grab the bumper and move the car up and down then let go. The car should bounce at max 1 1/2 times. If it bounces more than that then its time to replace them same with shocks. Also when you hit a bump, if it feels like you ( the driver ) is taking the hit, then i would do so. But be very careful when you compress the springs b4 taking off the strut. 1 wrong mistake could land you in the hospital. Other than that its a fairly easy job. Mark everything so you dont have to do an alignment as well. Springs dont normally go out.How do i know if my strut springs are bad?
Definitely sounds like it could be the struts only, and I'd bet replacing them would fix the problem.
But it might be good to go ahead and replace the springs at the same time if you plan on having the car for quite a while longer.How do i know if my strut springs are bad?
change the springs as well,on a 95 they aregoin to be shot !!How do i know if my strut springs are bad?
On a 15 year old car the springs are gonna be worn out and should be changed but they aren't what is causing the bad ride. Your struts are bad. You can get away with only changing the struts and it will ride just fine. If it was me, and I wasn't planning on keeping the car forever, I would just change the struts.How do i know if my strut springs are bad?
Test the shocks by bouncing the car. If the car comes to rest after a single up and down movement, then the shocks are probably OK.
If the car is low, the springs may be broken. Look at the springs where they sit on the strut cups. Sometimes you can see the fracture.How do i know if my strut springs are bad?
Springs hold the car in the air and struts or shocks keep the tires on the ground. What it sounds like is bad struts. To check springs, aside from the obvious like a broken spring the best way to check springs is measure the ride height of the car. With a tape measure check the same places left and right in the front and rear of the car. You may be able to find the specifications on line or from a local body shop. If all is ok do struts only. Just be careful and use a good spring compressor so no one gets hurt. When it's apart check the mounts/bearing plates too for wear or any roughness when you move them.
