Bottoming out, Please Help!

[airelement01]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum so I appologize if this seems novice. I currently own a 2000 Toyota Camry CE, 4 cyclinder. The problem is whenever I have 4 or more people in my car, I bottom out when I hit a dip or simply make a sharp turn. My fuel tank is already scratched up and has 2 dents. I 'm kinda afraid the tank might actually get punctured and a spark would blow my entire car up with me inside. I figured it's the coil springs because my car does not bounce excessively but the repair shops keep on telling me it's the struts. Can someone explain to me which one it might be?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Andrew G.

[DressUpYourPet]

If you dont want to believe the repair shops, thats your business. But usually worn out struts (remember a "strut" is just a regular old shock absorber permanently installed inside a coil spring) wouldnt cause bottoming, they would just cause bouncing along as you drive every time you hit a pebble in the road.

If the coil springs are worn out - (and in 40 years i've never seen anybody wear one out on a little old passenger car, but it is possible, also its feasible that maye one or two of the springs are broken- ) ?THAT would allow bottoming for sure.

So its up to you, change the struts if it needs it. If you want to save alot of money on the springs, get some from a pick-a-part junkyard and change the springs too, cause they are coming out anyway to change the struts in front.

And for a quick fix, put on some air shocks in the back of the car, then you can adjust ride height just by adding air. It may look a little funny driving along tail-high like that but at least you will stop pounding the underside of your car.

[Mike Gerber]

Consider replacing the rears with the Monroe Quick Struts. They are a 1 piece strut and spring combination, along with all the rubber insulators already installed. They are a bit more that struts and springs individually, but should be a bit less in labor. Do a search on "Monroe Quick Struts" on this forum. They have been discussed several times. I have always been a strong proponet of them since installing them in the rear of my 98 Camry about 1-1/2 years ago. I can't really comment on them in long term use, as my car was totaled about 6 weeks after installing them.

Mike

[toyomoho]

Bottoming out could be bad shocks, the shocks being too week to control body movement on turns and over bumps. Coil springs can start to sag but the body would be riding lower because of this, does the car ride at the same height?


The shock should have a bumper stop, a round rubber donut installed on the upper shock rod that limits shock travel.

[airelement01]

The donut things are installed.
The things is, I can push down on the rear of my car very easily. So you can imagine how 3 more people in the back would make my car. I trying pushing down the rear of my friend's car which is also a 2000 camry that does not bottom out and it gives much more resistance and doesn't go down as low. I've also noticed my car scratching the rear whenever I made a sharp turn (a slight turn at about 20 mph). My car does not seem to be riding low at all though, the rear is just easily pushed down. Any insight would be great.

[wiccanferret]

Why don't you believe the shops? LOL it's your struts, promise.

[airelement01]

You know what. I've come to an epiphany yesterday and decided to just change them both (struts and spring coils). I can't have an exploding gas tank and it's just another $180 for the struts anyways. Thanks for all your helps guys/gals. I really appreciate it.