Can struts stiffen up rather than soften as they get old?

HuskerPath · Postby **HuskerPath** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:44 pm

Hey folks,
It's been awhile since I've posted on the forum but I'm going to attribute that to having a high degree of satisfaction with and few problems with my 2006 Pathfinder!

Now, however, I do have a question involving my truck. My '06 stock, very stock, PF has abotu 85,00 miles on it. I took it in recently to get the tires rotated where I bought my Cooper tires (they do it for free) because I've been getting some excessive tire noise - kind of a "cupping" or "chopping" sound.

I was told that my struts were wearing out and that was causing the uneven wear. I can understand that but with every other vehicle I've owned, the ride and handling have gotten spongy and soft as the struts and/or shocks have gotten old. But, unless I'm off my rocker, the ride on my '06 has gotten progressively more stiff over the last 5,000-8,000 miles or so.

Help!

ShipFixer · Postby **ShipFixer** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 5:26 pm

They can. Shocks (especially cheap shocks) can get more binding issues as they get older. Damage to the gland/seal on the shaft, loss of lubrication internally due to failure, etc.

Remember these are el cheapo orifice-damped units that come OEM. Swapping them for Bilsteins will be a night and day difference.

FWIW a few thousand miles on the Bilstein's corrected the beginnings of cupping on my tires. Cupping is nearly always a sign that shocks aren't doing their job (or the damping is incorrect) in one way or another.

HuskerPath · Postby **HuskerPath** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:49 am

ShipFixer wrote:They can. Shocks (especially cheap shocks) can get more binding issues as they get older. Damage to the gland/seal on the shaft, loss of lubrication internally due to failure, etc.

Remember these are el cheapo orifice-damped units that come OEM. Swapping them for Bilsteins will be a night and day difference.

FWIW a few thousand miles on the Bilstein's corrected the beginnings of cupping on my tires. Cupping is nearly always a sign that shocks aren't doing their job (or the damping is incorrect) in one way or another.

Thank you for your response. It was helpful. I posted this question on a couple of different forums I frequent and your's was the best explained and least smart-alecked response I received.

Not everyone can be a genius mechanic like some of the dudes at least thought they were!

Can struts stiffen up rather than soften as they get old?

Can struts stiffen up rather than soften as they get old?

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