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Old 03-01-2008, 11:37 AM   #1
Rexer06
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Member#: 125065
Join Date: Sep 2006
Vehicle:
2006 WRX

Default How do you know your stock struts are shot?

I've been using prodrive lowering springs with stock struts on my 06 wrx for about 2 yrs (mileage 25,000 miles). most of the time, i usually drive around with my wife as my front passenger and only occasionally with a full load (1 front passenger and 3 adults in the rear seats). i don't overload my car, i don't go to the track and i don't drive offroads. the roads i drive on are proper tarmac roads and i go over speed humps slowly.

i'm not sure if i'm getting more sensitive but i feel that the car is getting bouncier. is this a sign that the struts are shot? isn't it a bit too fast (2yrs, 25,000miles) for the struts to spoil? are there any visible checks that I can do to verify its condition?

PS
i've read web articles asking people to press down on each corner of the car. i've tried that and find that it's darn difficult to tell whether the car is vibrating up and down like it should (or shouldn't). it just feels too darn stiff and the vibration is too little to be noticable.
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Old 03-01-2008, 12:59 PM   #2
1sick07
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: California
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2011 STI Sedan
SSM

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First of all....25k miles in two years?? I hate you lol. But it sounds like they are good to me. If it starts riding like a cadillac then you have problems. But you want it to hit a bump, the car dips down a lil then right back to orginal. If the strut was shot it would dip down real slow a couple of times after that first bump. In other words really soft (if you have never driven in a cadillac).

Last edited by 1sick07; 03-01-2008 at 01:00 PM. Reason: Can't spell.
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Old 03-01-2008, 01:19 PM   #3
WRX66
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the only visual check i believe is to see if they are leaking any fluid
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Old 03-01-2008, 06:00 PM   #4
whtlegacy
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Chapter/Region: MWSOC
Location: Cleveland
Vehicle:
2004 WRX Wagon
DRZ400SM

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Like the above poster said, the only real visual check is for leaking fluid.

Increasingly bouncy ride definately would indicate shocks wearing out - but you have to trust your assessment of the ride...

I think that 25,000 miles of normal, commuter-type driving is rather quick for shocks to wear out although the springs certainly will accelerate wear.

FWIW, I have almost 60,000 on 04 shocks/stock springs. I live on a bumpy brick road, drive hard, and often tow a heavy motorcycle trailer. My shocks still control the ride quite well.

You can always pull the strut/spring assembly and disassemble it so you can test the strut by pushing down on the damper and seeing how it responds.
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Old 03-01-2008, 07:30 PM   #5
QuikWgn
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2003 PSM WRXWgn STG2
05 OBM LEGACY SDN

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I just clicked 60k on my '03 and the DSF strut started leaking a couple weeks ago and when I went into the dealer for my oil change(I got free synthentic changes for life when I bought the car or else I'd do it myself), I asked about life expectancy on the struts and they suggest replacement @ 50k, but that has a lot to do with how you drive, road conditions, etc, but using lowering springs can dramatically shorten the life of stock struts.
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Old 03-02-2008, 02:43 AM   #6
Rexer06
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thanks everyone for all your inputs! i'm almost certain my struts are shot becos i'm getting the knocking sound from the rear now and then. even driving slowly within a car park with slightly uneven cement flooring cause my car to bounce quite a bit...

i've seen quite a few people posting in this forum that they are on prodrive lowering springs. can anyone who's on these springs share how long their stock struts lasted?
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Old 03-02-2008, 09:57 AM   #7
QuikWgn
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2003 PSM WRXWgn STG2
05 OBM LEGACY SDN

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You might also just want to make sure that the main nut, 19mm iirc, on the top of the strut hasn't loosened up as that would definitely cause a clunking sound.
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