Shocks not absorbed

[paparudeshuie]

hi,

my lil clc180 '08 reg has a problem with the shocks... every pothole is like a nuclear explosion - the shock goes to my dashboard and at some point I think my windscreen will crack.
I replaced few months ago the springs and most of the front suspension.
it doesn't bounce nor dive in on breaking, so I doubt it's the dampers fault.
any idea would be greatly appreciated!

danke schoen

 

[Blobcat]

Hello and welcome

What size wheels have you got and what tree pressures?

 

[paparudeshuie]

18" on minimum tyre pressure, as per the booklet.

 

[Blobcat]

18" on minimum tyre pressure, as per the booklet.

Are they what the car came with originally or fitted afterwards? 18” and what profile? Small sidewalls don’t do anything for the suspension other than pass more loads to it.
Are the shock absorbers original or aftermarket?

Any form of traffic calming or pothole should be approaching with maximum car and minimum speed. Way too many cracked alloys out there because of the poor state of our roads.

 

[paparudeshuie]

the rims are stock. no idea about the absorbers, but the mileage is about 150k... however, there is no sign of bad dampers, unless the MB ones get stiffer when old. I never considered the tyre pressure as a factor - I usually keep it on minimum after many years of driving on max and replacing tyres each season as a result (plus tyre punctures more often).
I was suspecting some worn bushes but I am no mechanic so don't know what to listen for.

 

[DSK]

What exactly was changed when you say front suspension? There are is a bit to it such as anti roll bars, shocks, top mounts, control arms/joints etc.

Was the issue occurring before the items were replaced or since?


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[paparudeshuie]

It has always been stiff but now it drives me mad… so yea, the issue was there previously.

Front suspension: drop links, suspension arms.

 

[DSK]

One of the most overlooked but not so long lasting items are strut top mounts that start to wear, essentially when these go the rest of the suspension doesn’t seem to do it’s best job.

They are not expensive and labour shouldn’t be too bad!


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[LostKiwi]

At 150k the dampers are almost certainly a bit tired. I'd be tempted to change them anyway.

 

[paparudeshuie]

strut top mounts added to the list!

in regards to the dampers, I understand that the shocks are taken by the springs, the dampers just prevent the bouncing movements. by this judgment, worn dampers shouldn't cause the above described problems. maybe I'm wrong, but that's logical.

 

[LostKiwi]

There are two parts to damping.
A spring with no damper will compress more than a spring with a damper. On bigger bumps this can cause the spring to compress to the point the suspension runs out of movement and hits the bump stop leading to a harsh ride. This is compression damping.

Once the spring has compressed it stores a lot of energy. This energy can cause the spring to extend rapidly and if no damper is present will pass past the point of equilibrium and over extend which then results in the spring needing to be compressed again. This can lead to a bouncy ride. This is rebound damping.

The trick with suspension design is to balance the forces of the spring with the energy absorption of the damper. New springs and old dampers could give a poor ride.

 

[paparudeshuie]

that's a complete explanation - thank you.

I keep reading about Kony dampers and how good they are. should I replace with MB genuine (Bilstein) or the yellow marvel?

 

[sonic]

As you have problems I would keep everything standard & use MB.

 

[LostKiwi]

Koni adjustable dampers are good but very expensive.
The street ones will probably have a sport set up for spirited driving so probably will be set too hard for what you want.
As above I'd personally go with Bilstein or Sachs standard units.

 

[DSK]

that's a complete explanation - thank you.

I keep reading about Kony dampers and how good they are. should I replace with MB genuine (Bilstein) or the yellow marvel?

Koni - be warned. Many folks on the Volvo side of the pond fitted Konis, only to find the metal rusted through in a shocking short space of time. This was not on a few cars but several! I would not touch them with a barge pole.

I’ve had Bilstein always with no issues and even after 120,000 miles in snow and shine, they look close to new! I’d stick with Sachs, Boge, Bilstein for generic replacements.

PartsforVolvos online also do partsformercedes, they usually have a good deal on a set of 4 shocks, may even do a combination shock and spring kit.


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