It's a Team's Life
The Shocking Truth
You have seen the commercials, you have seen the billboards, they say you need to change your shock absorbers every fifty thousand miles. On a car that may be true, on a truck, not so much. They do need changed though, there are ways to tell if they have failed. One way is to use an infrared heat gun, available at most parts stores, to tell if your shock is doing its job.
This needs to be done after driving for the day, to get things working. Before things cool off, point the heat gun at the bottom part of the shock, this is where the working parts are, and record the temperature. Then check the temperature of something else, like the leaf spring to get a comparison. If the shock is warmer than the spring it's working.
Here's why, the shock has oil and valves, working like a hydraulic cylinder to dampen the movements of the axle in an effort to keep the tire on the road. Any time there is fluid moved thru a valve it is slowed by friction, creating heat, that is why the shock will be warmer than the surrounding metal objects that should be the same as ambient temperature.
Another way is to look at the shock it's self, as I said it is filled with oil, there is a seal around the piston shaft that will sometimes leak. If it is leaking, there will be oil streaking down the lower portion of the shock body, no oil in the shock, the shock will not work. This is not the most accurate way to tell if the shocks are working but it will defiantly tell you if it has failed.
There are machines that can test shocks to see if they are working properly, but I have only heard of them, never seen one. I have always thought if you are going to remove them to test, just change them. I change them annually, 150,000 or so just to keep them fresh, usually in the fall during pre-winter checks.
Worn out shocks have shown to cause problems other than a poor ride. Air conditioner clutches, alternators, fan clutches, and electrical issues not to mention all the bushings that are taking a beating with every pothole we hit. There are shocks on our cabs and our seats to, I don't change them as often as the axle shocks, but they need to be checked regularly. If you think about the roads we travel on daily, it's no wonder our shocks fail.
Bob & Linda Caffee
TeamCaffee

Saint Louis MO
Expediters 8 years been out here on the road 13 years
Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle; 

Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;

Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;

Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business.