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2000 Caravan - when do most owners have the shocks and struts replaced ?

I have a 2000 Caravan with 60,000 miles. The vehicle has been relatively trouble free, but I am experiencing an occassional lound knock or bump on uneven surfaces, rather unnerving when it happens, and an occassional groaning noise also on uneven surfaces, going around corners, up a curb, etc. Two different garages have told me that I need new shocks and struts, but 60,000 miles seems awfuly early, being that I have not used this car for towing, particularly heavy loads, etc, just normal hauling-the-family-around. Just fishing for others' experience with replacing shocks and struts on this vehicle. Does this sound normal ? At what mileage do most owners find themselves replacing these parts ?

Thanks, Scott

Reply to
Scott W
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First check out your sway bar bushings. Then the other suspension components. New rear shocks, such as the mono tube types are a real improvement over the OEM style shock. But yes, sometimes shocks and the front shock strut bearings can cause noise.

Richard.

Reply to
Richard

Reply to
Frank Boettcher

'98 Grand Caravan Sport, no towing, no hauling other than 5 passengers; rears replaced due to leaking at 38,000, fronts needed at 42,000

Frank Boettcher wrote:

Reply to
RWM

Thanks everyone. I think I will go ahead and have them replaced as I have noticed a degradation in the smoothness of the ride.

Scott

Reply to
Scott W

Scott,

Out of curiosity, how much will it cost you? front and rear? My 99 has 100,000 on it and we have changed sway bar bushing several times. Now I can hear noise while making left turn and running through a speed bump.

Reply to
harry

I have a '96 T&C LXi with 198,800 miles on it. I had the front struts replaced last year at approximately 181,000 miles as I, too, was getting the knocking and bumping noises in the front (I figured at

181,000 it couldn't hurt to replace them). On the way home I was still getting the noises so I went back and had the sway bar bushings replaced. No noises since. I cannot imagine that you need new struts at 60,000 miles. I should also add that in the nine years I have owned the van it has done its fair share of towing camping trailers and over-loaded U-Haul trailers so it hasn't been treated like a cream puff. It still has the original shocks on the rear (load-levelers).
Reply to
rphillips47

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