear camber could appear to be sagging). The shock only prevents the tire from bouncing. I have seen cars with dead shocks on the highway that the tire bounced right off the ground when they hit a little bump.

I got 90K out of my original sport shocks, and approaching another 90 on these "euros". I can tell they are due soon. Back to sports I guess.

 

[Eurythmian]

Thanks guys... this gives me an idea of what I need to be ready for. Going to do it sooner rather than when something goes wrong.

 

[05 LS8]

I'm pushing 90K and have noticed the ride has become a little more harsh than it was at 50K. When do you know it's time to replace the struts and bushings? I don't hear anything yet - unless I drive over rough road rash. It just seems a little harsh and the front seems to have a hard thud sometimes.

Any info will help. Should I stick with OEM parts for go with other? I know if I have a FORD house do the work it's going to cost me a fortune.

Definitely due for new shocks.

If you are not going to spend the money on OEM, don't bother changing them.
Every 50-70k is a good number to roll with.

Put the new shocks in there and you will say to yourself "why didn't i do this sooner"

 

[Eurythmian]

Made an appointment with my FORD house a few seconds ago.

 

[LS_Monk]

For the amount of money you going to pay to have them done you could have put bilsteins in and probably lowered it.

 

[Wicked Ace]

Only Ford and Monroe make struts for the car, so you have limited options. I guess you could go the Jaguar route. I just replaced mine with sport shocks (factory was non-sport) because it was cheaper. My rear end was sagging a bit and chewing up my tires, even after an alignment. When I pushed on the rear it didn't bounce back quickly. After installing the new shocks, its big difference from what it was.

You may want to order them sooner rather than later to save you some money:
http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=83138

too late