Hi All: I just spent in excess of $200.00 for 4 heavy duty replacement shocks for my Grand Marquis. After about 2 days I have concluded that this did not improve handling and performance. There has got to be something else wrong with the suspension in ths car. Any one have a clue? I get vibration (jiggling feeling from the rear at all speeds.) Should I expect this in this car after 70k miles. What a piece of junk, maybe this is why people buy Imports?
Maybe a bit more description of the problem would help in diagnosis. A "jiggling feeling" might mean a bent rim, bad tire, out-of-balance tire, or worn out universal joint, among other things. FWIW, worn out shock absorbers don't usually cause vibration. They dampen the rebound of the suspension after the springs are compressed (like when you go over a bump). Shock absorbers prevent a pogo-stick kind of motion.
FWIW, my '95 Crown Vic has 105k miles and original shocks, as far as I can tell. Ride is as smooth as can be and no wobble or vibration. I had to replace the rear air springs a while ago but the shocks sure looked original to me. I'd look at tires for a jiggle from the rear. My parents installed new blimp brand radials on their '88 GM an it has wobbled ever since. Even a few warranty replacements didn't make it go away.
Paul E
I agree, the problem doesn't sound like a shock problem to begin with. On the bright side, the shocks probably were nearly worn out at 70k miles, so replacing wasn't really a waste.
A vibration from the rear end could be caused by bad tires, bent rim, bad wheel bearing, u-joint, etc. Those are the most likely culprits.
Harry
The car feeling "rough riding" is more likely due to stiff shocks. The ride will feel harder, but you will probably have more control. If "heavy duty" shocks are anything like performance shocks, they will be quite firm.
Rougher ride can also be caused by tires, but if they're the same size as original and roughly the same "class" (like all season or touring), the difference will not be nearly as noticeable as new shocks.
Wheel weights are put both inside and outside rims, that is normal. The dynamics of each wheel and tire combination are different, different size weights are needed in order to compensate.
Can you describe the "jiggl> The car is now very "rough riding" You can feel every bump. Sort of
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