My car's begun to bottom out here and there over the last few months. Plus I'm noticing that the car's feeling a bit 'floaty' over larger bumps. It's getting quite annoying so I'm looking at replacing my suspension.

I have King Low springs and KYB shocks, which were installed four years/50,000km ago.

My question is, how do I know if it's the springs that are failing, or the shocks? I'm probably going to replace the springs with Dobinson Lows - I suspect the Kings are a tad soft for their height - but I'd given the age of them and the age of the car, I'd rather not replace the shocks unless I had to.

Might want to see if your bumpstops are still there also.

Yeah, I was going to replace them with when I replaced the springs regardless...

I'd recommend looking at bumpstops for Diamantes over in the states. I got some special bumpstops made out of a firmer material and chucked them on when I put the Boges on.

When doing a comparison with the factory bumpstops it looked as if it would have a much longer life.

That being said my stock bumpstops were chewed up so it's hard to say.

It can also come down to driving style, condition of the roads where you live, what kind of travel you do, and of course suspension setup.
I would imagine that the shocks are worn, due to the bottoming out and no stops.
Does the car look lower than normal all round or on one or more corners?
Normally a good test is at each corner is to push down on the car several times to get a bounce going, if when you let go and it bounces a few more times then your shocks most likely are gone, if it rebounds then stops straight away, then there fine.

Thanks for that Dingers, I'll look into it when the time comes.


It can also come down to driving style, condition of the roads where you live, what kind of travel you do, and of course suspension setup.
My driving style is pretty average. I do enjoy a good spirited drive here and there, but it's not often. Most of my kms have been around Brisbane, but there's been countless trips up the Bruce Highway to Gladstone. I look after my suspension as much as I can - speedbumps and driveways are taken at a crawl - but the condition of Queensland's roads works against me.


Does the car look lower than normal all round or on one or more corners?
Normally a good test is at each corner is to push down on the car several times to get a bounce going, if when you let go and it bounces a few more times then your shocks most likely are gone, if it rebounds then stops straight away, then there fine.
On visual inspection it seems pretty much even all around.

I just went and did that bounce test. Rears were perfect - snapped straight back into position. The fronts seemed good - however they had a very brief wobble (not really a bounce) before going back into position.

Even your bushes can play a part, as soon as I changed the D bushes on the sway bar, it sat flatter and for some reason, feels stiffer in the front going over speed humps.
How many Kays does the car have? The bushes could be worn creating movement in suspension geometry.

Ticked over 150,000km a fortnight ago :(

After reading your swaybar thread, I decided I'd replace the front sway bar bushes when I got the springs done, since they're so cheap, and seemed to make a pretty good improvement.

It's had two wheel alignments this year (at independent suspension specialists, not Bob Jane etc) so I'd like to hope that if something was glaringly worn it would have been noticed by now.

Were they suspension speacialists? ie Fulcrum, people who's specialty is suspension and components.
Places like Bob Jane and such only care about putting on and taking wheels off, and aligning, they won't take much notice in things like that. Plus places like Fulcrum can do shock absorber tests and chack all bushes and components.

Had my first wheel alignment done at Gladstone Steering and Suspension (in Gladstone, obviously lol) and another one done at Rick's Wheel Alignment down in Brisbane (has a great reputation). Taking it to Fulcrum and getting them to give it a good going-over is probably a good idea before I commit to anything, especially if there's a few other bushes etc that need doing.

Or maybe I could try Pedders with their cheap inspections lol EDIT: Turns out Fulcrum will do it for free (http://fulcrumsuspensions.com.au/free-suspension-check.html)... winner!

also check your centrifugal bearings in the rear when they go the back end can get a floaty motion. iirc pedders can replace them for $160.

I have a suspicion that it may be your shocks dude... it sounds exactly the issue I had before I upgraded to coil overs

For anyone curious, I took the Magna to Fulcrum today, since they do free inspection checks. There's numerous bushes that need to be replaced, but given the age of the car, it's a given.

Problem with the front suspension bottoming out? Apparently I have no bumpstops left lol They said the springs and shocks were still in good nick... although I did overhear them say something about it being too low lol

Problem with the front suspension bottoming out? Apparently I have no bumpstops left lol They said the springs and shocks were still in good nick... although I did overhear them say something about it being too low lol

Yep, sounds about right. Bumpstops are needed when we're talking about lowered cars especially.

I would expect your springs and shocks to last for a while yet, if your driving style is how to stated.

Yeah, my bump stops would be 150,000km old... the lowered suspension's been on for 50,000km... so it's no surprise. His words were basically that I'll keep wearing through my bump stops because of my lack of suspension travel, but I can live with that.

Yeah, my bump stops would be 150,000km old... the lowered suspension's been on for 50,000km... so it's no surprise. His words were basically that I'll keep wearing through my bump stops because of my lack of suspension travel, but I can live with that.

Yep, pretty cheap in the scheme of things. Cheap to replace as well if you can get your hands on a set of spring compressors and take no time at all if you've done them a million times like me. Sad story..

It is pretty premature for shocks to last 50000kms. Mine are double the kms and are still very happy.