Thunk and stiffness from one corner.

[Z-Luke]

Alright, my new Eibach/Tokico package is in the mail, but there's something odd about that passenger side rear suspension and I'm wondering what I should be looking for when I tear it down.

The other three corners are saggy, gooshy-reacting when pushed down on suspension bits. They squish down progressively and bound back up like normal. However that rear corner isn't doing that. Its much harder to push down, and when you finally get enough weight on it, it "thunks" and then squishes a little. When driving, if you go over bumps you can hear something wrong on that side, and it feels like someone hit the rear quarter with a rubber mallet.

Anyways, just wondering what that could be and if I should be expecting to replace something other than the stuff I already ordered.

[Arne]

Sounds like a seized strut insert to me. So the Tokicos should take care of it. Did you order new poly bumpstops?

[jmortensen]

Sounds like a badly blown out strut to me, but I think you're going to have to take it apart to figure that one out.

[Z-Luke]

Poly is punishing. I'm all about regular non-racing parts when it comes to bushings/collars/etc which I'm hoping I can just get jobber parts for.

I certainly hope its just a seized strut insert. The suspension on this car is so tired, I remember driving with my mechanic buddy and he was like "oh man, those shocks are old" and shook his head. If I don't go 1 mph over my driveway hump it will bounce the rear end off the ground.

[jmortensen]

Poly bumpstops aren't punishing unless your springs and/or shocks are worn out. They only get used when the suspension bottoms out.

[Arne]

Poly is punishing. I'm all about regular non-racing parts when it comes to bushings/collars/etc which I'm hoping I can just get jobber parts for.

First, I'm right there with you, rubber bushings are fine for street driving. But as Jon said, you won't even know they are there, but they will prevent damage to your new Tokicos from bottoming out. Poly bumpstops are the only poly parts in my car, the rest is factory rubber. And in fact, I don't think there are any other replacement bumpstops still available.

[Z-Luke]

Well giggidy giggidy, poly bumpstops it is. If you're correct in your assumption that it's all places like Partsource would sell anyway, then great. Takes a while for me to get parts that I order and I'd hate to have the car up on stands for a month while i wait for bumpstops.