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how do you know when its "time" to replace V shocks and springs

2K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  UnsafeAtAnySpd 
#1 ·
my V has 58k or so on it...

I presume my shocks are on the downside of their life cycle as the car 'dives' more than it used to on hard braking and on turn ins..The front end also seems to float over subtle dips and require more than one 'cycle' to firm up over more abrupt dips...

But,, they dont show any signs of leakage- nice and dry, and I can't get anything more than the standard dip and return when I try the "push down" test...even when trying hard multiple times. It also feels like it will "teeter" diagonally sometimes..like maybe one of the fronts is worse off than the other.

For those who have replaced their shocks/struts, did you do so because you could just tell it was time or was it a visual thing?


I have some used FG2s in a box, I think they had 40xxx miles on them at time of removal.. One of the front FG2s is apparently "on its way out" and that is clear by the thin oil film on one of them. Should I go through the trouble of installing these or just ditch them? I was hoping they would provide good insight as to how they felt in general so I could justify purchasing new ones but I dont want to put them on and be worse off than when I started..


Also, at what age would the stock V springs normally "wear out", if ever?... is this possible?
 
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#2 ·
The springs won't wear out most likely and if they do, they will show it in sag. No sag, no problems.

As for the diving, I think these cars just have dive and that by itself isn't a sign of shock wear. My car with newer FG2s dives noticeably. GM for some reason didn't do much with anti-dive geometry the way all the competition is, as well as some very normal cars. Doesn't really affect performance and there may have been a reason they did it this way. Does feel lower performance, though.
 
#6 ·
all good replies..

I tend to buy things on a whim especially V stuff.

I only paid 400 for the fg2 set along with a set of springs that I'll be welding into a nice sculpture.

I don't think the fgs are dead-just tired. Only one of the fronts was said to leak - which could easily mean shat in the wheelwell on the first bounce, who knows lol.. I knew the mileage and condition prior to purchase and wasn't expecting to replace my fe4s..

I would hope that at a minimum, these would allow me to feel the added stiffness even if they didn't allow me to push them hard.
If you guys are saying that these aren't even worth the trouble then I misunderstood the sellers description. That said, I will be putting them in because I need the practice for when I buy that new set.


After paying closer attention I've noticed now that my rear shocks are what is bouncing alot, not the front like I thought...i get 2 full travel cycles on some slow speed dips when the front pops right back up after the same dip. In the driveway push test I guess I just couldn't get the leverage to make it bounce.
 
#8 ·
They nail down the car the way it was marketed to be a BMW-alternative, rather than just a midsize Cadillac with a small block V8. The FE4s, imo, are cruiser comfy but not dialed in enough. Most people disagree, which means GM was wise to dial the Nurburgring tuning settings back and offer the FE4s as standard.

CadzillaTN,

I take 2 speed bumps each day, aside from driving on terrible RI roads. The FG2s, in the rear, are basically critically damped. The rear is very stiff, but it keeps the tires on the road in my experience. The front actually bounces once over the speed bump, which is odd, but I've noticed this behavior in my Caprice which has Bilstein higher performance shocks on it. And the car corners pretty neutral so it must be right.
 
#11 ·
Well I threw on the rear 'used' fg2s today since you dont need the spring compressor to swap rears..

Not that it matters at all, but I noticed I could compress the fe4s an inch or more with my body weight and hold it for a 1/2 second. The fg2s would only allow about 1/2 inch tops, and pop right back up. Neither showed any signs of leakage.



I was surprised how much more precisely and confidently they made the car handle. It is much 'stiffer' too over humps..rebound is abrupt and firm. The rear is so planted now, I could lay strips of rubber at the drop of a hat..the tires will just smoothly spin. Could not do that before, I was hopping at much lower rpms. Exiting turns I can lay down the power better than I've been able to for a LONG time. The rear end doesn't squat near as much on initial takeoff, hard throttle or mid speed romps...Steering response/turn in even feels a few hundredths faster. The realized improvement in performance is actually what I perceived cradle bushings would deliver.

I 'know' the V isnt handling 'that' much better..but the sotp is nice and rear end feels much flatter around turns... I like it..One thing is for sure - worn fg2s are much better than worn fe4s! My fe4s probably aren't totally gone but they arent going back in unless one of these blows up.

I want to put the fronts on now just to see how it feels!

In summary, the money I spent on these used fg2s has so far been worth it and they served their purpose. I like the stiffer ride and if I could find a set of these at 50% of new cost, I would buy them...but as others mention the fg2s are disappearing and it is wiser to get a rebuildable brand, which I will most likely do when time and money permit..
 
#14 ·
I took a few of my weekend routes today. At the same throttle levels, the rear wants to just fly away but its nice and controllable. I also can't carry as much speed in the turns or it wants to slide out. That could be the road temps too.. I miss the security of 100 degree asphalt..

Either my avg mpgs are going to go up, or I'm going to need new tires soon.
 
#15 ·
For what it's worth, I have 105k miles and near 20 track days on my (as far as I know) stock FE4s.
 
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