> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Schultz
>
> Another question since you all, have so much time on your hands :-)
>
> How long should aftermarket shocks last?
>
> I've had the Hotchkis 2/4 drop with Bilstein shocks in the truck since
> about 2005.
>
> For about a year, the rear was more like a 5" drop and it was pretty
> common for me to blow through the rear suspension right to the stops. I
> finally got around top having an additional leaf added to solve the
> problem. Now it seems that htere's abit of wallowing in the rear leading
> me to believe the shocks light be done.
>
> The passenger side cover is torn up, I think from being fully compressed
> far too often.
>
> Jumping on the bumper doesn't tell me much, as everything is still
> pretty stiff.
>
> There is an annoying squeak from that side, but I doubt that's the shock.
>
> Ahh, the joys of a minimally maintained 10 year old truck. Sigh. Wife's
> car been eating all our maintenance dollars.
>
> Rob S.
>
> 2000 4.7l QC, 5spd., Hotchkis, Hurst.
Well, I was gonna go watch some TV but now you start asking questions I
might actually know something about, so....
While you say the shocks are about 5 years old (same as the Bilsteins on my
Jeep), the important factors are how many miles are on them and what type of
roads have they been driven over. High miles or rough roads = shorter
life. Low miles or smooth roads.....well, you should have the idea now.
The torn up cover may be problematic if the shock rod has been exposed to a
lot of debris or salt covered roads. Other than that, not a big deal.
As for the lowering of the truck....if the shock isn't bottomed out under
full suspension compression then I don't think they've been harmed.
Now for some TV. Later...
Ray
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