Firstly, you don't know a thing about me or my ability as a mechanic, so take your nonsensical comments and put them in your pocket.

Secondly, I'm so obsessive, anything I've done to this car has been done to service manuals exact wording. If I didn't have a certain tool, I bought it, or in some cases, borrowed from a friend who has a shop.

I also have an 05 Aveo, similar weight car that has zero problems with suspension and it sat for two years. My Honda though, as much as I love the damned thing, simply has proven shit on bridges and pretty much any other rise and fall in the road to be trash, as you put it

 

I assumed he was referring to the tire shop.

 

He could have, and if that's the case, I apologize. I'd said "I've replaced" not had replaced, so I assumed.

 

I do my own work also, so I know it's terrible 😂
There's a lot of stigma to go with doin' your own work, and although i'm not happy when it takes the form of zingers, i'm glad it's there, cuz if no one questioned my work up to now I'd be a danger to society! (well, moreso)

I think @steve37 is on to something though. General consensus (from what I've observed) is that suspension isn't typically a problem. A couple people, myself included, have replaced oem struts. I think we all went with KYB Excel Gs, what did you go with?

• Do you have big/heavy or excessively offset (more than +35) wheels?
• Any trouble with fastening the top nut on the rear shocks? (I assume not based on your previous stuff, but just gotta ask if it went smoothly)
• Did you install lowering springs?

After that hogwash, I'd like to know more about the fault. Like what speed does to it, what noises it makes, what aggressive stopping does, how it responds to speed bumps both forward n backwards, you know, the works!
Oh and again, the kind of replacement shocks you used and if you replaced the old mounts (i think the shocks came with new rubber but can't remember.)

From what I see in the community, your repeated fault is likely either abnormal or you're much better at IDing suspension faults than the common folk, which I'd totally accept.

To list an old bungle of my own, one time I lubed the front strut mounts thinking it would ensure they seated properly and potentially help them age better.. It made them slip.

 

I do not know about better "at IDing" so much as mentally obsessive. I'm the first to say maybe I'm imaging things, or just have unrealistic expectations. I mean, I got the car at 160k and it's now at 242220. For the 1500 I paid for it, it was well worth it, and has never left me stranded.

I swear it'll sounds like I'm a nutter, but up until recently, it was an intermittent problem. Each drive would yield the same vibration eventually, but never all the time. I put in a lot of miles though. Last year, 37000, mostly highway.

Biggest thing is the sound of dragging from the rear that drives me nuts. Suspension though, is maddening in itself. I go over the same bridge everyday, one way over the bridge, smooth as butter. Little more spring than I think should be there, but otherwise great. Other direction, same speed, I bottom out every single time without fail. Not convincing I know as each side can have a different slope.

Speed bumps I avoid whenever possible. I've never gone over one less than 5 mph without my bottom hitting the road on the other side. Smooth, freshly paved roads seem worse than country roads. To elaborate, smooth roads feel like they have very small waves in them that I can feel in the steering wheel and floorboards. Country roads, I swear I barely notice anything at all

On a job site now, but I'll post more later if I can think of anything.

 

Forgot to answer your questions, heh.

No, no large offset.
No trouble with top nuts on rear shocks.
I've not installed anything to lower the vehicle.

As far as what I bought, the front were Unity's. Doubt they are great, but I'd hate to think they were trash either considering the price was in the middle of the crap ones to the gold plated ones.

Rear, was whatever Advance had. Monroe I think. First two I received were both covered in oil outta the box. Took them back and got two more. Jackhats.

 

😂 Don't get me started about obsessiveness. I don't keep a maint schedule, I go by sound and response. Today is a crazy one, so I'll get back to yuh soon as can!

 

Bottoming out.. Well in that case you could give a hard downward push at each corner of the car to see if it comes up and stops or bounces. I assume you know this old test though.

I'd be interested in your measuring ground clearance. Just like, from the pinch weld down to the ground. I'd gladly compare it to mine. My curiosity is whether the previous owner may have installed aftermarket springs.

I'm curious if you purchased full coil on spring assemblies or just replaced the struts up front. I'm suspicious of aftermarket spring manufacturers. I believe they often use thinner, stiffer springs.

If we don't find a solution here I'd recommend heading to a corporate chain alignment shop like Evans. I've been to multiple that did not charge for an inspection. Those guys have often pointed out little things for me. Then I tip 'em good, take it home and do the work myself! I know it's jerky, and I apologize, but am poor.

 

I will measure it today, all 4 corners I suppose?

Yes, I bought complete struts.

I do indeed know that trick, but I'm no good at judging. One side of the front seems noticably easier to push down, but neither side bounces more than once. I don't recall how it seemed when I first replaced the struts.

The rears however, with two new sets over the course of my ownership, feels just like it did the day I got it, which is to say, spongy.

 

If you can't tell then I wouldn't worry too much 👍

Since you replaced springs too, if the car sits even it's prolly a waste of time to measure. I have a new idea and a question for yuh, chief!! Did you pre-load suspension when the new components were installed? That is to say, did you install the new junk but not tighten it all the way, then put a jack or ramps under each wheel/arm/whatever (can do 'em one at a time) to compress them fully so that the suspension looks like it would with the car on the ground, then torque the bits?

I think stuff not being preloaded could lead to premature failure. It might be more noticable for the rear which has less weight on it. Heck, we might actually be able to tell by measuring ground clearance!

 

Sorry it took so long. Feast or famine in my field, so when it gets busy, it's busy.

I went ahead and measured anyway. Was kinda surprised, but not shocked. Front sits at 24.5 on both sides. ( Measured from bottom center of tire to wheel well ), the rear passenger side 25, driver's side 26.

You have a good point with the suspension though. I did nothing to the struts when I got them as they were supposed to be out of the box ready to go. Up to that point I hadn't much experience with cars other than a heater core in an 86 crown Vic, oil changes, and general maintenance things everyone should be capable of doing. Point being, I could very well have not understood fully what the service manuals was saying. It still makes me scratch my head sometimes.

 

Good to hear from you!
Hey, there's nothing fun about heater cores 😂 sometimes you gotta take the whole dashboard off.

It sounds like we're making progress!! So uhm, all you should need to do is get the rear of the car up in the air, replace shocks if you need to OR just brake loose the mounting hardware (enough so that the shock is able to move somewhat). A nut up top, and whatever down below that actually affixes the shocks to the vehicle. Then compress stuff with a jack and, while it's compressed, torque. I can pull specs and take pics if you'd like, but we're due rain for the next two days.

EDIT: just as an FYI for the rear there's no actual adjustment of the shock itself, just making sure it seats correctly. For the front there's adjustment of spring compression in addition to making it seat correctly, but adjusting that requires a spring compressor.

 

( TF09E8AB44100019102KBAT00 )
internet saavy peeps can deduce the full site from that link. But that's the manual I've always used. great resource for anyone with an 09.

Says 22 foot pounds I believe.

Thanks for the info

 

If you ever feel like upgrading, here's a link to the Bishko manual on ebay. It's still the nicest manual I've ever used, although my digital 07 escape sm is a close second. the only error i've found is that the spark plug torque has been since raised to 20 v. 14ftlbs.

😂 I doubt I can convince you to buy it when you've already got the information, but based on your link (which i'm sure dudes will appreciate!) the difference is like pittsburg tools v. snap-on