How to know when you need shocks?

I'm trying to decide if I need shocks on my roadmaster. Since I'm not really sure how soft the ride is supposed to be it's hard for me to judge. It seems like it's a little bouncy. I especially notice it when going over a speed bump in a parking lot - no matter how slow I go, it seems like the rear end goes up and down 2 or 3 times before settling down. When I push down on rear bumper and let up quickly, it comes up with 1 small bounce before settling back.

The car has 65k miles and otherwise seems to run smooth as silk - just seems like the ride is a little spongy. Emblem on dash says Dynaride if that means anything. It' a 94 wood delete.

If I decide to replace the shocks, are some better than others? If I need 'em, I'll probably get the best - she's worth it and I've got a lot orr road trips planned this Fall.

 

Walk up to your car and go to each corner and give the car a good push and pull and let it go. The car should bounce once and stop. if it goes more than once it is time for shocks. If your passengers need a barf bag while you are cruising down a road you need shocks! ;0 At 65K it might be ready I changed ours out at 80k.The car should be smooth and steady going down the road not wallowing/bouncing like a boat. The one roadmaster I have has the load leveling system and those are standard air shocks (gabriel brand) and you will need the adaptor kit to hook the GM line to the shock. Otherwise I would get a nice set of monroe's and call it a day.

 

Auto leveling rear shocks

I just looked at the build codes on my roadmaster. One of them is G67 - auto leveling shocks. What does this mean?

 

If it bounces like Uncle Buck's Marquis (see this video 0:15 to 0:20 or so)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFV9WVZ4cek

Then you need new shocks.

 

Nothing like that

Great video - mine is nothing like that. I guess I'll just need to get a few more opinions. I need to figure out this auto- leveling system so I can know if it's working. Sounds like they are prone to problems.

I saw something online for a conversion kit from strut masters that gets rid of the whole air system for about $300. Anyone ever done this?

 

First let me say that I'm terribly jealous of your car. I sold my 96 Roady wagon over the summer and miss it every day. Outstanding cars. I have a 92 Custom Cruiser now, and I like it a lot, but miss the LT1 SO MUCH!

That said, and back to your question, Buick offered a base (very soft) suspension, Dynaride, and a slightly firmer setup, the Grand Touring Suspension. Any easy give-away is the emblem there on the dash...your car has the SOFT suspension.

Most Roady wagons had the load-leveling rear air shocks. By now, many have developed cracks in the rubber and leak, making the rear "bob" over bumps and running the compressor too hard. Also in some cases the compressors have failed, or lines are leaking. Do you know if your level-ride compressor still works?

You can still buy replacement air shocks, but they are expensive. Many folks put on conventional shocks, pull the air-ride relay under the hood, and just forget about the air-mess.

When I bought my '96 Roady it had leaking rear shocks and original front shocks. It was...WAY...too soft. On advice I put on a set of Monroe Severe Service shocks...and it went from way to soft, to way too firm. My change rattled in the dashboard tray over every bump in the road...not very Buick-like.

Also, the rear springs are designed to work with the air shocks. At first I just replaced my shocks, and did not do the springs. This was ok unloaded, but the first time I went to tow...well I had a slight sagging issue....LOW-RI-DER! Ha!

And me pulling the boat the rest of the way off the ramp and into the parking lot.....! YIKES!


After doing a bit more research, I was told that I could either replace the stock rear springs with variable-rate coil springs, or I could install airbags in the springs. Well I didn't want to mess with air again, so went with new springs.

SO to finish up this LONG reply, the BEST setup was what I finally did. I replaced the harsh Monroe shocks with KYB Gas-A-Just shocks (NOT GR2's!), and replaced the rear springs with Moog variable-rate units. Talk about a car transformed! It rode smooth but no bobbing or waddling around, and with the new rear springs it towed fine, and again, no air leaks to mess with ever again!

I found the best prices at RockAuto.com online, but Autozone was close.
The springs are MOOG #CC623, from Rock Auto.
Old springs for air shocks vrs new Moog variable-rate:
-Springs are from a fellow members car...mine were not that rusty, but I didn't nab a pick when I pulled mine.

Oh and one other thing, most LT1 Roady's have a steering stabilizer shock mounted to the front suspension center link. If your's is leaking, replace it. It really makes the steering smooth, especially over bumps. They do not list this shock for Roadmasters in parts books, you have to look under Cadillac Fleetwood. It's the same part number.

Once all the work was done the car sat great and drove better than new.



And as you can see, it sits fine loaded!



So again, my advice is to get away from air all together. The KYB shocks are great, they are not TOO expensive, and with the new rear springs done at the same time, your car will feel totally transformed. I'm about to do this exact update on my new '92 Olds Custom Cruiser...and can't wait to have it done...

Oh and just to toss this out, many folks have gone with Bilstien shocks and swear by them. They cost a good deal more. If you have the funds and want to go that route, fine, but if you are on the budget, the Gas-A-Just KYB's are fantastic.

Good luck, and would love pics of your Roady when you can!

-Mike

 

"Sir your car is on fire...it's on fire!"

"Nonono that's just a little oil....."

 

Have fun removing the dreaded 91-96 B-body wagon rear shock upper mounting bolts and nuts when you change the shocks.

I recently replaced mine, 80 bucks for the ACDelco 504516 units for the leveling system from Rockauto.
I like the auto leveling system myself, keeps the car the same height no matter what, and it's weirdly cool IMO. The noise of the air automatically releasing 15-30 seconds after you turn off the car and get out to lower it back down sounds like a whoopie cushion on mine.
I used to blame the dog for that sound to my wife and kids, now I blame the car.

 

If you read my post I told you.....air shocks I think mike's post with photos sums it all up the best. That is what I did with Nicole's 96 roadie that was sent off to NM with her for school. She simply loves it!!

 

Bet they removed the rear shocks and seafoamed the engine for those shots?

 

Oh I just figured it was an old Ford.





..........ok Ford guys, just kidding!

 

That really hurt.... I will forgive you......This time !!!

 

Still confused

First of all, thanks for all the great replies. You guys are a wealth of knowledge. However, I'm still not sure what I actually have and what I need to do (if anything).

I did the bounce test according to DanR63 today and definitely got more than one bounce. I assume that means I need shocks, but aFter looking into how the auto- leveling feature is supposed to work, I 'm not even sure I have it. Athough the build codes say I do.

If I understand that system correctly, I should hear a compressor start up and lift the shocks when weight is added to the rear end. Today, myself and another guy ( about 400 lbs total) sat on the open gate, sinking the car approximately 8 inches. I didn't hear anything start up and it certainly didn't rise back up, so it seems like it's either not working, or was already converted to a non- air system.

If it were just not working, would the rear-end sag. Because it doesn't. It really rides great and the only time I really notice the bounce is Avery slow speeds over bumps.

What's the easiest way to determine what I actually have?

Thanks in advance

 

Stick your head under the car and see if you have any air lines coming off the shocks. If you do, then either the shocks are shot, the lines are cracked/leaking, or your compressor is dead.

The car will still sit level with no load in it, even if the shocks are shot. The springs hold it up, and the shocks keep it from boucing around. If you put a load in it however, it'll sag.

-Mike

 

To test the system, if you have the load leveling, the engine has to be running. That compressor has quite a bit of draw, so it normally will not work with the engine off to protect the battery. Have a couple people sit on the back bumper and then start the car. If it has the air ride, you'll hear the compressor kick in and see the back end lift. Many of these systems will allow the back end to drop back to normal for about 10 minutes after the car is turned off, and after that, it waits until the engine is running.