While driving with 5 people yesturday in my 98 LX, I was either bottoming out or the tires were rubbing the fender liner while going over highway dips at 60-70 mph. The car has 80,000 miles. It also happend with 4 people on what I thought was not that big of a dip.

I looked at the side profile with the car full and it looks like it's slammed, about 1 fingergap in the rear. It is not lowered I just have 16" 205/55 series tires on it. Quesitons is:

Is it time for new shocks already? I don't want to eat up the new tires I just bought, plus I have been wanting Pro-kits and Illuminas. Any ideas?

 

How big are these people in your car ?

 

4 adults and 1 child and 4 adults. Only fat *** is me

 

If you change your shocks you will notice a difference in your ride quality, and handling. The only reason I would change them if i were you would be if they were leaking or blown. But from my experience shock wear is so gradual that you dont noticec it untuill you replace them with new ones.

To solve your problem you may want to get stiffer springs to help out.

But if it doesn't bother you that much id leave it alone and try to lose some weight...

 

By stiffer shocks do you mean H&R OE replacements? If I am going to buy new springs I might as well get some nice pro-kits. Haha and if I do that then I'll need new shocks. Hmm...Any other insights? If I am bottoming out with a load in back, are the shocks blown or are the springs the culprit?

 

that's kinda hard to believe, a 98 at stock ride height and 16's not being able to handle 4 people in the car? i'd say shocks, but those would only really come into play on bumps, if your car is sitting that low just sitting still i'd guess your springs were worn out or something. try some new springs, and hopefully that'll fix it.

i dont have any experience with 6th gens, but my 5th gen is dropped 2" on 17's, and when i had 5 people in the car i still had more than a one finger gap in the back even with blown shocks. i don't know, try new springs and see how that works out for you.

edit> and yah, i would recommend getting new shocks if you plan on dropping it.


Modified by fluxion at 9:20 PM 8/16/2003

 

Thats shitty.. 16"s on stock suspension?? Your car must have so much damn gap in it too.. (especially those 6th gens).. you must have been transporting 4 gorillas in that thing.