Shock Problems???

**CamaroDMD** · 05-09-2008, 05:27 PM

OK, so for the last couple days I have been hearing what sounds like a bit of wheel rub on my passenger side rear tire in my 2002 LE Camaro. More recently, I have heard sum "thump" noises back there when I hit a bump and I seem to feel like the back end wants to wander slightly when I hit a bump in the road. Someone told me that it sounds like I may have a rear shock going bad.

I climbed under the car and I didn't see any evidence of anything broken or loose in the suspension. So, I was wondering if a bad shock might have these symptoms...as if the shock would compress but wasn't happy uncompressing.

Also, I only notice the rubbing sound when I'm corning and the "thump" only happens when I hit a bump...and not every time either.

So, my first question is...does this sound like a shock issue? If so, I assume I have to replace the rear shocks...and if they have to be replaced I probably shouldn't just put standard shocks back there. So, are there any specific manufacture of shocks that people recommend that might improve handling or general performance?

Thanks!!!

**02fbody35th** · 05-09-2008, 05:36 PM

i would check your pan hard bar, i had a 94 z that was doing the same things especially on the bumps it felt very loose in the rear end. i climbed under there and had a freind move the rear end while i looked for the problem, i found that the pan hard bar was loose after i tightened it up problems went away

**Y2KPewterSS** · 05-09-2008, 06:45 PM

Most likely, its a bad shock. Konis and Bilsteins are both fantastic.

**CamaroDMD** · 05-10-2008, 11:33 AM

Are edelbrock shocks any good? I was looking at these and they seem affordable...but I know you get what you pay for: http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

I don't really think I need an adjustible shock as this is just my daily driver. I would just like a nice performance shock that might ride and handle better than stock. Would this be a good choice or are the others much better?

**tonyjnjz** · 05-10-2008, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by CamaroDMD

Are edelbrock shocks any good? I was looking at these and they seem affordable...but I know you get what you pay for: http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

I don't really think I need an adjustible shock as this is just my daily driver. I would just like a nice performance shock that might ride and handle better than stock. Would this be a good choice or are the others much better?

get koni's..there worth the money........i LOVE mine.what a smooth/tight ride they give....rears are easy as pie to install......fronts are a lil more time consuming but stil not that bad

**CamaroDMD** · 05-10-2008, 12:33 PM

I see the Koni's are adjustable...are they hard to adjust or is it pretty easy to get them all set up. I have never had adjustible shocks before.

Also, if I just change the back shocks to Koni's will that be OK for now or do I really need to do the front shocks as well to feel a difference?

**tonyjnjz** · 05-10-2008, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by CamaroDMD

I see the Koni's are adjustable...are they hard to adjust or is it pretty easy to get them all set up. I have never had adjustible shocks before.

Also, if I just change the back shocks to Koni's will that be OK for now or do I really need to do the front shocks as well to feel a difference?

yes u could do JUST the back........i did my backs first and drove on them for a few weeks before i got to the fronts...when the tires break loose its incredibly easier to control the handling with rear koni's .....there very easy to adjust as well

**CamaroDMD** · 05-10-2008, 01:57 PM

The problem is, money is kind of tight for me right now...and it would be close to $700 to change to Koni's all around it seems like. I just bought this car so I don't have a lot of extra and I start graduate school soon. So, as much as I would like to build this thing up right now...I really can't. So, I need to find something more affordable. I was thinking about the Edelbrocks for the back but I don't know if they would be any good (and even they are a little spendy). A buddy of mine has KYB shocks on his '70 Challenger...and seems to think they are good for their price. I would like something better than I can get off the AutoZone shelf...but I can't afford to pay for a major upgrade right now. Hopefully, in a couple years I can afford to put Koni's or something like them in it.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 05-10-2008, 02:14 PM

The one mistake I made modding my car was cheaping out on shocks. I have regretted it for a year now, but will be putting Konis in the rear within the next month. Shocks are extremely important. I would not settle for a shock because money is tight at the moment or cheap out on shocks. If at all possible, save for a little while longer and buy quality shocks. Like suggested above, I would just buy quality rear shocks for now and then do the fronts later when funds allow.

**tonyjnjz** · 05-10-2008, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by CamaroDMD

The problem is, money is kind of tight for me right now...and it would be close to $700 to change to Koni's all around it seems like. I just bought this car so I don't have a lot of extra and I start graduate school soon. So, as much as I would like to build this thing up right now...I really can't. So, I need to find something more affordable. I was thinking about the Edelbrocks for the back but I don't know if they would be any good (and even they are a little spendy). A buddy of mine has KYB shocks on his '70 Challenger...and seems to think they are good for their price. I would like something better than I can get off the AutoZone shelf...but I can't afford to pay for a major upgrade right now. Hopefully, in a couple years I can afford to put Koni's or something like them in it.

spend the 350 on rears now and do the fronts when u can afford it..............think of shocks like this...would u rather buy a shitty tire for 100 bucks or a fantastic tire for 200 and these tires will last the life of the car no matter which u choose

**CamaroDMD** · 05-10-2008, 05:08 PM

Bilstein's were also suggested and I found some on summit that were about $82 each...are those the shocks that were mentioned? Are they similar to the Koni's or are the Koni's still much better?

Also, the Bilstein's come up when I search for shocks for a 2002 Camaro...but if I hit the submodel "SS" they disappear. Do the SS cars have different shocks or are all 2002 F-body rear shocks interchangeable?

Here are the Bilstein's: http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

Hopefully I'm not annoying you guys with all my questions...but I want to consider all my options.

**CamaroDMD** · 05-10-2008, 05:41 PM

OK, so I think I found the problem...and its not the shocks. So, as has been suggested on this board, other boards, and friends...it could be something lose in the suspension. I crawled under the car a couple times and checked but didn't find anything...but I only checked the passenger side because thats where the sound came from. Well, I was wriggling my way under the car a few minutes ago to check something else (being to lazy to jack the car up). I crawled under it from the driver side on my back and right into view appeared something out of place. Now, I know nothing about suspension...but I'm trying to learn...so I might get the terminology wrong here, but I believe this is a torsion bar (please correct me if I'm wrong). Anyway, it was tight on the passenger side...but I didn't realize before that it was not only lose on the driver side but had fallen out of its bracket and was hanging below it. So, I shoved it back into its bracket, took a photo, and then went looking for a new bolt. I haven't test drove it yet...but I figure my problem is solved.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 05-10-2008, 05:53 PM

Thats your panhard rod and that missing bolt would be a problem

**02fbody35th** · 05-10-2008, 06:09 PM

thats what i told u man, i had the same thing happen to me on my z, im glad you found it

**CamaroDMD** · 05-10-2008, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by 02fbody35th

thats what i told u man, i had the same thing happen to me on my z, im glad you found it

Thanks man. After you said that, I went looking under the car and did check that bar (not knowing that was the panhard bar)...but only on the passenger side. I completely missed it being lose on the other end.