This may be a silly question but how do you know if your shocks are bad? I have a F150 2002 Supercrew 4X2.

 

As most here will say: If they are the original Ford Shocks, they were bad before they were put on.

But on a more technical note, if they start to leak, that is a good indication that there isn't much life left to them.

I had a leaking rear shock on my 01 with 45K Milles on it. I changed all 4 last June. Truck was 3years and 1 month old.

Dpostman

 

Do poor/bad shocks result in a bouncier ride? What about levelness on corners?

 

Yes, they stink new and diminish quickly by 25-40K. Yes, dampening is reduced.

 

Guys, what is the usually lifespan of shocks such as Blistien, Ranchos, etc....?

Normal driving.

Thanks.

 

there really is no way to say how long something like a shock is going to last. they might go 100k or they might crap out in less than 25k. however, the important thing to remember is that most aftermarket shocks such as rancho and monroe sensatrac have lifetime warranties. if you keep an eye out at sears you can get them installed for free or they will be on sale. thanks

 

Quality shocks should last at least twice as long. A lifetime warranted shock doesn't include free replacements if they functioned properly for their intended service life.

 

The traditional test for bad/worn shocks is to grab the bumper in one corner and get the vehicle bouncing up and down. Then let go on the up-bounce. It should continue up, start to return down, and then stop. Do the same on a down-bounce. If there is any overshoot, the shock is bad. If you can't really get it bouncing and it stops as soon as you let go, the shocks are good. Repeat on all four corners.

My IAS shocks have been on for 127,000 miles and miserably failed the above test. It seemed to do a lot of extra bouncing over bumps in the road. At first I thought it was just the road. It's surprising how you don't notice something going bad when it changes so gradually.